The Artful Jurist

The city of Baltimore is saying good-bye to a long-gone favorite, albeit possibly disturbing, son. This weekend, in commemoration of his 200th birthday year, the city is holding a funeral for that master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe, who died of uncertain causes in Baltimore in 1849. When Poe was buried back then, reports say fewer than ten people were at his funeral. The city is expecting hundreds to be in attendance for the ceremonies this Sunday, which will take place in the former church that's next to Poe's burial spot.

In addition to being credited with basically inventing the detective story ("The Murders in the Rue Morgue"), for which those of us who enjoy a mixture or art and law will always be grateful, Poe also left something of a legal issue after his death.

Shortly after he was buried, Poe's long-time rival, Rufus Griswold, became his literary executor. To this day there's still a question over whether Poe appointed Griswold to the position or whether Griswold attained it through tricks or treachery. Whatever it was, it seems Poe's heirs didn't get much from Griswold's posthumous publication of Poe's works.

The lesson for the artist: don't forget your intellectual property when you're doing estate planning. You won't be around to look after your art when you're gone. Better to appoint someone who'll look after it in a way that you'd approve.