Anna Nicole estate appeals ruling on oil fortune

Lawyers for the estate of Anna Nicole Smith are appealing a ruling that gave her none of her late billionaire husband’s fortune, it emerged today.

The appeal filed Thursday seeks a full review by the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals and continues a case that has outlived both parties.

In a March 19 ruling, a panel of the court sided with a Houston jury that decided in 2001 that Texas oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall never intended to leave any of his $1.6bn estate to Smith.

Marshall’s will gave most of his estate to his son, E Pierce Marshall.

Smith had argued that her elderly husband had promised to leave her more than $300m.

Smith died of a drug overdose in 2008.