Capacity on the cobbles, Coronation Street’s inheritance dispute storyline – Family Law

Posted August 9th, 2018 in gifts, intestacy, mental health, news, wills by tracey

‘As Coronation Street fans will know, Aidan Connor (played by Shayne Ward) tragically committed suicide earlier this year. Following his death, his family were shocked to discover that he left his share of his business, Underworld, to his friend and former business partner Alya Nazir. Aidan’s half-sister, Carla Connor, was particularly outraged by this. She had gifted her interest in the business to Aidan earlier in the year, after he had made his will but before his death. Carla and family consulted a local solicitor, Adam Barlow, who suggested that they could challenge the will on the grounds that Aidan lacked capacity due to depression.’

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Family Law, 8th August 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Against their will? – New Law Journal

Posted July 31st, 2018 in forced marriages, mental health, news, wills by sally

‘Constance McDonnell uncovers a surprising scenario in the area of probate law.’

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New Law Journal, 20th July 2018

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Cecil Parkinson’s disabled child in ‘financial hardship’ – BBC News

Posted May 9th, 2018 in disabled persons, litigation friends, news, wills by tracey

‘The disabled daughter of the late Conservative Party chairman Cecil Parkinson is living in “serious financial hardship”, a court has heard.

The latest hearing was to determine if Sara Keays could make legal decisions on behalf of her 34-year-old daughter.’

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BBC News, 8th May 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Carer who guided dying City banker’s hand as he signed over half of fortune to her stripped of windfall – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 1st, 2018 in carers, costs, news, wills by tracey

‘A carer who guided the pen of a dying millionaire as he signed over almost half his fortune to her family has been stripped of her windfall by a judge.’

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Daily Telegraph, 30th April 2018

Source: www.standard.co.uk

Foreign assets: should you try to cover everything under one will? – Family Law

Posted April 18th, 2018 in foreign jurisdictions, news, wills by sally

‘If you own assets in more than one jurisdiction, should you try to cover everything under one will, or should you have a separate will in each jurisdiction?’

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Family Law, 17th April 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Cohabitant entitled to slice of partner’s £1.5m estate, judge rules – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted April 9th, 2018 in cohabitation, news, wills by tracey

‘The High Court has ruled in favour of a woman who received nothing from her late partner’s £1.5 million estate, in a judgment that will again spark debate about the law on inheritance.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 6th April 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Daughter ordered to take DNA test to prove she has an interest in her late father’s estate – Family Law

Posted March 13th, 2018 in consent, DNA, families, jurisdiction, news, paternity, wills by sally

‘Colin Birtles died without a will in 2013. He was survived by his two daughters, Lorraine Freeman and Janice Nield-Moir. Unbeknown to her elder sister, Mrs Freeman successfully applied for letters of administration to enable her to manage and distribute his estate, amounting to his terraced house in Oldham and a small amount of cash. According to the rules of intestacy, Mr Birtles estate should be divided equally between the two sisters.’

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Family Law, 9th March 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Mutual wills: a warning – Family Law

Posted February 12th, 2018 in constructive trusts, news, wills by tracey

‘In the case of Legg and others v Burton and others [2017] EWHC 2088 (Ch) the claimants, children of Mrs Clark, successfully established a constructive trust under the doctrine of mutual wills. This had the effect of making invalid the 13 subsequent wills the deceased made between 2004 and 2014, after her husband died. It was held by His Honour Judge Matthews in the Chancery Division of the Bristol District Registry that the wills Mrs Clark made with her husband in mirror terms in 2000 were mutual wills and as such there was a binding agreement with her husband, which she could not go back on after his death.’

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Family Law, 9th February 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

The perils of an outdated will – Family Law

Posted February 1st, 2018 in appeals, cohabitation, financial provision, news, wills by tracey

‘The case of Martin v Williams [2017] EWHC 491 (Ch), [2018] 1 FLR 125 concerned the right of a cohabitee to make a claim for financial provision from her partner’s estate. It serves as a useful reminder of the problems that can arise when a testator fails to update his or her will following a change in circumstances.’

