Faith Evans Lawsuit, Delaware Judge Rules Voletta Wallace’s Trust Is Owed $12,518,336 Plus Interest From Notorious B.I.G., LLC

On October 27, 2026, Delaware Court of Chancery Chancellor Kathaleen St. J. McCormick ruled that the Voletta Wallace Revocable Trust is entitled to $12,518,336 in company distributions, plus prejudgment interest. The money comes from Notorious B.I.G., LLC, the company Faith Evans and Voletta Wallace formed in 2007 to manage the late rapper’s intellectual property.

The ruling is a second major win for the trust’s trustee, Wayne Barrow, against Evans. Here is what the court actually decided, because several headlines say Evans was “ordered to pay $12.5 million,” and the opinion is more specific than that.

What the ruling says:

• The trust did not become a member of the LLC until December 12, 2025.
• Even so, all economic rights tied to Voletta Wallace’s interest passed to her estate when she died on February 21, 2025, and then to the trust under her will.
• So the trust is entitled to distributions made from the date of her death, not only the $48,612 Evans and the company said it was owed.
• Interest runs from the date each distribution was made, at the statutory rate, compounded quarterly.
• The court refused to have the money held at the court’s registry while a separate Pennsylvania dispute plays out.

What the ruling does not say: The $12,518,336 is not the value of the Biggie catalog, and the court did not order a lump-sum payment out of Evans’s personal funds. The October 27 decision is a letter ruling stating the amounts are “due to the Trust” and telling Barrow to submit a final form of order within 20 days. As of October 31, 2026, no completed payment and no appeal had been reported.

Faith Evans Lawsuit Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Case	Barrow v. Evans, C.A. No. 2025-0760-KSJM
Court	Delaware Court of Chancery
Judge	Chancellor Kathaleen St. J. McCormick
Plaintiff	Wayne Barrow, as trustee of the Voletta Wallace Revocable Trust
Defendants	Faith Evans; Notorious B.I.G., LLC (nominal defendant and counterclaim plaintiff)
Filed	July 2, 2025
Key rulings	August 7, 2026 (summary judgment for the trust); October 27, 2026 (amount and interest)
Amount	$12,518,336, plus prejudgment interest at the statutory rate, compounded quarterly
Amount Evans and the company said was owed	$48,612
Trust became an LLC member	December 12, 2025
Voletta Wallace died	February 21, 2025
Separate dispute	Pennsylvania Orphans’ Court petition by C.J. Wallace, filed February 20, 2026
Status	Final order due from Barrow within 20 days of October 27; no appeal reported

What Is Notorious B.I.G., LLC?

Voletta Wallace, the rapper’s mother, and Faith Evans, his widow, formed Notorious B.I.G., LLC in 2007 to manage the intellectual property created and owned by Christopher Wallace. They signed an amended operating agreement on March 8, 2023, and each owned 50% of the membership units and served as managers.

Distributions work differently from ownership. Voletta and Evans each assigned half of their distribution interests to Christopher Wallace’s children, Ty’anna Wallace and Christopher Jordan “C.J.” Wallace. The court described the result this way:

Person	Share of company distributions
Voletta Wallace	25%
Faith Evans	25%
Ty’anna Wallace	25%
C.J. Wallace	25%

That is why the money at issue is tied to Voletta’s 25% share, not to half the company.

Why Did Voletta Wallace’s Death Start the Lawsuit?

Voletta Wallace died on February 21, 2025. Her will left her estate to the Voletta Wallace Revocable Trust, which the LLC agreement names as a “Permitted Transferee” of membership units.

Weeks earlier, on February 6, 2025, she had amended the trust and signed a codicil. The changes removed her grandson C.J. and her friend Carol Sampson as successor trustee and executor, leaving Wayne Barrow as sole trustee and sole executor. The amendment also removed a provision giving her LLC interest to the Voletta Wallace Foundation and directed that assets not specifically bequeathed go to the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation.

Barrow, described in reporting as the Notorious B.I.G.’s former manager, accepted the trusteeship on March 6, 2025, and received letters testamentary from Pennsylvania on April 21. After Voletta’s death, Evans became the LLC’s sole manager and stopped making distributions to the trust. When Barrow asked for distributions on April 4, 2025, Evans replied that none would be made “unless verification has been secured,” and disputed that the trust was a member.

What Did Wayne Barrow Ask the Court For?

His July 2, 2025 complaint had four counts:

1. A declaration that the trust is a member of the LLC.
2. A declaration that the trust is entitled to distributions.
3. Access to company books and records under 6 Del. C. § 18-305.
4. Specific performance of the LLC agreement’s deadlock provision to remove Evans as manager.

Evans and the LLC answered on August 25, 2025, with a mirror-image counterclaim saying the trust was not a member. The court had already granted Barrow’s motions to expedite and for a status quo order on August 4, 2025.

