Whilst the percentage of people writing their own Testamenti has decreased in recent years, the range of online resources that invites people to write their own ‘DIY Will’ remains widely accessible.
Il recente caso di Ingram e Whitfield contro Abraham [2023] highlights the dangers associated with the DIY method and factors which may cause the validity of a Will to be challenged.
Ingram e Whitfield contro Abraham [2023]: sintesi e conclusioni del tribunale
In Ingram e Whitfield contro Abraham [2023] two children sought to challenge the validity of their late mother’s Will, made in 2019 which named her brother as the main beneficiary of her estate with the only other gift being her book collection to her sister-in-law. The Will made no provision for her children who had been the only beneficiaries in her previous Will made in 2008.
As there was such a difference between the two wills, the court had to consider the circumstances which prompted the deceased to disinherit her children in 2019.
È emerso chiaramente che la defunta aveva chiesto al fratello di aiutarla a redigere un nuovo testamento e che lui aveva utilizzato un modello online. Il fratello ha testimoniato in tribunale che le istruzioni definitive della sorella (sia verbali che tramite messaggi di testo ed e-mail) erano che lei desiderava che lui ricevesse l’intero patrimonio e che, una volta finalizzato il testamento, lo avevano rivisto insieme prima che lei lo approvasse definitivamente e lo sottoscrivesse alla presenza del suo inquilino e del suo vicino come suoi due testimoni.
In its judgment, the court noted a number of factors that gave rise to suspicion.
The brother refused to provide evidence, when invited to do so by the court, of all of the text messages and emails with his sister discussing her Will.
In nessun momento il fratello ha inviato via e-mail o consegnato alla sorella una bozza del testamento affinché la esaminasse prima della firma.
Quando i testimoni del testamento hanno riferito in merito alla sua firma, le loro testimonianze sono risultate incoerenti quando è stato chiesto loro per quanto tempo fossero rimasti con il defunto e dove si trovassero nel momento in cui il testamento è stato firmato.
Il nome della defunta era stato scritto in modo errato più di una volta nel testamento e, se lo avesse letto attentamente come le aveva suggerito il fratello, probabilmente se ne sarebbe accorta e gli avrebbe chiesto di redigere una versione corretta.
The court determined that in the circumstances the 2019 Will was invalid due to a lack of knowledge and approval on the mother’s part and that her estate would therefore be distributed under the terms of the 2008 Will. It concluded that the deceased had not intended to disinherit her children in 2019 but rather to ensure that her brother, as executor and trustee, would divide her estate equally between her two children. The brother was seen by the court as having taken an active role in misleading his sister as to the effect of the Will he had prepared for her.
Il criterio giuridico relativo alla ‘conoscenza e approvazione’ di un testamento
One of the legal requirements for a valid Will is that the testator must know and approve of its contents.
Il test stabilito nel caso di Gill contro Woodall [2010] rimane il principale punto di riferimento per valutare la consapevolezza e l'approvazione. In breve, il testatore deve comprendere il contenuto del proprio testamento e gli effetti delle sue disposizioni al momento della firma.
If a Will has been professionally drafted it is much more likely that anyone seeking to prove the will would be able to establish that the deceased knew and approved of the contents. The professional would have advised on the terms of the Will and its effects and to check their understanding before it is finally signed. This is of tantamount importance when the person making the Will is blind, illiterate or English is not their first language as they would then have to rely on someone else to read out and explain the Will to them.
Una riflessione sulla redazione dei ‘testamenti fai da te’
La legge non impedisce a nessuno di redigere il proprio testamento e una persona può scegliere di farlo se ritiene che questa sia l'opzione più rapida ed economica. Esiste tuttavia un rischio maggiore che il testamento venga ritenuto non valido dopo la morte, sia perché è stato redatto in modo errato, sia perché vi è motivo di ritenere che il testatore non abbia compreso appieno l'effetto delle sue clausole, o sia stato costretto da una terza parte.
Whilst the fees charged by a professional Will drafter will invariably exceed the cost of purchasing a DIY Will kit, this does give considerably more peace of mind that to the testator that their estate will be distributed as they desire. The drafter has a duty to their client to ensure that the terms of the Will accurately reflect the testator’s wishes and a contemporaneous note will normally be made of the instructions which the testator has given and the reasons for departure from any previous Wills. The professional should also satisfy themselves that the testator knows and approves of the contents of the Will, has the requisite capacity to make a Will and is acting under their own free will in addition to ensuring that it is correctly executed. A professionally drafted Will can therefore be viewed as an investment, particularly when measured against the time and costs of litigation.
Contattateci:
If you are considering making a Will or updating your existing Will, our committed Clienti privati department would be happy to assist and can be contacted at PrivateClient@rfblegal.co.uk.
Ulteriori informazioni
- Autrice della notizia: Katharine Whittingham
Katharine Whittingham
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