Forged Will?

tamsyn_2

I have a problem with a will and I wondered if anyone could give me any advice?

My great-aunt (E) died before christmas - widow, no kids. Previously, it was believed (known maybe?) that £10k would go to a niece (A) with the remainder to go to my aunt (T). The will being sent to probate says that the estate would be split into 5. 1/5 to the niece(A), 1/5 to her husband(M), 1/5 to my late uncle(J) and 2/5 to his widow - my aunt(T) (so she ends up with 3/5). This is a discrepencancy of about £26k.

My aunt believes that the will has been forged by her cousin (L) who is a testate lawyer and executor of the will.

She also thinks that this has happened before with (L) cutting her sister(N) out of a will from her maternal great-aunt (JL).

We are trying to get hold of a copy of the great-aunt(JL)'s will to see if we can get any info. We don't know her full name or date or place of death. I've managed to get her maiden name through searching the index for (L)'s mother(W). Where do I go from here? Is there any way to look at (W)'s birth certificate to get her parent's names so I can trace her aunt(JL)?
If I get all the details for (JL) can we go to Winchester and look at the will, or do we have to order a copy?

My aunt(T) has started legal proceedings to contest the will, but I'm not sure what happens next.

Sorry to be so confusing with all the different names and thanks in advance for any advice.

Errata

Forgery is a crime, have you contacted the police ?

hardpressed

You can get a copy of anyone birth certificate, costs about £7.

kunekune

So is the problem that J was not someone you were expecting to benefit from the will? The will you describe does not sound awfully different from what you expected. What does L gain?

Unless there is something in the detail that is quite unlikely, forgery is the least likely explanation. People are permitted to change their wills, and to do so as often as they want. The other problem is, from the figures that you've given us, it's not clear whether the cost of contesting the will is less than what anyone would gain from doing so. It's an expensive business, especially if the person who stands to gain makes sure their lawyers take their time. And legal aid is unlikely; even if you get it, it's more of a loan than paying your costs. Lawyers would not usually recommend taking a case 'for the sake of principle', so unless there's something criminal involved and the police/CPS can be persuaded to act, you are probably stuck. My mum contested a will, the money involved on her part was £50,000, and in the end the whole thing just collapsed because legal aid money ran out - she was out of pocket. And it was an excellent case, given that the will was written in the handwriting of the beneficiary, albeit witnessed by someone else. It's unfair, I know, but it's also reality.