August 7, 2026: Why the Judge Said the Trust Is a Member

The fight turned on two sections of the LLC agreement. Section 5.3 lets new members in by unanimous vote of existing members. Section 8.1 lets a member transfer units to a “Permitted Transferee” who signs an instrument “reasonably satisfactory to the Manager” assuming the member’s rights and obligations. Evans argued the trust needed unanimous approval under Section 5.3.

The court disagreed in a memorandum opinion. It found that Section 5.3 is expressly subject to the rest of the agreement, that Section 8.1 is the more specific provision and covers permitted transferees, and that the trust is the very trust the agreement names, even though it was amended. It also held that “reasonably satisfactory” is an objective standard, not a veto for Evans. Barrow signed a written consent on December 12, 2025 assuming Voletta’s rights and obligations, and the court held that satisfied Section 8.1.

The court granted summary judgment to Barrow on Counts I and II and dismissed Evans’s counterclaim. The opinion does not decide Counts III and IV.

Related article: J.B. Hunt Data Breach Lawsuit, Four Class Actions Filed After October 2026 Cyberattack, What Was Exposed and Who May Qualify?

October 27, 2026: How the Court Reached $12,518,336

After the August ruling, the parties fought over what the trust was owed before December 12, 2025. In its September 11 letter decision, the court found no reason to delay final judgment on Counts I and II, and asked for more submissions. The October 27 letter resolved the rest.

The court separated two ideas. Membership status began on December 12, 2025, when the trust signed the required instrument. Economic rights are different. Under Delaware law, an LLC interest is personal property that passes to a member’s estate by operation of law on death. Voletta died in Pennsylvania, so Pennsylvania probate law governs her estate, and under 20 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3543(b) the trust, as ultimate beneficiary, is entitled to distributions accrued as of the date of her death.

The numbers

The $12,518,336 figure comes from the defendants’ own submission. They told the court that the LLC made these distributions attributable to Voletta’s interest after her death:

Date	Amount
March 20, 2025	$4,000,000
June 30, 2025	$4,000,000
September 25, 2025	$4,000,000
December 26, 2025	$469,724
Distributions since December 11, 2025 attributable to the trust’s 25% share	$48,612
Total	$12,518,336

Evans and the company argued the trust should get only the $48,612 because its membership began in December. They also pointed to C.J. Wallace’s Pennsylvania challenge to Barrow’s authority and offered to deposit the earlier amounts with the court’s Register in Chancery. The judge said no.

Why the Pennsylvania case didn’t change the result

Barrow holds letters testamentary issued April 21, 2025. Pennsylvania law (20 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3329) says an act of administration done in good faith is not undone by a later revocation of the representative’s letters. The court concluded that the outcome in Pennsylvania “will not affect” Barrow’s actions on behalf of the estate and trust or the trust’s entitlement to distributions as of Voletta’s death. In the court’s words, the accrued distributions “are due to the Trust.”

Interest

The trust gets prejudgment interest on each distribution from the date it was made, at the legal rate under 6 Del. C. § 2301(a), compounded quarterly. The $12,518,336 does not include that interest, so the final figure will be higher. No court filing I reviewed gives a final total.

Is Faith Evans Personally Liable for $12.5 Million?

The cleanest reading is that the court found the trust owns the economic rights to distributions the LLC attributed to Voletta’s 25% interest, and that the money is due to the trust. Evans was a defendant and the LLC’s sole manager, and the LLC was a nominal defendant. The court has not yet entered the final order implementing the ruling, and how payment is structured will depend on that order. Headlines that say Evans was “ordered to pay” are shorthand, so treat them with care.

The ruling also doesn’t hand Barrow control of Biggie’s intellectual property or Evans’s own 25% share. It resolves the trust’s membership and distribution rights.

The Primary Wave Deal and the $12.5 Million

Rolling Stone reported that the ruling entitles Barrow, as trustee, to Voletta’s 25% share of distributions from the Primary Wave deal, a 2025 transaction involving rights tied to the Notorious B.I.G. Bloomberg Law reported the deal was valued at $100 million when announced. The Delaware opinions I reviewed don’t mention Primary Wave or attach a valuation, so the $12,518,336 shouldn’t be read as the price of that deal or the value of the catalog.

What Is C.J. Wallace’s Pennsylvania Case?

On February 20, 2026, C.J. Wallace, Faith Evans’s son and the grandson of Voletta Wallace, filed a petition in Pennsylvania Orphans’ Court asking to revoke the February 2025 trust amendment and codicil. According to the Delaware court’s summary, he challenges Barrow’s role as sole executor and trustee, alleging undue influence over Voletta and conflicts with her heirs. Those are allegations. Evans and the LLC asked the Delaware court on March 4 to stay Barrow’s motion pending that case, and the court denied the request.

The Delaware ruling does not dismiss or decide the Pennsylvania case. If you want background on another estate fight over a famous musician’s property, see Mitchell Winehouse vs. Naomi Parry and Catriona Gourlay Amy Winehouse Estate Dispute Lawsuit, The Full Story and Final Outcome.

