James Brown's maybe widow Tomi Rae Hynie has selected a "special guardian" for her and (possibly) the late singer's son, James Brown II, as a first step in determining the child's paternity.
Trustee's for Brown's estate requested a DNA test to ascertain whether or not the late singer is the boy's father last month. Hynie has always said she had no problem with such a test taking place, and so the process to enable such a test is now seemingly underway. Before a paternity test can take place a "special guardian" needs to be appointed to oversee the process, and Brown's estate recently issued a list of lawyers they'd be willing to see fulfill that role. From that list Hynie's people have selected one Stephen M Slotchiver. That appointment should be formalized at a court hearing later this month.
As previously reported, the paternity test is important for the son's future because neither he nor his mother were listed in the singer's will. Given that Brown and Hynie's marriage is of question (because Hynie was allegedly already married at the time of her and Brown's wedding), James Brown II needs conclusive proof the singer was his father to have any case in securing a cut of his estate.