Fiona Smith quoted in the FT on the rise in attempts to block probate

Private Client Partner, Fiona Smith, has been quoted in the FT article entitled 'Attempts to block probate rise 37 percent in two years'.

Attempts to block probate rose to a record level in England and Wales last year. Challenges to the distribution of inherited estates jumped to 9,926 in England and Wales’s courts and tribunals service centres in 2021, up 37 per cent compared with 2019.

On the rise, Fiona commented: "People are becoming more litigious when it comes to wills. Those who might have accepted being left out of a will 10 years ago may now be more likely to challenge it".

The full article can be read here, behind the paywall.

With a rise in attempts to block probate, it is imperative to seek robust legal advice to avoid disputes. For more information, please contact Private Client Partner, Fiona Smith, or Head of Contentious Trusts and Estates, Roberta Harvey.