Can the Goldmans, Browns collect money from O.J. Simpson's estate?

O.J. Simpson, who died Thursday, was acquitted in 1995 of the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her acquaintance Ronald Goldman, but two years later was found liable for their deaths in a civil proceeding.

While the California jury in that civil case entered a $33.5 million US judgment, the Brown and Goldman families' quest to obtain significant monies from Simpson proved relatively fruitless.

"What people don't realize about a civil trial — a judgment is a piece of paper, and that is what you get," Goldman's father, Fred, said in the Oscar-winning 2016 documentary O.J.: Made in America.

Simpson told a journalist in 2003 that the plaintiffs "don't deserve one red cent."

"If it means that I have to sit on my butt, or sit on a golf course, for the rest of my life and not make one extra penny, I'll do that," he said.

WATCH l The unique life and times of O.J. Simpson:

When Simpson decided to participate in a book viewed as highly offensive to many observers — 2007's If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer — it led to a rare split between the two grieving families.

The Browns opposed the project throughout. After initially being disgusted by the project, Ron Goldman's father, Fred, successfully pursued the publishing rights on behalf of his family. A federal judge also ruled a company started by Simpson's oldest daughter, Arnelle, was set up "to perpetuate fraud."

The public is now likely to get a closer look at Simpson's finances. Another split between the Browns and Goldmans is possible. After all, two of Simpson's four surviving children were with Nicole Brown, and it's not clear what type of relationship Brown's family have with them.

David Cook, a California attorney who has represented the Goldmans, told Fox Business on Thursday that their fight will continue.

"I've been dealing with this problem since 2008," Cook said. "As to O.J. Simpson here, it's really simple: it's called dead without penance. He's gone, but it's without penance."

Here's how the process may play out.

Whether or not he left behind a will, Simpson's assets will now almost certainly have to go through what's known as the probate process in court before his intended heirs can collect on any of them.

Different states have different probate laws. Generally, the case is filed in the state where the person was living when they died — Nevada, in this case. But if significant assets are in California or Florida, where Simpson also lived at various times, separate cases could emerge there.