News

Our team of experts are often asked, 'What can I do if a will is challenged on the basis of undue influence?' If you are a beneficiary under a…

Solicitor David Lees looks at the relationship between English Wills and Sharia law. If you require advice on a dispute involving English Wills and Sharia law then contact our…

Lee Dawkins, a solicitor who specialises in contesting wills, deals with a commonly asked question, 'What is a standing search at the Probate Registry?' If you are considering or…

Contacting our will dispute claimline. We understand that the law is complex and people will not always know whether or not they have valid legal grounds to dispute a…

Jack Dray, a contentious probate solicitor who specialises in fraud and forgery, offers guidance on contesting a forged Will and the ‘red fags’ to look out for. What is…

We are often asked, 'Do I need Legal Aid to contest a will?' The simple answer is that Legal Aid is no longer available for contesting wills. But the…

The independent guide to the legal profession, The Legal 500, has once again included us among their list of recommended firms for Contentious Trusts and Probate law. Our recommended…

Appointing solicitors to deal with a contested probate case can be expensive, and one of the questions that is regularly asked is, ‘Can I get legal aid for a…

Overturning a will: A court has overturned a will on the grounds of both undue influence and a lack of testamentary capacity. Here's what happened: The deceased and his…

Yes, you are able to contest a DIY Will. Here is how you can do it. DIY Wills are extremely popular. But the consequences of cutting corners and saving…

The executor named in the Will has died – What happens now? When drafting a Will, a testator will usually appoint one or several people to act as their…

One of the questions we are regularly asked by people who have been disinherited is, “How do I challenge a Will?” Contentious Probate solicitor, Jack Dray, looks at how…

Contentious probate solicitor Jack Dray, who has a background in criminal law, looks at how to challenge a fraudulent Will. One of the cornerstones of the law of England…

Hayley Bundey, a specialist inheritance and trust disputes solicitor, has once again been successful in challenging an invalid Will. It was a complex case involving heated dispute between siblings…

My spouse has cut me out of their Will, what can I do? When someone makes a Will, they are entitled to leave their estate to whoever they want.…

Can you get Legal Aid to contest a Will? People often ask us, 'Can you get Legal Aid to contest a Will?' Unfortunately, while Legal Aid was once available…

There are a number of grounds you can rely on when challenging a Will when you think it is invalid, and you can click here for details of the…

Our free legal helpline frequently receives calls and emails from people asking, 'Can a beneficiary challenge legal costs incurred in the administration of an estate?' The legal costs of…

Is there anything I can do if my dad left everything to his second wife? When making a Will in England and Wales we are all free to choose…

We look at how the courts handle issues of mental capacity One of the most common grounds for disputing a Will is whether the person who made the Will…

We don't just pursue claims at contesting-wills.co.uk, we also defend them.  We are often able to defend contested Wills on a No Win, No Fee basis and you can…

Assisting with a contested Will challenge where the Claimant was facing a court application Hayley Bundey, a specialist inheritance disputes solicitor, was consulted on a contested Will challenge that…

We look at the success rate of contesting a Will at mediation by reference to our own track record over a recent 12 month period. In the 12 months…

Naomi Ireson, a Legal 500 recommended lawyer who specialises in contentious probate cases, looks at inheritance claims and pre-nuptial agreements. With the increasing popularity of pre-nuptial agreements between couples…

We are recommended solicitors for contesting a Will and dealing with contentious probate disputes in the UK following our inclusion in the latest edition of The Legal 500. The…

The difference between Mutual Wills and Mirror Wills explained Mirror Wills and Mutual Wills are frequently confused. So what is the difference between them? In the simplest terms a…

If you are looking for experienced solicitors to represent you with a contested Will, then contact our team of experts for a free case assessment and details of no…

We specialise in fraudulent Will claims. To find out where you stand and whether no win, no fee funding is available, call freephone 0333 888 0409 or send us…

Avoid the pitfalls of delay by contacting our a free contesting wills helpline for early expert guidance on your probate claim. You can contact our helpline by calling freephone…

We operate a free contesting wills helpline. You can contact our helpline by calling freephone 0333 888 0409 or sending an email to us at [email protected] If you need guidance on…

Can I get Legal Aid for contesting a will in the UK? For free guidance on contesting a will and details of our No Win No Fee funding scheme…

We are often asked, 'Is there anything I can do if my fiancé died before changing their will?' To find out where you stand contact our legal helpline for a…

What can be done if you've not received an inheritance that is due under a will in the UK?  We deal with contested wills and executor disputes on a nationwide…

We are frequently asked, 'What reasons can you contest a will?' What reasons can you contest a will? Here are the most common grounds for contesting a will in England…

Yes, defending a contested will on a no win no fee basis is possible. If you need help defending a contested will then we may have the perfect funding…

We are often asked what happens to a child's inheritance if they are named in their parent's will but die before their parent. For further guidance on a child's…

We specialise in Inheritance Act claims, representing claimants nationwide. Contact our free helpline for a case assessment and details of no win, no fee funding on 0333 888 0409…

Wills sometimes contain mistakes. In this article we look at how to fix an error in a will and why delay in doing so can be excused. The law…

Undue influence is the most common reason for contesting a will in the UK. We specialise in contesting wills and are experienced in dealing with undue influence cases. Call…

