Updated will found

Katiec950

Marcon said:

Katiec950 said:

Hi,

Asking on behalf of my brother (based in Scotland) 

His girlfriend passed away then her mother passed too. Her dad passed several years prior. The solicitor had said that the estate was intestate and began to identify cousins. The solicitor has almost completed finalising the estate and has found a newer will. It was found in the solicitors safe and says that my brother is the sole beneficiary.

The cousins have been chasing the solicitor to progress the estate as they thought they were beneficiaries and are soon to be told about the new will.

The solicitor said that the will is valid, signed, witnessed and stored in their safe on premises. There was an error where they were using an old will.

Would the cousins be able to challenge this? The solicitor says no but, I just need a bit of reassurance for him. Obviously it's poor that an admin error has caused all this but, he is worried that this could start a legal battle?

Thanks for any help!

You are asking for reassurance for your solicitor - a qualified legal professional? Not sure how 'reassuring' replies from a bunch of random strangers on an internet forum are going to be. If he's worried he needs to talk to his partners (assuming he isn't a sole practitioner), or take advice himself - at his cost, not yours or the estate's.

Keep_pedalling said:

FlorayG said:

I think the only thing the cousins can do is chase the solicitor for some compensation - although it's unlikely they will get any. I'm sure this isn't a rare occurrence, lots of people don't tell anyone except the solicitor where their will is

I think it is pretty rare when the solicitor dealing with the estate is the same one holding the latest will. 

Quite...

Yes I did and got some nice replies which were helpful. I think a professional legal solicitor would know to check for updated wills? So would you believe this professional? I’m sorry I asked now 

Katiec950

Macron I think you are misreading my post. My brother is not a solicitor, he is named in a will that the solicitor found.

BikingBud

Katiec950 said:

Marcon said:

Katiec950 said:

Hi,

Asking on behalf of my brother (based in Scotland) 

His girlfriend passed away then her mother passed too. Her dad passed several years prior. The solicitor had said that the estate was intestate and began to identify cousins. The solicitor has almost completed finalising the estate and has found a newer will. It was found in the solicitors safe and says that my brother is the sole beneficiary.

The cousins have been chasing the solicitor to progress the estate as they thought they were beneficiaries and are soon to be told about the new will.

The solicitor said that the will is valid, signed, witnessed and stored in their safe on premises. There was an error where they were using an old will.

Would the cousins be able to challenge this? The solicitor says no but, I just need a bit of reassurance for him. Obviously it's poor that an admin error has caused all this but, he is worried that this could start a legal battle?

Thanks for any help!

You are asking for reassurance for your solicitor - a qualified legal professional? Not sure how 'reassuring' replies from a bunch of random strangers on an internet forum are going to be. If he's worried he needs to talk to his partners (assuming he isn't a sole practitioner), or take advice himself - at his cost, not yours or the estate's.

Keep_pedalling said:

FlorayG said:

I think the only thing the cousins can do is chase the solicitor for some compensation - although it's unlikely they will get any. I'm sure this isn't a rare occurrence, lots of people don't tell anyone except the solicitor where their will is

I think it is pretty rare when the solicitor dealing with the estate is the same one holding the latest will. 

Quite...

Yes I did and got some nice replies which were helpful. I think a professional legal solicitor would know to check for updated wills? So would you believe this professional? I’m sorry I asked now 

Is that in comparison to an unprofessional legal solicitor or a professional illegal solicitor?