header-logo header-logo

What a turkey!

26 October 2012 / Michael Tringham
Issue: 7535 / Categories: Features , Wills & Probate
printer mail-detail

Michael Tringham follows the latest disputes in the wills & probate world

With litigation generally on a downward trend and even the number of grants of representation declining, a seemingly inexorable rise in probate and trust disputes is keeping the courts busy: proceedings rose by nearly 14% between 2010 and 2011 and more than doubled since 2006 (source: Ministry of Justice Judicial and Court Statistics).

Specialist solicitors attribute a variety of reasons for this. Howes Percival’s Elizabeth Young comments: “Families, who have not seen their relatives as regularly as perhaps they should (in the mind of the deceased) are stunned to find they are left nothing and question the validity of the will. Wills may be invalid for a want of proper formalities. ‘DIY’ wills may be incorrectly completed.” She cites recent cases where clients were unaware that their marriage had revoked the wills made days before their big day and never updated since, and another who had inadvertently revoked his UK will when making a new will in Canada to deal with a Canadian

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

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
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
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
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
back-to-top-scroll