starting at noon, before the tribunal de grande instance of Nanterre, the excitement is palpable. At the entrance, a few plain-clothes police officers monitor the television crews moving around. France Info is already live. The car M6 is looking where to park. For this new trial related to the estate of Johnny Hallyday, BFM has released the big game: seven reporters. Fans are not on the horizon ; the audience will be journalists. And yet… “We only had fifty requests of accreditation against the double last year,” says the young girl sent by the chairman of the tribunal. Side safety, so it is more lightweight: no CRS.

” READ ALSO – Estate Johnny Hallyday: the underside of the long awaited trial

In this Friday, the issue is simple: it is necessary to determine if Johnny Hallyday was a French resident or a u.s. resident. Where did he want to live? Where had it his friends? His family? This trial affects all the following. If he was american, he had the right to disinherit his four children for the sole benefit of his wife Laeticia, and the war is over. If it is said in French, our law applies and Laeticia must share the estate with the four children of the rocker.

Ardavan Amir-Aslani (pictured) and Arnaud Albou, the advice of Laeticia Hallyday arrive first. MARTIN BUREAU/AFP

The hearing is scheduled for 13: 30. Ardavan Amir-Aslani and Arnaud Albou, the advice of Laeticia Hallyday arrive first. Inside the room, Hervé Témime (lawyer Laura Smet), has its air of cat matois. “Laura arrives, she parks in the parking lot”, lance-t-il to Ardavan Amir-Aslani, who turned pale. “You saw the panic? He believed in!”, repeats to anyone who will listen Hervé Témime, very happy with his small effect. The joke is short : as in previous trials of 2018, Laura, David and Laeticia are absent. “They do not testify and thus did not need to be here,” said Arnaud Albou.

The atmosphere is relaxed. Since the war erupted at the end of January 2018 between Laeticia, Laura and David, everyone has had the time to get to know and greet. Hervé Témime fact admire his new pen mother-of-pearl. The most thoughtful wish a happy Nowruz, the New Year for Persian, counsel for Laeticia who grew up in Iran. Carine Piccio, the lawyer of David, is absent ; Isabelle Foil replaces it. “We will go to the bird’s-eye”, joked the other council of David, Pierre-Jean Douvier.

” READ ALSO – Johnny Hallyday: a career posthumous slowed down by the legal troubles

At 13: 40, the president of the court makes his entrance and the hearing is open. Both sides of the aisle, Emmanuel Ravanas (Laura) and Arnaud Albou (Laeticia) exchange a smile. Amir-Aslani chews on his nicorettes, a heavy gold watch on the wrist and displays a tranquility all eastern. Everyone has their folders in front of him: orange for Emmanuel Ravanas, blue for Pierre-Jean Douvier (David’s lawyer), purple for Arnaud Albou. The chair, itself, is framed by two stacks towering stapled sheets: the oral pleadings of the two parties.

“Johnny spent most of his time in the United States. He had a stable link, and close with America”

Arnaud Albou, lawyer, Laeticia Hallyday

For Laeticia Hallyday, Arnaud Albou advances at the bar. Oral argument of about an hour is high volume It list its arguments. Johnny Hallyday was living since 2007 in Los Angeles. In 2009, he constructed his home in Pacific Palisades. “Build, this is not just to buy,” stressed the lawyer. In 2013, the rocker becomes a tax resident of the us. In 2014, he obtained his green card , and undertakes to live in the United States more than six months per year. As the lawyers of David Albou has drawn up tables of presence to know where was Johnny, week by week, in 2015, 2016 and 2017. According to his calculations, Johnny would have spent 188 days in America in 2015 (compared to 158 in France) and 195 in 2016 (as against 168 in France, of which 42 to Saint-Barth). For the year 2017, it hardly extends. “Everyone knows that Johnny arrived in France in may and died there in December,” evades-t-it.

America, “a fascination that dates back to his youth”

the lawyers of David question the sincerity of Laeticia, and the credibility of its supporting annoys Arnaud Albou. Training in sports, e-mail sent in the United States, driving licence, mutual, american, tickets to concerts, back to Los Angeles after her vacation in St. Barts, schooling of his daughters Jade and Joy, the marital home… “Johnny spent most of his time in the United States. He had a stable link, and close with America,” he says. He said to have given the judge a piece to be very sensitive: the medical record american of Johnny Hallyday, which shows regular visits to his doctors in Los Angeles. “Johnny passed also to the consulate and acquired all of its tax obligations in the United States, of the federal tax, the taxes in california.”

SEE ALSO: Johnny: the legacy ruthless

According to him, Johnny had a very strong attachment to the United States that does not date from yesterday, “a fascination that dates back to his youth”. “He built his artistic image as the Elvis Presley French. It was there that he found his musical inspiration and his musicians. He lived with Sylvie in Los Angeles, married Adeline in Las Vegas and met Laeticia in Miami”, sets out there yet. All the documents of these last years, trusts in the contract Warner in his company Born Rocker are in the United States. To the contrary, he wanted to separate himself from his home in Marnes-la-Coquette and sold his chalet in switzerland in 2015. It ensures that Johnny was eager to take american citizenship. “It was five years after its green card . This would have been the case in 2019. He died by the end of 2017″, he laments.

