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24 October 2025 / Shivi Rajput
Issue: 8136 / Categories: Features , Family , Wills & Probate , Divorce
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Two marriages & a funeral

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Lessons to learn from a High Court case involving both bigamy & intestacy, by Shivi Rajput
  • In a preliminary ruling in Dinsdale v Fowell, the High Court has held that the deceased’s second wife should be treated as a spouse for the purposes of bringing a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, even though the deceased was still married to his first wife.
  • It serves as a reminder that divorce must be formalised, wills must be kept current, and estate planning must anticipate the complexities of modern family life.

The recent High Court case of Dinsdale v Fowell (PT-2024-000590) has highlighted profound and complex issues at the intersection of family law, inheritance and estate planning. At its heart lies a tragic and legally tangled scenario: James Dinsdale, an accountant and property development business owner, passed away from cancer in October 2020. He left behind two spouses, an adult son and an estate valued at approximately £1.8m with no valid will to

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