Wills & Probate

Electronic wills—inevitable in a digital era, or an abomination liable to wreak fraudulent chaos? In this week’s NLJ, Brendan Udokoro, associate, and Kiera Quinn, associate (New Zealand qualified), Howard Kennedy, examine the pros and cons, risks and rewards of allowing people to tap out their will on their phone or laptop.

The famous phrase, ‘All rise’, is being changed to ‘All rise, if able’, to be called out by the usher upon the judge or magistrate entering court. NLJ columnist and former district judge Stephen Gold notes, wryly, ‘if there is an usher, of course’.

This year’s Probate Industry Awards, also known as the Probies, were announced in London last month at a sparkling ceremony hosted by broadcaster Steph McGovern

The application of the forfeiture rule in assisted dying cases: Sukhninder Panesar examines a delicate balancing act for the courts

Average wait times for probate are now just over four weeks, HM Courts and Tribunals Service data published this week shows. 

Amanda Smallcombe examines success fees in claims under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975

The government has dropped its plans to digitise historic wills and destroy the original paper copies, following ‘strong opposition’ from the public.

Lawyers have welcomed the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision that success fees are not covered by ‘financial need’ provisions in wills disputes

The value of the wills, trusts and probate market has risen 7% since last year to an estimated £2.81bn, according to the latest annual market report by IRN Legal Reports

A dying woman successfully completed a deathbed revocation of her will after nodding at her solicitor to ask for her help in tearing up the document.