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Family Law, 30th January 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Transferring property out of a deceased’s estate to an unmarried partner (Lewis v Warner) – Family Law

Posted January 18th, 2018 in appeals, cohabitation, financial provision, news, wills by tracey

‘Roger Evans, barrister at Harcourt Chambers, says that Lewis v Warner is an interesting demonstration of the courts exercising their jurisdictional powers in the transfer of property under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.’

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Family Law, 17th January 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Burial law should be reformed to stop family rows, says Law Commission – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 15th, 2017 in burials and cremation, families, news, wills by tracey

‘The law must be changed to stop families ignoring the burial wishes of the dead, the Law Commission has said. Currently someone’s wishes have no legal standing even if expressed in a will and family members can overrule them after death if they decide to do something different.’

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Daily Telegraph, 14th Decemeber2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Cheers for The Crown makers as, 45 years on, Duke of Windsor’s will to be unsealed – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 16th, 2017 in news, royal family, wills by tracey

‘With a scandalous abdication, colourful love life and rift with his relatives, the life of the Duke of Windsor was not short of private information to fascinate the public.
More than 40 years after his death, it appears, there may be more to learn, as a senior judge has ruled that the contents of his will can be unsealed for the first time.
The will of the Duke, who was King Edward VIII until his abdication in December 1936, will be unsealed for the benefit of the Royal Archives, after a keeper applied to the Family Division of the High Court to beg special permission.’

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Daily Telegraph, 15th November 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Ex-boyfriend of murdered antiques dealer is jailed for forging her will – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 5th, 2017 in forgery, news, non-molestation orders, sentencing, wills by tracey

‘An antiques dealer murdered on her driveway had sought a non-molestation order weeks before her death against her ex-boyfriend who was jailed on Wednesday for faking her will, a court heard.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th October 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Who Knows Where the Time Goes? The Recent Decision on Limitation and Contingent Loss in Osborne v. Follett Stock [2017] EWHC 1811 – 4 New Square

‘On Thursday 13 July 2017, following the trial of a preliminary issue of limitation, HH Judge Paul Matthews handed down judgment in Osborne v. (1) Follett Stock (a firm); (2) Follett Stock LLP.’

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4 New Square, 19th July 2017

Source: www.4newsquare.com

Law reform could cause more challenges to wills – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted July 19th, 2017 in consultations, elderly, Law Commission, legislation, news, solicitors, wills by sally

‘National organisation Solicitors for the Elderly has raised concerns at proposals to overhaul the laws governing will writing claiming, saying reform will result in more court action.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 17th July 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Outdated law of wills needs “overhaul” to reflect modern world – Law Commission

Posted July 13th, 2017 in consultations, Law Commission, legislation, news, wills by tracey

‘The outdated law of wills needs an overhaul according to the Law Commission.’

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Law Commission, 13th July 2017

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Digital legacies need legal protection say lawyers – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted June 8th, 2017 in executors, internet, news, wills by sally

‘Solicitors and legal academics have called for new powers enabling people to decide what happens to their digital legacy when they die, including by making a provision for online data to be included in wills.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 7th June 2017

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Willpower & determination – New Law Journal

‘Paola Fudakowska & Henrietta Mason provide a wills & probate update.’

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New Law Journal, 19th May 2017

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

Pensioner, 86, hatched “shameless” plot to cheat elderly brother out of £900k, judge says – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 25th, 2017 in families, news, wills by tracey

‘An 86-year-old widower who claimed his sister gave him her £900,000 house on her deathbed has been slammed by a judge for his “shameless sense of entitlement”.’

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Daily Telegraph, 24th May 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Top judge struggling to stem woman’s efforts to unseal Princess Margaret’s will – Litigation Futures

Posted May 2nd, 2017 in disclosure, judges, news, royal family, striking out, wills by sally

‘There is no kind of order available to prevent a woman who claims to be the late Princess Margaret’s daughter from bringing repeated “nonsensical” claims in an effort to unseal her will, the president of the Family Division has found.’

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Litigation Futures,

Source: www.litigationfutures.com