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DAUGHTERS LOSE CHALLENGE TO DYING FATHERS'S WILL Tuesday 10th of April 2012
The High Court has upheld a 78 year old mans deathbed will, which left everything to the long term partner he married a few minutes prior to it’s execution.
This concerned a wealthy man who died in September 2008 leaving an estate worth £4million. He had cohabited with his partner for 32 years, but they had never married. The contentious will was handwritten by his solicitor three days before his death. The marriage took place the same evening, apparently to avoid inheritance tax on the couples business.
His three daughters challenged the deathbed will, claiming that the partner had used undue influence on him, but the High Court disagreed. Mr Justice Norris said he could not accept that the man was acting under coercion when making the deathbed will in favour of the woman he had treated as his wife for 32 years.