{"id":9158,"date":"2026-04-08T10:33:56","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T10:33:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rfblegal.co.uk\/?post_type=insight&p=9158"},"modified":"2026-04-09T09:06:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T09:06:56","slug":"the-golden-rule-and-testamentary-capacity","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/rfblegal.co.uk\/es\/perspectivas\/the-golden-rule-and-testamentary-capacity\/","title":{"rendered":"La Regla de Oro y la capacidad testamentaria"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cuando un abogado prepara un testamento en nombre de un cliente, debe asegurarse de que \u00e9ste tiene la capacidad necesaria para otorgarlo. La prueba de la capacidad testamentaria se estableci\u00f3 en 1870 en el asunto\u00a0Banks contra Goodfellow<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0<\/em>A pesar de la introducci\u00f3n del Ley de 2005 sobre la capacidad mental<\/a>, que establece una prueba diferente para evaluar la capacidad, el tribunal ha confirmado que se mantiene la prueba del derecho consuetudinario para la capacidad testamentaria. Esto requiere que cualquier persona que haga un testamento sea capaz de entender:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. la naturaleza del acto y sus efectos\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    1. el alcance de los bienes de los que dispone\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      1. las pretensiones a las que deben dar efecto\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Tambi\u00e9n es necesario que no padezcan un trastorno mental que \u201cenvenene sus afectos, pervierta su sentido del derecho o impida el ejercicio de sus facultades naturales\u201d a la hora de disponer de sus bienes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Con unas estructuras familiares cada vez m\u00e1s complejas y un n\u00famero creciente de personas que padecen problemas de salud mental y viven con demencia, es m\u00e1s importante que nunca que los abogados se muestren inquisitivos y vigilantes cuando se les encarga la preparaci\u00f3n de un testamento. En muchos casos, cuando existe una explicaci\u00f3n clara y un fundamento justificable de la forma en que se est\u00e1 elaborando el testamento, bastar\u00e1 con debatir las posibles impugnaciones y redactar y conservar una nota de asistencia detallada en la que se deje constancia del razonamiento que subyace a las decisiones y las cuestiones debatidas. Sin embargo, cuando existan dudas sobre la capacidad testamentaria del testador que se cuestiona, puede que no baste con hacer las preguntas oportunas y conservar las actas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        As\u00ed lo ilustra el reciente caso de\u00a0Ginger contra Mickleburgh<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>(2026). En 2013, el fallecido denunci\u00f3 que cre\u00eda que los vecinos le acosaban para intentar que vendiera su propiedad por un valor bajo. Esto le llev\u00f3 a ser apartado, y durante ese tiempo, sus hijas y su ex mujer se llevaron objetos personales de su casa para guardarlos. \u00c9l cre\u00eda que sus hijas pretend\u00edan que se le declarara incapaz de administrar sus bienes para poder hacerse cargo de ellos. Procedi\u00f3 a hacer un testamento que benefici\u00f3 en gran medida a su hermana, a su sobrino y a su compa\u00f1era.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Las hijas alegaron que sufr\u00eda delirios mentales cuando se otorg\u00f3 el testamento y que \u00e9ste deb\u00eda anularse. En virtud de la sucesi\u00f3n intestada, la herencia se dividir\u00eda a partes iguales entre las hijas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        El juez concluy\u00f3 que tanto en el momento en que dio las instrucciones a su abogado como cuando otorg\u00f3 su testamento, el difunto sufr\u00eda delirios y no pod\u00eda estar persuadido de que sus hijas pudieran haber actuado de buena fe hacia \u00e9l. Por lo tanto, el testamento era nulo por falta de capacidad testamentaria y el difunto muri\u00f3 intestado. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        El juez se\u00f1al\u00f3 que en una situaci\u00f3n en la que la persona que otorgaba el testamento hab\u00eda sido seccionada menos de un a\u00f1o antes, habr\u00eda sido aconsejable que el testador hubiera seguido la regla de oro establecida por Lord Templeman en 1975. Esta regla establece que, al otorgar testamento a un testador de edad avanzada o a un testador que haya sufrido una enfermedad grave, el abogado debe disponer lo necesario para que un m\u00e9dico se cerciore de la capacidad y el entendimiento del testador y deje constancia contempor\u00e1nea del examen y los resultados. Por lo general, el testimonio del m\u00e9dico tendr\u00e1 un peso considerable en cualquier impugnaci\u00f3n posterior de la validez del testamento por falta de capacidad del testador. Aunque hab\u00eda una enfermera especializada en salud mental presente cuando se dieron las instrucciones para el testamento, la enfermera no fue informada con antelaci\u00f3n de la cita con el abogado y no se le pidi\u00f3 que realizara una evaluaci\u00f3n de la capacidad.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Este caso es un duro recordatorio de la importancia de organizar una evaluaci\u00f3n formal de la capacidad para que se lleve a cabo en situaciones en las que es probable que haya beneficiarios decepcionados y el abogado es consciente de que el cliente ha sufrido problemas de salud mental. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Tenemos experiencia en la redacci\u00f3n de testamentos y podemos facilitar evaluaciones de la capacidad, ya sea con su propio m\u00e9dico, si \u00e9ste est\u00e1 dispuesto a ayudarle, o con un especialista en capacidad mental, para garantizar que sus deseos se cumplan en la medida de lo posible. Puede ponerse en contacto con nuestro equipo de clientes particulares en el tel\u00e9fono 020 7613 1402 o por correo electr\u00f3nico en la direcci\u00f3n privateclient@rfblegal.co.uk<\/a> <\/p>","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":9159,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9158","insight","type-insight","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wills-probate"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Golden Rule and testamentary capacity - RFB Legal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What is testamentary capacity? 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