James Brown's former publicist is suing the late singer's estate, demanding control of a charitable trust.

Jacque Hollander maintains she should be in charge of the trust because she helped establish it, according to a lawsuit filed this month in federal court in Chicago, Illinois.

Hollander also alleges she is the trust's only surviving partner.

Assets belonging to the legendary singer have been in limbo since his death on Christmas Day in 2006.

They were due to be divided up between his trust fund, to benefit his grandchildren, and six of his adult children, as stated in his will.

But the legitimacy of the document was called into question by some of Brown's offspring, as well as his widow and the mother of his young son, Tomi Rae Hynie.

The parties fought the will in the courts, but during the legal proceedings, it was revealed that Brown had numerous unpaid debts, and the trustees of his estate were left facing allegations of inadequate accounting and claims of misappropriated money.

A settlement on how to fairly distribute the estate is pending.

(by Daniel Melia)