 Howard III also claimed that his father had verbally promised him a portion of the estate; like Smith, Howard III was also left out of his father's will.In 1996, Smith filed for bankruptcy in California as a result of an $850,000 default judgment against her for the sexual harassment of a nanny who cared for her son.Since any money potentially due to her from the Marshall estate was part of her potential assets, the bankruptcy court involved itself in the matter.