BC Court Declares Unsigned Will To Be Valid
In March 2020, the world ground to a halt as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Offices were shuttered and in-person meetings were only permitted for essential…
BC Estate Litigation FAQ: Can a handwritten document alter an earlier will?
A handwritten document can be effective as a will or codicil to a will if the court is satisfied that the document is a deliberate or fixed…
Will Not Updated Post-Separation, But Former Spouse Still Inherits Ex’s Estate
When married or common-law partners cease to be spouses, s. 56(2) of the Wills, Estates and Succession Act, S.B.C. 2009, c. 13 (“WESA”) automatically revokes testamentary gifts…
Can a Suicide Note be a Valid Will?
In certain circumstances a handwritten document can be effective as a valid will, as our Vancouver estate lawyers have discussed. Similarly, under the right conditions, a handwritten…
Changing a Will in BC: Beneficiary Disinherited by White-Out
There are specific requirements for changing a will in BC after it has been made, just as there are specific requirements for making a will in the…
High-Profile Vancouver Estate Law Claim Results in Disappointed Beneficiary
Previously, our Vancouver estate law team discussed how the failure to meet formal validity requirements in a will can lead to BC estate litigation. As noted in…
Avoid BC Estate Litigation by Making a Will that Meets Formality Requirements
BC estate litigation can be rooted in an attack on the formal validity of the will – in other words, a will can be contested in court…