What Happens Next in the Faith Evans Lawsuit?

• Final order: Barrow must submit a proposed final order within 20 days of October 27, consistent with the August 7 opinion, the September 11 letter and the October 27 letter.
• Appeal: An appeal is possible once a final order is entered. None had been reported as of October 31, 2026.
• Counts III and IV: The opinions I reviewed don’t resolve Barrow’s books-and-records claim or his request to remove Evans as manager.
• Pennsylvania: C.J. Wallace’s petition continues separately.

Faith Evans Lawsuit Timeline

Date	Event
2007	Voletta Wallace and Faith Evans form Notorious B.I.G., LLC
December 14, 2020	Voletta creates the revocable trust and signs her will
March 8, 2023	Amended LLC operating agreement signed
February 6, 2025	Voletta amends the trust and signs a codicil naming Barrow sole trustee and executor
February 21, 2025	Voletta Wallace dies
March 6, 2025	Barrow accepts appointment as trustee
April 4, 2025	Barrow requests distributions; Evans disputes the trust’s status
April 21, 2025	Pennsylvania issues letters testamentary to Barrow
July 2, 2025	Barrow files suit in Delaware Chancery
August 4, 2025	Court grants motions to expedite and for a status quo order
August 25, 2025	Evans and the LLC answer and file a counterclaim
December 12, 2025	Barrow signs the written consent assuming Voletta’s rights and obligations
February 20, 2026	C.J. Wallace files his Pennsylvania petition
March 4, 2026	Evans and the LLC move to stay
April 17, 2026	Barrow moves for summary judgment on Counts I and II
May 11, 2026	Oral argument
August 7, 2026	Court grants summary judgment and dismisses the counterclaim
September 11, 2026	Letter decision: no reason to delay final judgment on Counts I and II
October 27, 2026	Court finds the trust owed $12,518,336 plus interest

Faith Evans Lawsuit FAQ

Why did Faith Evans lose the Biggie estate lawsuit?

The court held that Voletta Wallace’s trust became a member of Notorious B.I.G., LLC under the operating agreement’s transfer provision, and that her economic rights passed to her estate and the trust when she died.

How much is the trust owed?

$12,518,336 in distributions, plus prejudgment interest at the Delaware legal rate, compounded quarterly.

Does Faith Evans personally have to pay $12.5 million?

The ruling says the distributions are due to the trust. It doesn’t say Evans must pay from her personal assets. The structure of payment depends on the final order, which hadn’t been entered as of October 31.

Has the money been paid?

No payment had been reported as of October 31, 2026. Barrow was told to submit a final form of order within 20 days of October 27.

Why did Evans say the trust was only owed $48,612?

She argued the trust became a member on December 12, 2025, so it could only claim distributions after that date. The court said membership and economic rights are separate and that economic rights passed on Voletta’s death.

Who is Wayne Barrow?

He is the sole trustee of the Voletta Wallace Revocable Trust and the executor of Voletta Wallace’s estate. Reporting describes him as the Notorious B.I.G.’s former manager.

Who is C.J. Wallace, and what is he challenging?

C.J. Wallace is the son of Faith Evans and the Notorious B.I.G. In Pennsylvania, he is challenging his grandmother’s February 2025 trust amendment and codicil and Barrow’s role as trustee and executor.

Did the Delaware judge dismiss C.J.’s Pennsylvania case?

No. The judge ruled only that the Pennsylvania case did not justify withholding the trust’s accrued distributions.

Does the $12.5 million include interest?

No. Interest is awarded on top of the $12,518,336 and runs from the date of each distribution.

Is the $12.5 million the value of the Biggie catalog or the Primary Wave deal?

No. It is the trust’s share of distributions tied to Voletta’s 25% interest in the LLC.

Can Biggie fans or consumers claim any of this money?

No. This is a private business and estate dispute, not a class action, and there is no claim form.

Where does the money go once the trust gets it?

The opinion notes that the amended trust directs assets not specifically bequeathed to the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation. The ruling itself doesn’t decide who ultimately receives the money, and C.J.’s Pennsylvania case challenges that amendment.

Can Faith Evans appeal?

Yes, once a final order is entered. No appeal had been reported as of October 31, 2026.

Sources

• Delaware Court of Chancery, Barrow v. Evans, letter decision, October 27, 2026 (C.A. No. 2025-0760-KSJM)
• Delaware Court of Chancery, Barrow v. Evans, Memorandum Opinion, August 7, 2026
• Rolling Stone, Biggie’s Manager Wins Battle Against Widow Faith Evans
• Bloomberg Law, Notorious B.I.G. Legacy Case Ends in Loss for Widow Faith Evans
• 6 Del. C. § 18-704, § 18-305 and § 2301
• 20 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3329 and § 3543

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the Delaware Court of Chancery’s August 7 and October 27, 2026 decisions, Rolling Stone and Bloomberg Law reporting, and the cited statutes, as of October 31, 2026. Last Updated: October 31, 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.