A contested will can cause a great deal of distress and division within families at what is already a stressful and upsetting time. All the more reason to call on our experienced specialist professionals who can provide clear guidance, practical advice and strong support to help you achieve the best possible solution under difficult circumstances.
Whether you feel the need to contest a loved one’s will – perhaps you have been inadequately provided for, or left out completely – or as an executor you are dealing with another’s attempt to challenge a will, our experienced and approachable legal specialists can help.
When can a will be contested?
If you act quickly, within six months of the granting of probate, it is usually possible to challenge a will if you can prove it is unfair. Of course, this is often not as easy as it sounds, and what may seem unfair to one party may seem perfectly acceptable to another – so the fairness of a will is judged against established criteria designed to offer clear guidance to the disputing parties.
A will may be contested if it can be proved undue pressure or influence was exerted on the will-maker, or if there are grounds to believe the will-maker lacked full mental capacity at the time of writing the will.
Any evidence of fraud – a forged signature, or signs the will has been tampered with, for example – may constitute good reason to challenge the document’s validity; a will may also be deemed invalid if it was drawn up incorrectly or is in breach of current legislation.
And if a will fails to make adequate provision for a dependant – a child, for example, or a current or former spouse, civil partner, cohabitee or other dependant – it may be possible to challenge it under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975.
How can we help with contested wills or probate?
However you are caught up in a wills, probate or inheritance dispute, we are on your side.
Our knowledgeable team will advise you on the most appropriate course of action from the start, including any action that may be needed to preserve disputed assets before the estate is distributed.
Whenever possible, we will seek to resolve your case without the distress and expense of going to court and, by communicating regularly and in plain English, we will make sure you remain firmly in control of the process every step of the way.
Why choose us?
Our dispute resolution team has a wealth of experience in all manner of disputed matters. We pride ourselves on getting to know our clients personally and forging the strong relationships we believe are essential in order to represent your best interests in everything we do.
You can count on our dispute resolution lawyers for consistently excellent top-quality advice and support at all times and, as a valued client of our leading full-service law firm, you will have access to extensive and dependable legal and financial expertise from professionals you already know you can trust.
Getting started
Whatever your concerns, contact us as soon as possible – timely advice, given in confidence, can make all the difference.
Our respected team can also help with the full range of wills and probate services including will-writing, inheritance tax, grant of probate and deeds of variation, while our fully-qualified financial advisors can provide you with professional investment advice.
To find out how our expert dispute resolution team can help, call us on 01243 786668 or click here. Alternatively, you can email us at info@georgeide.co.uk or contact us directly using the details shown.
George Ide LLP. We’re on your side
Contact our dispute resolution team
For further information about any of our services or to book a no-obligation consultation, call us on 01243 786668, email the dispute resolution team at info@georgeide.co.uk, click here, or contact us directly using the details shown.
Client Testimonials
Right from the beginning of my journey to claim for compensation for my injuries after being knocked off my bike by a car driver, Paul Lewis has been a tower of strength. His advice, guidance and care in ensuring my claim proceeded smoothly has been First Class. Always promptly keeping me informed of progress by email. A friendly, compassionate listening ear when needed to my worries and concerns. Helping and guiding me every step of the way. I have received the best possible advice throughout, resulting in an excellent outcome, expertly and tenaciously negotiated for me by Paul. Thank You.
Mrs Marion Smith
Paul Lewis
Thank you very much for your email. I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for all your advice and perseverance, especially with regards to the final settlement. Both myself and my wife are so pleased that this matter is finished! We wish you all the best for the future. Kind regards,
Garry
Paul Lewis
I must of course take this opportunity to tell you how grateful I have been for all your advice, assistance and counsel during the past difficult months. You have been demonstrably skilful, resolute and responsive in all aspects of dealing with my case. I have always felt in very safe hands and your experience shines through, knowing just how to procure the best outcome. I can’t thank you enough for getting me through this horrid and complicated experience. With very best wishes.
Linda Tudor
Paul Lewis
On a personal note : Thanks for everything you have done, some may say you are just doing your job but the support you offered both in the structure you set up to get me fit again, as well as the emotional counsel you gave got me through one of the most difficult and frightening situations I had dealt with to date. I will certainly be highly recommending you to anyone else that needs such a service. You are a great asset to the firm and hope they know that!
Simon Horn
Paul Lewis
I take this opportunity to thank you for the support, professionalism, and wonderful advice you gave us throughout this difficult time. It was a very stressful period for us as it was our first experience with the court. Without all your help and legal advice, I would undoubtedly have been in a much more precarious situation. Thank you so much for your support and hard work. On behalf of me and my wife I would like to say a big thank you for taking up my case and representing us as our legal counsel. When we thought it was too much to handle, you were there for us to give us strength and hope. We always found you to be very friendly when we needed any legal advice. Once again, I thank you so much for your understanding, for your patience, your dedication to my case and most of all, thank you for being friendlier, making us more comfortable with your advice and guidance than just a mere professional lawyer during that difficult moment. This means a lot to us, and we will be forever grateful to you.
Haresh & Varsha Naik
Paul Lewis
Dear Paul, Please accept this email as confirmation that I have received the cheque and final settlement from the accident. I wanted to thank you very much for all your help and advice throughout the case and want you to know that your efficiency and effort s have been very much appreciated. Kind regards,
Michael
Paul Lewis
I would just like to say that it has been an absolute pleasure working with you over the last few years and thank you so much for all your help and support. You have been fantastic. You have certainly been more helpful than I could have possibly hoped.
Sarah Finley
Paul Lewis
Dear Paul. Thank you for you email. I am so pleased that everything has finally come to an acceptable solution. I am grateful for all your attention throughout. I have, at all times, felt supported by yourself and your firm and confident that you were working in my best interests to resolve the claim.
Kind Regards Janet
Paul Lewis
Dear Mr Lewis. First of all I would like to say a huge thank you to you and your team about the hard work, time and money which you spent to deal with my claim. I agree with you that the settlement is reasonable enough and I know that you’ve did your best to get it.
Plamen Krastev
Paul Lewis
Both Michael and I are very grateful for your good wishes and for the continued support that both you and all your colleagues at George Ide have given us through this process.
If, for any reason, we find ourselves in need of legal advice we would most definitely make your company our first choice and would also have every confidence in recommending you to others.
Wishing you every continued success in the future. Kindest Regards
Jan and Michael Gosling
Paul Lewis
Dear Paul. Thank you so much for negotiating a satisfactory sum (exactly as you had predicted) and I am very grateful to have had the benefit of your excellent service throughout this ordeal. Horrid though it was, your expertise and guidance were of immense help. We can now happily put this whole thing behind us and finally move on. With very warm thanks and best wishes.
Michael Tudor
Paul Lewis
Hello Paul. The money has arrived safely thanks. May I say a very big thank you for your excellent service on this case you have been incredibly upfront and honest and have dealt with my case with superb attentiveness. It was frustrating for me at times as it took a long time to get it concluded, but I do appreciate the effort on your part. Many thanks again.
Luke Leleu
Paul Lewis
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