Whilst the percentage of people writing their own Testamentos has decreased in recent years, the range of online resources that invites people to write their own ‘DIY Will’ remains widely accessible.
O caso recente de Ingram e Whitfield contra 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 contra Abraham [2023]: Um resumo e as conclusões do tribunal
Em Ingram e Whitfield contra 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.
Ficou claro que a falecida tinha pedido ao irmão para a ajudar a redigir um novo testamento e que ele utilizou um modelo online. O irmão testemunhou em tribunal que as instruções definitivas da sua irmã (tanto verbalmente como em trocas de mensagens de texto/e-mail) eram no sentido de que ela desejava que ele recebesse a totalidade do seu património e que, ao finalizar o testamento, o tinham revisto em conjunto antes de ela o ter finalmente aprovado e assinado na presença do seu inquilino e vizinho, na qualidade de duas testemunhas.
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.
Em momento algum o irmão enviou por e-mail ou entregou à irmã uma versão preliminar do testamento para que ela a revisse antes da sua assinatura.
Quando as testemunhas do testamento relataram a sua assinatura, os seus depoimentos revelaram-se inconsistentes quando lhes foi perguntado durante quanto tempo estiveram com o falecido e onde se encontravam no momento em que este foi assinado.
O nome da falecida tinha sido escrito incorretamente mais do que uma vez no testamento e, se ela o tivesse lido com atenção, como o irmão sugeriu, provavelmente teria reparado nisso e pedido-lhe que preparasse uma versão corrigida.
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.
O critério jurídico para determinar a ‘conhecimento e aprovação’ de um testamento
One of the legal requirements for a valid Will is that the testator must know and approve of its contents.
O teste estabelecido no caso de Gill contra Woodall [2010] continua a ser o principal precedente para avaliar o conhecimento e a aprovação. Em suma, o testador deve compreender o conteúdo do seu testamento e os efeitos das suas cláusulas no momento em que o assina.
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.
Uma reflexão sobre a elaboração de ‘testamentos DIY’
A lei não impede que alguém redija o seu próprio testamento, e uma pessoa pode optar por fazê-lo se considerar que essa é a opção mais rápida e económica. Existe, no entanto, um risco maior de o testamento ser considerado inválido após a sua morte, quer por ter sido redigido incorretamente, quer por haver motivos para acreditar que o testador não compreendeu totalmente o efeito dos seus termos, ou que foi coagido por terceiros.
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.
Contactar-nos:
If you are considering making a Will or updating your existing Will, our committed Cliente particular department would be happy to assist and can be contacted at PrivateClient@rfblegal.co.uk.
Informações adicionais
- Autora da notícia: Katharine Whittingham
Katharine Whittingham
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