When a person makes a Will, they must have testamentary capacity to ensure their Will is valid. Over recent years, we have seen huge percentages of Wills being contested due to doubt over a Testator’s (the person who made the Will) capacity. In this article, we’ve explained what the testamentary capacity requirements are and shared points you need to consider if you have any doubts over an individual’s capacity when they made their Will.
Unfortunately, recent prosecutions of forged Wills or Wills that have been tampered with show that forgeries are possibly on the rise. In this article, we’ll discuss what to do if you suspect a Will has been forged.
There are various reasons why people dispute a Will. However, one of the common reasons for contesting a Will is, sadly, undue influence. In this blog, we explain more about what undue influence is and what to do if you suspect someone has been unduly influenced when making their Will.
Even in situations where all parties agree a Will is valid, there are times when claims can still be made against an estate. These claims happen when for some reason, when the deceased was alive and making the Will, they did not provide for an individual who believes they should’ve been. In this blog, we share further information on the time limits to take action if you wish to make a claim against an estate under the Inheritance Provision and Dependants Act 1975.
Over the years, we have seen the number of people raising probate disputes increase. Whatever the reason for disputing a Will, we always recommend seeking early advice to determine the right course of action, which may require you to take immediate steps to prevent probate from going ahead. In this article, we’ve shared our advice on the first steps to take when you have concerns over the validity of a Will.
If a person passes away intestate, it means they haven’t left a valid Will in place. This means that their estate will be dealt with according to the Rules of Intestacy. In this blog, we’ve shared what this means and why we always recommend adults of all ages have a valid Will in place and ensure it is up to date following any major life changes.
Our specialist contentious trust and probate team regularly come across frequently asked questions regarding disputing a Will, one of the most common initial questions we receive is – do I have any legal right to dispute a Will? This blog aims to clarify who can dispute a Will in more detail.
Our Associate Solicitor, Zoe Bancroft completed her training contact on the 6th January 2022 and was officially admitted as a solicitor on the 1st February 2022. In this blog, Zoe provides an insight into why she chose to pursue a career in law, what her route to becoming a solicitor was like and her advice to others currently thinking about or training to become a solicitor.
In recent years it has been widely publicised that contentious probate cases are on the rise. In this blog, we share some of the common reasons why Wills are left open to being contested and what you can do to help prevent a dispute after you pass.
