News

Wills sometimes contain mistakes. Specialist solicitor, Chris Green, looks at how to fix an error in a will and why delay in doing so can be excused   When…

According to new research, almost a quarter of people surveyed said they would legally contest a will if they disagreed with how assets had been divided. The research, which…

We are regularly asked how to contest a will in England. In response to this we have prepared a two part legal guide to contesting a will in England.…

We are frequently asked, 'how do I contest a will in England?'. In response to this we have prepared a two part legal  quick guide to contesting a will…

We are all familiar with the fairy-tale of Cinderella. Cinder’s mother dies and her father re-marries. The wicked step mother assumes control and favours her own children at the…

A brief guide on how to remove a caveat It can come as a shock when an application for a grant of probate is rejected because a caveat has…

The recent court decision in Ubbi & Anori (Minors) v Ubbi [2018] highlights the financial and emotional mess that can arise when someone dies leaving behind two families and…

The Court of Appeal has clarified the law as to whether a will is valid if the witnesses have not signed the will. The case concerned the validity of…

There are a number of grounds for contesting a will in the UK. A recent court case gives a useful overview of some of the different challenges that can…

We are often asked, 'How much does it cost to remove an executor?' Solicitor Lee Dawkins examines the complex but vitally important issue of legal costs in executor disputes.…

We are often asked, 'what is the time limit for contesting a will?' Legal time limits are notoriously complicated. While general guidelines can be given the law is so…

In the USA they call the principle that a murderer cannot inherit from his victim the 'slayer rule'. In England and Wales it's enshrined in the Forfeiture Act. In…

In England and Wales the law enables you to revoke a Will in 3 ways: 1. Revoking a Will by marriage Marriage - or a civil partnership - automatically…

When a will goes missing, is it presumed destroyed? We look at the law that governs what happens if a will cannot be found. A recent case, Whitton v…

The text message will: A modern will for a modern world. The Brisbane Supreme Court in Queensland Australia has ruled that an unsent text message is a valid Will. The…

For a Will to be validly signed and executed strict rules need to be followed. As specialist solicitor Chris Green points out, if these rules are not observed, Will…

Inheritance lawyer, Naomi Ireson, looks at the circumstances in which a beneficiary has a right to see estate accounts? And what are the consequences for an executor who refuses…

What is the doctrine of proprietary estoppel? The doctrine of proprietary estoppel in simple terms refers to a situation where someone suffers detriment as a result of another person's…

A deputy is appointed when a person lacks mental capacity and is unable to make a decisions for themselves. The lack of capacity can arise as a result of…

Will dispute solicitor Lee Dawkins looks at the important role that mediation can play in resolving contentious probate cases cost effectively. Alternative Dispute Resolution Any experienced will dispute solicitor…

John Dickinson, a barrister at St John's Chambers, recently acted for the defendant in the Will construction case of Amiee Shannon Steed (a Child by her Litigation Friend, Marilyn…

We are often asked what happens when a person leaves a gift to a beneficiary in a will, but the recipient of that gift dies before the person making…

Contentious Probate Solicitor, Chris Holten examines changes to the Intestacy Rules (which apply when someone dies without making a Will) that came into force in England and Wales on…

Contentious Probate Solicitor, Chris Holten, looks at the role of the Court of Protection. The Court of Protection was created under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.  It has jurisdiction…

Challenging the intestacy rules: With a raft of changes to the intestacy rules coming come into force we ask whether the reforms go far enough and look at how…

Statistics released by the High Court confirm that the number of claims against executors has trebled in the past year. Contentious Probate Solicitor, Lee Dawkins, reports on the rise…

Lawyer Naomi Ireson considers the changes that will shortly come into force in relation to inheritance law We specialise in inheritance law and operate a free inheritance law helpline.…

Contested Wills Lawyer, Naomi Ireson, draws lessons from the decision in Vegetarian Society and Another v Scott [2013] EWHC 4097 (Ch) The case of Vegetarian Society and Another v…

Our Disputed Wills Team Report on a 'Failed Gift' Contained in a Will A recent case has highlighted how complicated it can be to leave a legacy in a Will to a…

The Supreme Court has adopted a pragmatic, ‘common-sense’ approach to an invalid Will dispute where a Solicitor made an obvious mistake when arranging for Wills to be signed by a…

Lee Dawkins, a solicitor specialising in negligent Will claims, reports on the recent case of ‘FELTHAM –v- BOUSKELL’ in which a solicitor was found to be negligent for the delay in…

Challenging Solicitors' Costs in probate and Estate Administration Contenttious Probate Solicitor, Lee Dawkins, examines the options open to executors and beneficiaries when they wish to challenge the solicitors' costs…

Contentious Probate Solicitor, Lee Dawkins, takes a look at how to remove an executor We are regularly contacted by people who are involved in an executor dispute. These executor…

Our inheritance dispute team look at the intestacy rules and asks, when do brothers and sisters inherit? What happens when someone dies without a will leaving no spouse, children or…

Signing a will couldn’t be simpler - or could it? Our Will disputes team take a look at the Wills Act and reveal the dangers that lie in wait…

With the number of contested wills cases increasing, people often ask us if it’s really necessary to make a will. Lawyer Terese Kingman investigates. I specialise in drafting wills…

Will dispute Solicitor, Lee Dawkins, looks at what makes a will valid Wills need to be prepared in accordance with some very strict technical rules in order to be legally…

Allegations of will forgery and fraud are becoming increasingly common. Our contesed will disputes team look at a recent will forgery case, R v. Avery and others, which collapsed when the…

What is the legal position of a co-habitee when their partner dies? We look at cohabitee Inheritance Act claims. It is a popular misconception that the phrase “common law husband” or…

According to a recent survey one in five British people have already received all or part of their inheritance.  Researchers say that millions of young adults, or NINNIs, (‘Need…