Boy granted £50k from aunt’s estate as she had ‘taken on the role of mother’
November 7th 2022A 12-year-old boy has been granted £50,000 from his late aunt’s estate on the basis that he had been treated as a child of the family. Rebecca Armstrong Associate Solicitor reports on this recent case. The boy was taken in by his aunt shortly after his birth because his mother was unable to care for him herself. The aunt acted as the boy’s main parental figure until her death in 2016. …
Legal ruling has implications for farming inheritance rows
October 26th 2022A LANDMARK legal ruling could have far reaching implications in disputes over the future of family farms. Rebecca Armstrong, a Contentious Trust and Probate Specialist with Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors, said the judgment by the Supreme Court on Wednesday (October 19) would impact farming families who find themselves in legal battles over who will inherit the farm. Rebecca said: “The ruling was unusual in that it offered the parties a choice…
Siblings fail to overturn will involving the care of a parrot
October 6th 2022Three siblings have failed to overturn their stepmother’s will after she left everything to her biological son. Rebecca Armstrong Associate Solicitor in our Will Claims team reports on this recent case. The son claimed that his mother had changed the will after the siblings’ father died so that he could look after her parrot. The case involved 61-year-old Ian McLean and his siblings Sean and Lorraine, and their half-brother, a self-titled “Lord” Brett…
Man’s will found in draft form on computer ruled to be valid
July 25th 2022The High Court has ruled that a man’s will that existed only in draft form on a computer, but which was signed by two reliable witnesses, should be accepted as valid. Rebecca Armstrong Associate Solicitor in our Will Claims team reports on this recent case. This is a highly unusual decision because generally, the original will, signed in the presence of two witnesses present at the same time, must be produced after death in…
Dementia sufferer was aware of his actions so his will was valid
May 26th 2022An elderly farmer who suffered from dementia understood what he was doing when he changed his will shortly before his death and so the alterations should be accepted as representing his true wishes. David Tew, Associate Solicitor reports on this recent case. That was the decision of the Court of Appeal in a case involving a dispute between members of the same family. In 2005 the farmer executed a will leaving…
