Capacity: Importance of the golden rule

Burges Salmon LLP | Trusts and Estates Law & Tax Journal | April 2018 #195
Kevin Kennedy and Andrew Walls report on the test in Banks v Goodfellow ‘This judgment provides very significant support that the Banks v Goodfellow test is the sole test for the court to apply when judging testamentary capacity post mortem.‘ The High Court in James v James [2018] has ruled that the test in Banks …

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Wills: Crossing a line

Brendan Cotter | Trusts and Estates Law & Tax Journal | January/February 2017 #183
Brendan Cotter considers how likely a claim against a testamentary predator is to succeed ‘The classic sign of undue influence is the main beneficiary being active in the preparation of a will in which they take a substantial benefit.’As Hilaire Belloc wrote in Dedicatory Ode 1910: ‘The question’s very much too wide, and much too …

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Elliott v Simmonds & anr [2016] EWHC 732 (Ch)

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | October 2016 #163

Kenneth William Jordan (Mr Jordan) died on 4 August 2012 leaving a wife (from whom he was estranged) and two adult children. The claimant was Mr Jordan’s partner during the last years of his life and the first defendant was his daughter from a relationship that predated his marriage. He had previously made a will giving pecuniary legacies to the first defendant and two of his sisters with the residuary estate passing to the claimant. Subsequently, in January 2012, Mr Jordan gave instructions to Mr Mumford (who was his brother-in-law), a solicitor with the firm Melia Mumford, to make a ne...

Wills: The perils of assisting with a will

Radcliffe Chambers | Trusts and Estates Law & Tax Journal | May 2014 #156
Edward Hicks considers the implications of Re Devillebichot; Brennan v Prior [2013] for dealing with litigants-in-person ‘The general rule is that costs will follow the event. An executor is not bound to propound or defend a will; therefore to do so potentially exposes an executor to a costs risk if they fail.’ When Anthony (a …

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Pearce v Beverley [2013] EWHC 2627 (Ch)

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | January/February 2014 #136

John Pearce (Mr Pearce) died on 23 July 2008. His daughter, the claimant, challenged the validity of a will purportedly made by Mr Pearce on 20 June 2007 (the will) on grounds of lack of capacity and want of knowledge and approval, and also challenged a number of lifetime transactions said to be procured by the defendant’s undue influence.

Mr Pearce’s second marriage broke down in 2004 and he consequently became lonely and depressed. His health was generally deteriorating. He suffered from partial kidney failure, which was first noted in March 2005, and by 2006 from s...