“It is false and defamatory to say that he had a remedy for fraud tax”

The following is a little more wobbly. According to Arnaud Albou, “Johnny didn’t like the French mentality”. The attachment of fans to their star does not have to be taken into account. “Is it the public who decides where the icon has the right to live?”, lance-t-il. As for the delicate relationship of the singer with the revenue, they are swept of a reverse of hand. “It is false and defamatory to say that he had a remedy for fraud in France for tax purposes”, he says. In his back, bursts of laughter ring out. Sitting side by side, way Muppet Show, the lawyers of Laura, Pierre-Olivier On, and Hervé Témime shake the head and laugh full-throated. Good criminal lawyers, they know how to do the show. Arnaud Albou pulls himself together and continues. “Laeticia, Jade and Joy does suivaient not constantly Johnny on his tours. They were absent from school to school, especially during their holidays,” he says. As to the social life of Johnny in the United States, he demonstrates by four attestations, including that of Nadia Farès, former actress of the crimson Rivers . For a couple that lives there for ten years, four certificates, is a little.

And why, then, Johnny, the American would have chosen, it was ten years ago, to be buried in Saint-Barth and so, in France? “This was not France, but an island paradise.” Hervé Témime laugh out loud “of course”, he said with a nodding of the head. “Johnny did may not be wrong about the French mentality,” he throws Arnaud Albou completing his oral.

“less than a squinting geographical, Saint Barth is France as Marnes Coquette. At the risk of breaking a suspense unbearable, Johnny touched all of its revenues from France”

Emmanuel Ravanas, avaocat of Laura Smet

it Comes to the turn of the advice of Laura Smet. The loud voice of Emmanuel Ravanas sounds. He is the best orator, despite a small mania funny enough for those who are sitting behind him: when his voice rises, it rises on the balls of the feet and sways to the rhythm of his argument. From the outset, he explains that Laeticia has always been against any negotiation. In the judge’s office, in June, she had refused an amicable agreement. Emmanuel Ravanas displays a number of the Point that will serve him in his argument. In his interview, Laeticia said that she “would have preferred to stay in the family”. “We also,” he adds. If Laeticia did not oppose an end of inadmissibility for very dry to Laura and David, it would have been preferable to deal with all of this as a family.”

Hervé Témime, lawyer, Laura Smet, did not hesitate to laugh openly with the arguments advanced by the opposing party. MARTIN BUREAU/AFP

And this is only the beginning. Emmanuel Ravanas has two revelations to make. He was surprised, first, that the directors of successive trust that Laeticia is a beneficiary to have the same lawyer, whether it be Bank of America, at the beginning, or San Pasqual, today. “It is all the same very particular,” it is mine to wonder. In his corner, Ardavan Amir-Aslani acknowledges the shot. Ravanas continued his offensive. “Contrary to what they wanted us to believe, Laeticia and Johnny were registered on the electoral lists to Marnes-la-Coquette, lance-t-il. Johnny was written off in January 2018, following his death, but Laeticia is still registered.”

The contracts with Optic 2000

The lawyer of Laura Smet is also taking care to disassemble one by one the arguments of his colleague. Saint-Barth would not really be France? “At least a squinting geographical, Saint Barth is France as Marnes Coquette, quips he. At the risk of breaking a suspense unbearable, Johnny touched all of its revenues from France.” As to the documents submitted by Laeticia, they are surprising. “About 60 pieces of the opposing party, none of which is related to the income of Johnny. We understand why: it would show its strong relationships with France!” The lawyer of Laeticia Hallyday the knows. “The one who has signed the agreement with Optic 2000, it is him, lance Emmanuel Ravanas, turning to Ardavan Amir-Aslani. He, also, who has ridden the entire heritage structure. He, also, who manages his income tax adjustments. Why use my colleague if he has no links with France?”

“You are unable to prove their presence in the United States. You show us the bookings of flight tickets, but these are not boarding passes !”

Isabelle Foil, a lawyer of David Hallyday

It is 16 hours. It is the turn of the lawyers of David Hallyday. “Laeticia repeated the story in front of us to serve his pecuniary interest, ton Pierre-Jean Douvier. A movement to 180 degrees is quickly operated. At her funeral, Johnny is French. Then, as soon as the financial aspirations appear, it is american. What magic! To betray the identity of a deceased person and the sacrifice as well, is not serious.” Isabelle Fleuret takes over. His tone is laid, and its place of surgical precision, even if it was not much argued until now. It will address some of the arguments in the headlights of Laeticia. The schooling of Jade and Joy at full time from September to June at the French school? “In 2016-2017, that is completely false,” she said. They took courses in france and in Saint-Barth.” The many posts on Instagram of Laeticia, Johnny who welcome the football matches won by France, as they were touched by tragedies such as terrorist attacks? “All of these posts prove that they had the same concern as the French.” And if Johnny lived in the United States as early as 2007, so why has he signed their wills in Switzerland and in France in 2007 and 2011? Why were there three full-time employees in the chalet of Switzerland until 2015, if the couple was no longer there? Why is “lie to the fans saying to be on Instagram to St. Barth while I’m in New York? What is the interest?” “At the same time, lance Isabelle Fleuret, you are unable to prove their presence in the United States. You show us the bookings of flight tickets, but these are not boarding passes!”

At 16h40, the hearing ends. Following the order paper Friday, may 28. The president will deliberate to 13: 30 on may 28. Climbing into his taxi which took him back to his office on the avenue Montaigne, Ardavan Amir-Aslani said: “The strategy of the opposing party, it is: “If you cannot convince them, confuse them””. If you can’t convince them, embrouillez. The lion of persia speaks from experience.