NLJ this week: Bigamy & intestacy

The court ruled that Margaret Dinsdale, whose 2017 Las Vegas marriage was void because her husband never divorced his first wife, could still be treated as a ‘spouse’ under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. Master Brightwell’s pragmatic ruling granted her £50,000 interim maintenance and recognised her good-faith marriage and financial dependence.

Rajput warns that the case highlights the costly fallout of informal separations and outdated wills. Her takeaway: always finalise divorces, update testamentary documents and document dependency. In an age of blended families, she concludes, romantic intentions are no substitute for formal legal steps.