Contesting a probate is back in the news
Once again the contents of a high profile will and the validity of it, is being openly questioned.
Priscilla Presley, the ex-wife of Elvis Presley, has made a legal challenge to the validity of their late daughter, Lisa Marie Presley’s will. The contest seems to focus on a 2016 amendment to Lisa Marie’s will that removed Priscilla as a trustee as well as the misspelling of her mother’s name and a signature that is being questioned.
The BBC and CBS have reported that the value of the estate is unknown but that “Lisa Marie’s finances were in turmoil.”
Given this dispute is happening within a very famous family and in a US law jurisdiction does not remove its relevance to wills and probate in the UK.
Will drafting and subsequent probate administration is subject to considerable regulation in the UK and any suggestion of inappropriate actions or undue process could form the basis for a challenge.
Challenging probate is a sensitive matter and it is something that needs careful consideration however, we are beginning to see many more challenges in the UK and most definitely it is not something just for the rich and famous.
On the flip side of this it is important to ensure that a will is drafted very carefully and any changes made to it are carried out in professional manner, to avoid a subsequent challenge in later years. An experienced Wills and Probate solicitor is well placed to provide support in this respect and can also advise on the validity of a potential probate challenge.
Contact our specialist wills and probate team if you have a query regarding a will or a probate matter.