Bara Kristinsdottir for The New York Times

The Filipino lawyer for a woman who filed a paternity lawsuit claiming that Bobby Fischer, the late chess champion, was the father of her daughter, has criticized how tissue samples were obtained to perform the DNA tests. The test, which reportedly came back negative on Tuesday, was ordered by the Supreme Court of Iceland as part of a dispute over Mr. Fischer’s estate.

Mr. Fischer died in January 2008 at the age of 64 and left no will.

The lawyer, Samuel Estimo, also criticized the lawyer who represents the woman and daughter in Iceland, Thordur Bogason, saying that he had disclosed the results without the authorization of his clients, Marilyn Young and her daughter, Jinky.

Mr. Estimo also said that Mr. Bogason had prematurely withdrawn the mother and daughter’s claim to the estate.

Mr. Estimo aired his criticisms and concerns about the case by forwarding a series of e-mail exchanges with Mr. Bogason to media organizations, including The New York Times, a day after the paternity test results were divulged.

In his e-mails, Mr. Estimo included a detailed description from Mr. Bogason of how the tissue samples were retrieved from Mr. Fischer’s grave in the cemetery of Laugardaelir Church in Iceland. Mr. Estimo included the description of the exhumation, though Mr. Bogason’s letter said that the manner in which it was done should be kept confidential.

In his letter, Mr. Bogason indicated that the attorneys for the other claimants to the estate — Miyoko Watai, a Japanese woman who says she married Mr. Fischer in 2004 and is his widow; and Alexander and Nicholas Targ, Mr. Fischer’s nephews by his sister, Joan — were present. Mr. Bogason wrote,

I will now give you a report but I stress that we keep all details confidential as we have strict orders from the authorities not to reveal any such detailed information to the media. This report is therefore only for you and confidential and not to be passed on to anybody else: In the very early hours of 5th July 2010 a team of experts from Reykjavik Official Cemeteries opened the grave of Bobby Fischer and made space for forensic doctors to stand beside the coffin of Bobby in the ground. At 04:00 hours the police commissioner summoned the attorneys of the parties, being me and Vigdis along with Mr. Vilhjalmsson and Mr. Jonsson, attorneys for Ms. Watai and the Targ brothers to the site at Laugadaelir. Also present were the parish minister, Rev. Kristinn A. Fridfinnsson, the head of the local health authorities, Dr. Oskar Reykdalsson, two forensic doctors (experts) that carried out the gathering of the samples and then police force that closed off the site and kept all unauthorised persons away. When the necessary preparations for the forensic doctors had been done and the lid of the coffin of Bobby was ready to be opened, a big tent was erected to seal of any possible view of the exhumation. Thereafter the experts doctors opened the lid of the coffin and took seven different samples from the remains of Bobby Fischer to be able to carry out the DNA test. After the experts had done their job the lid of the coffin was replaced and thus the coffin itself was never removed or lifted to the surface. Then the parish minister blessed the grave in the traditional manner of the Icelandic Church. The coffin was then covered with earth and the tent removed and the experts from the Reykjavik Cemeteries closed the grave and put again grass on the surface. The early morning of July 5th was a very calm, beautiful summer morning at Laugadaelir, the wind was peaceful and so was the whole of this operation. It was carried with dignity and respect for Bobby Fischer and in absolute privacy and silence. I am personally very grateful to the police commissioner, Mr. Kjartansson, in the way he managed to handle this delicate matter without causing any controversy. All other official parties, including the Rev. Fridfinnsson, the local medical directors, the director of the Reykjavik Cemeteries, Mr. Ragnarsson, and of course the two forensic experts, that were necessary to carry out the procedure should be thanked for their great professional skills and the way they contributed to make this delicate operation a successful one.

Mr. Estimo wrote in his letter to The Times and other media organizations,

The exhumation of Bobby Fischer was not done the normal way. His coffin should have been brought up and opened so that it would have been sure that the seven tissue samples that were taken from the alleged remains in that coffin were that of Bobby Fischer. Indeed, the procedure undertaken borders on the doubtful. The lot where Fischer was buried belongs to the family of Gardar Sverisson, a close friend of Miyoko Watai, one of the claimants to the estate of Bobby. He had complete access to the area, and in fact, Fischer was buried there in front of the church in an early January morning without the church pastor knowing it. Who knows what could have taken place there between the date of burial and on the days before the exhumation?

In response to Mr. Estimo’s concern about the exhumation, Mr. Bogason wrote,

Let me again reassure you that the exhumation was done properly and the samples were indeed the ones of Bobby Fischer. The case is closed and you will have to accept that. It is no possibility that Gardar Sverrisson or anyone else would have made any substitution. I will certainly not come forward with such allegations and I advise you strongly from doing so. It is unfounded and could easily be considered as slander.

Previous attempts to interview Mr. Sverrisson about Mr. Fischer or about the estate dispute have been unsuccessful.

In his correspondence with Mr. Bogason, Mr. Estimo complained that Mr. Bogason spoke to the media about the test results before speaking to Ms. Young and that he had withdrawn the case without her consent. He said that he and Ms. Young had yet to see the DNA results and that, notwithstanding what they were, he believed that they could continue to pursue their case, partly based on documents Ms. Young had submitted to the court showing that Mr. Fischer called himself Jinky’s father, that he had bought a house for them in the Philippines and that he had provided financial support to her and her daughter.

Replying to an e-mail from Mr. Estimo with the subject line, “Why did you rush our case to conclusion?”, Mr. Bogason insisted that nothing else could be done. He wrote,

According to article 17 of act 76/2003, governing the matters of children, a man shall be deemed the father of a child if the outcome of DNA-research point decisively to the fact that he is the father. Otherwise he is not the father and in light of the outcome of the DNA-test – Fischer is excluded from being the father and therefore the case is closed. Any attempt to deny the facts of the matter is futile and could lead to much increased cost and even penalties. We have done the utmost and best for our client but the facts are now clear and terminate the case.

In another e-mail, Mr. Bogason wrote that he felt everything had been done to pursue the case.

As I said, I will check the results but I hope you understand and appreciate the length of which the Icelandic judicial system has reached to ensure the right of Jinky. There is no reason to think that this is not the right outcome.

About his decision to speak to the media, Mr. Bogason wrote that he did so because the results had already been disclosed to the other parties involved in the estate fight and they had already spoken publicly.

Regarding the media I had made it clear that the outcome was of course also given to the other parties and this was bound to come to the knowledge of the media. This was clear. The media contacted me, not vice versa, and I only confirmed what was right and they already knew.

As for Mr. Estimo’s criticisms about his conduct, Mr. Bogason responded,

I have done my utmost to safeguard the interests of Jinky here in Iceland and it is very unfair and disappointing to receive e-mails from you in this tone I just have.

Mr. Estimo wrote in his letter to the media, “The two women closest to his heart are Jinky Young and Miyoko Watai, and if he could just have written a last will, he would have bequeathed his entire estate to the two.” He concluded, “Jinky will be denied her rightful due to the estate of Bobby Fischer!”