Anna Nicole Smith

Anna Nicole Smith (1967–2007) was an American model, actress, and television personality whose marriage to oil heir J. Howard Marshall led to a prolonged inheritance dispute.

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Marshall v. Marshall: A U.S. Supreme Court case holding that bankruptcy courts could not enter final judgment on a state-law counterclaim outside their constitutional authority. Smith’s claim against Pierce Marshall became this landmark dispute over bankruptcy-court jurisdiction.
Mexia, Texas: A city in central Texas where Anna Nicole Smith was born and raised. Her early life began in this small Texas community.
The Anna Nicole Show: A reality television series following Anna Nicole Smith and her entourage, broadcast on E! from 2002 to 2004. The series made her private life a central part of her entertainment career.
Article III of the United States Constitution: The constitutional article that establishes the federal judiciary and sets protections for federal judges. The Supreme Court relied on Article III to limit bankruptcy judges’ authority in the dispute.
Stern v. Marshall: A 2011 U.S. Supreme Court decision limiting bankruptcy courts’ power to issue final judgments on certain state-law claims. The Court revisited the constitutional question arising from Smith’s estate litigation.
Playboy: An American magazine founded by Hugh Hefner in 1953, known for lifestyle coverage and nude pictorials. Smith’s 1992 appearance in the magazine brought her national attention.
Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult: A 1994 comedy film starring Leslie Nielsen as detective Frank Drebin. Smith made her feature-film debut in this comedy.
United States bankruptcy court: A federal court that handles cases arising under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The litigation exposed constitutional limits on its power to decide state-law claims.
J. Howard Marshall: An American oil executive who married Anna Nicole Smith in 1994, when he was 89 and she was 26. His will and estate became the center of Smith’s inheritance claims.
Guess (brand): An American fashion brand founded in 1981 by brothers Paul and Maurice Marciano. Smith’s campaigns for Guess helped establish her as a model.