Here are answers to some of the more frequently asked questions about the controversies that have surfaced since James Brown's death this past Christmas.

Were Tomi Rae and James married?

A: They exchanged vows, but whether their marriage is legal is a question that has not yet been decided. The singer's longtime advisers say no -- that Tomi Rae Hynie Brown had wed another man years ago and never properly dissolved that union, making her marriage to Mr. Brown invalid. She says her first marriage to Javed Ahmed was never legal in the first place and that a Charleston judge agreed, which would make her Mr. Brown's widow. Judge Jack Early has ordered a hearing to determine whether she was Mr. Brown's fourth wife be held by February.

Is James II the singer's son?

A: His mother, Tomi Rae, says yes. Mr. Brown's longtime advisers say they're not sure. They asked for a paternity test, but the issue has never been heard in court. The court-appointed guardian ad litem opposes a DNA test, and Mrs. Brown said she doesn't think her son should be tested unless everyone claiming to be a Brown heir is tested -- including the six children he named in his will.

What does his will say about children not named in it?

A: They were deliberately left out and do not inherit anything. James II, however, was born after the will was drafted in 2000.

If his will says people not named in his will were intentionally left out, why bother doing paternity tests on these other kids that are now coming forward?

A: A judge could rule that they should be included, despite what his will says. Two of the three newly-found daughters Mr. Brown is confirmed to have fathered out of wedlock have challenged his will. Also, James II's guardian ad litem is seeking a share of the estate for the child as well.

Which of the newly-discovered kids have challenged his will, and what are they asking for?

A: LaRhonda Pettitt and Nicole Parris both want a share as if their father had died without a will, and they also want the support Mr. Brown should have paid until they were both 18.

What are these two trusts he created?

A: The James Brown "I Feel Good" Trust and the James Brown Family Education Trust were designed to pay for school bills for needy children in South Carolina and Georgia and his grandchildren under 35, respectively.

What's the big deal with whether his trusts own his music royalties or his estate does?

A: The documents creating the trusts indicate that the two charities own the music royalties, as well as the rights to his image and name. That's what would fund the trusts so that school bills can be paid. If a judge rules that the estate owns the royalties and not the trusts, then it's likely that Mr. Brown's heirs would split the music royalties -- leaving no funding for the educational trusts.

What does the trust own for sure that's not in dispute?

A: So far, the Beech Island, S.C., home Mr. Brown lived in until he died.

What did he specify in his will to be divvied up?

A: Household items, which one attorney for the children has described as essentially "pots and pans."

Why do the children and Tomi Rae want new trustees so badly?

A: They believe that the former trustees -- Buddy Dallas, Alford Bradley and David Cannon -- badly mismanaged Mr. Brown's estate and have tried to violate court orders not to sell off any assets. Also, Mr. Cannon has been formally accused of misappropriating at least $7 million of Mr. Brown's money -- allegations he refused to discuss when put on the stand last month.

Where is James Brown's body?

A: Mr. Brown's body is currently in a temporary crypt at the home of his daughter, Deanna Brown Thomas in Beech Island.

Do his children plan to turn Mr. Brown's Beech Island estate into a Graceland of sorts, and will his body be moved there?

A: Several of them said the family plan to turn the Beech Island home into a museum, which they say is something he wanted.

"We look forward to making it something that the world would be proud of, making it something that America would be proud of to have birth an icon such as dad," Mrs. Thomas said. "Making it something to be proud of for all children around the world to know that no matter who you are, if you are poor or wherever you come from, you can still make an impact on the world and in other people's lives."