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Mental health

02 September 2010
Issue: 7431 / Categories: Case law , Law digest
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Re D (statutory will) [2010] EWHC 2159 (Ch), [2010] All ER (D) 102 (Aug)

Even if all relevant parties consented to the terms of the proposed statutory will, that could not be conclusive because the execution of a will for a protected person was a decision which had to be made by the court itself, and could not be entrusted to a deputy.

In determining whether to order the execution of a statutory will for and on behalf of a person who lacked capacity, the court had to act in that person’s “best interests”. That concept was explained in s 4 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, which required the court to consider all the relevant circumstances and, in particular, to apply a structured decision making process. The concerns identified by the district judge were factors which the court could take into account when deciding whether to order the execution of a statutory will; and they might, in an appropriate case, lead the court to conclude that it should not exercise its power to do so. However, there

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
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