Graceland can stay in the hands of Elvis Presley’s family for the time being, after a Tennessee court chancellor ruled Wednesday that a mysterious company trying to sell it likely committed fraud.
Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins said that a planned foreclosure sale of Graceland, Elvis Presley’s historic Memphis home, would be postponed at least until a future hearing determines who maintains rightful ownership of the estate. A bizarre series of events set the late singer’s granddaughter against a mysterious company that claimed Elvis’ daughter gave it Graceland’s deed.
A hearing in the Shelby County, Tennessee, Chancery Court determined that Thursday’s planned foreclosure auction of Graceland would irreparably harm Elvis’ granddaughter, Danielle Riley Keough, who sued to block the sale. Keough took ownership of the estate and popular tourist attraction after her mother and Elvis’ daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, died in January 2023.
“The estate is considered unique under Tennessee law, and in being unique the loss of the real estate will be considered irreparable harm,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins also said there was evidence that a company trying to foreclose on Graceland had forged documents that it claimed gave it the right to sell the property. After the hearing, a person who said he represented the company trying to foreclose said it would drop its claim.
In a statement, Graceland said the property will continue to operate.
“As the court has now made clear, there was no validity to the claims,” the statement read. “There will be no foreclosure. Graceland will continue to operate as it has for the past 42 years, ensuring that Elvis fans from around the world can continue to have a best-in-class experience when visiting his iconic home.”