Testamentary Capacity: Caution is key

Benedict Sefi outlines the lessons to be learned from Fischer v Diffley [2013] ‘In some cases of disputed wills and perfected transactions the disputed events may be many years before the trial and witnesses may be few: in some cases the burden of proof may be of critical importance.’ On 18 December 2013 His Honour …
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Fischer v Diffley & anr [2013] EWHC 4567 (Ch)

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | June 2014 #140

The claimants were the representatives of Louise Beck (Louise)’s family in Germany. Louise died on 17 January 2011 and the claimants sought a declaration that Louise had died intestate and that the two wills which she had executed on 1 March 2009 (the first will) and 2 May 2010 (the second will) were invalid.

Louise held substantial assets in both England and Germany, mainly comprising real estate and cash. The wills purported to deal with all of her assets in both jurisdictions. If the wills were found to be invalid then the English estate would pass to her surviving niece...

In the estate of Constance Rose Simon; Simon v Byford & ors [2013] EWHC 1490 (Ch)

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | November 2013 #134

Mrs Constance Rose Simon died on 15 January 2009 at the age of 91. She was the widow of Mr R W Simon, with whom she had four children: namely Jonathan, Robert, Hilary and David. David predeceased his mother on 1 November 2004.

Mrs Simon’s estate consisted of her house in St John’s Wood, London (valued at £1.75m), a flat in Westcliffe on Sea (valued at £262,500), savings and shares (worth £55,000), some land in Malta and 16 shares in R W Simon Ltd (the company).

By Mrs Simon’s will dated 23 March 1978, she had left her entire estate to her four children i...