We are regularly asked how to contest a will in England. In response to this we have prepared a two part legal guide to contesting a will in England.…

We are frequently asked, 'How do I contest a will in England?' In response to this we have prepared a two part legal guide to contesting a will in…

Can I contest my stepmother’s will? The question, 'Can I contest my stepmother’s will?' crops up on our popular legal helpline with surprising regularity. We are all familiar with…

A brief guide on how to remove a caveat It can come as a shock when an application for a grant of probate is rejected because a caveat has…

If you are wondering, 'Can an illegitimate child contest a will?' and would like expert guidance on the inheritance rights of illegitimate children, then call our free legal helpline…

Is a Will valid if the witnesses have not signed it? The Court of Appeal has clarified the law on whether a Will is valid if the witnesses have…

There are a number of grounds for contesting a will in the UK. A recent court case gives a useful overview of some of the different challenges that can…

We are often asked, 'How much does it cost to remove an executor?' Solicitor Lee Dawkins examines the complex but vitally important issue of legal costs in executor disputes.…

We are often asked, 'What is the time limit for contesting a will?' We specialise in contesting Wills throughout England and Wales. Contact our free helpline for a case…

Can a murderer inherit from their victim in England and Wales? In the USA they call the principle that a murderer cannot inherit from his victim the 'slayer rule'.…

How to revoke a Will: In England and Wales the law enables you to revoke a Will in three ways: 1. Revoking a Will by marriage Marriage - or…

When a will goes missing, is it presumed destroyed? We look at the law that governs what happens if a will cannot be found. The case of Whitton v…

The text message will: A modern will for a modern world. The Brisbane Supreme Court in Queensland Australia has ruled that an unsent text message is a valid will.…

If you are involved in a dispute concerning the signing or execution of a Will then give our free legal helpline a call. Strict rules for signing and executing a…

If you are a residuary beneficiary and have been refused sight of the estate accounts, then contact our team of experts for guidance on your options. Inheritance lawyer, Naomi…

For further guidance on contesting wills and estoppel contact our helpline. We offer a free case assessment service and no win, no fee funding. Call 0333 888 0409 or email us at…

In this article we take a brief look at how to apply to become a ‘deputy’. A deputy is appointed when a person lacks mental capacity and is unable…

We have a 95% success rate in achieving settlement at mediation, so if you would like to know more about the advantages of mediation in Will disputes then contact…

Court decides on Will construction dispute involving a homemade Will. John Dickinson, a barrister at St John's Chambers, recently acted for the defendant in the Will construction case of…

If a beneficiary dies before the Will maker, who inherits? We are often asked what happens when a person leaves a gift to someone in a will, but the…

Contentious Probate Solicitor, Chris Holten examines changes to the Intestacy Rules (which apply when someone dies without making a Will). Note: Since this article was first published there have…

Contentious Probate Solicitor, Chris Holten, looks at Court of Protection costs. The Court of Protection was created under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.  It has jurisdiction over the property,…

Note — August 2024: Since this article was first published there have been further legal changes to the intestacy rules. For instance the 'statutory legacy' has been increased from…

We are highly experienced in dealing with executor disputes. For expert guidance contact our free helpline by phone or email. Statistics released by the High Court confirm that the number…

Will dispute lawyer Naomi Ireson considers changes to intestacy law We specialise in inheritance and intestacy law and operate a free inheritance law helpline. Call us in confidence on…

When is an 'irrational will' likely to be declared invalid? Contested wills Lawyer, Naomi Ireson, draws lessons from the court's decision in Vegetarian Society and Another v Scott. The case…

Invalid gift in a Will: Our disputed Wills team report on a 'failed gift' contained in a Will A recent case involving an invalid gift in a Will has…

The Supreme Court has adopted a pragmatic, ‘common-sense’ approach to an invalid Will dispute concerning a Will signed in error. The Invalid Will Claim The case of Marley v Rawlings…

Lee Dawkins, a solicitor specialising in negligent Will claims, reports on the recent case of ‘FELTHAM –v- BOUSKELL’ in which a solicitor was found to be negligent for the delay in…

Challenging solicitors' costs in probate and estate administration. Since this article was originally published, the law has developed and the Court of Appeal has confirmed that a beneficiary has…

Contentious Probate Solicitor, Lee Dawkins, takes a look at how to remove an executor We are regularly contacted by people who are involved in an executor dispute. Executor disputes…

Our inheritance dispute team look at the intestacy rules and asks, when do brothers and sisters inherit? What happens when someone dies without a will leaving no spouse, children or…

Signing a will couldn’t be simpler - or could it? Our Will disputes team take a look at the Wills Act and reveal the dangers that lie in wait…

With the number of contested wills cases increasing, people often ask us , 'Do I need to make a will?' It always surprises us just how many people don’t…

Will dispute Solicitor, Lee Dawkins, looks at what makes a will valid Wills need to be prepared in accordance with some very strict technical rules in order to be legally…

We offer a free case assessment service. Call freephone 0333 888 0409 or send details to [email protected] Allegations of will forgery and fraud are becoming increasingly common. Our contested…

What is the legal position of a cohabitee when their partner dies? We look at cohabitee Inheritance Act claims. It is a popular misconception that the phrase “common law husband” or…

According to a recent survey one in five British people have already received all or part of their inheritance.  Researchers say that millions of young adults, or NINNIs, (‘Need…