Amos v Mancini [2020] WTLR 417

Summer 2020 #179

The deceased was married to the claimant. In 2019, when he was 81 and she was 74, a car they were driving in was involved in a road accident. The deceased died of his injuries. The claimant was driving, and was prosecuted for causing the deceased’s death by careless driving. She pleaded guilty, was given a suspended prison sentence and was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

The deceased’s will left his residuary estate to the claimant. In the event that the claimant predeceased the deceased, the will provided for legacies to the defendants. The deceased was also joint tenant...

Thompson v Raggett & ors [2018] WTLR 1027

Autumn 2018 #173

Wynford Hodge died on 4 February 2017 leaving a will under which he gave his residuary estate to the fourth and fifth defendants, who were tenants of one of the deceased’s properties. He made no provision for his partner, the Claimant, with whom he had lived as man and wife for 42 years. It was accepted that the Claimant was financially dependent upon the deceased immediately before his death.

In 2016 the deceased had purchased a cottage with a view to residing there with the Claimant. However, due to ill health, this plan never came to fruition. The deceased died leaving a net es...