will and testament.docx
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there is little room for mistake. A common error (for example) in the execution of home-made wills in
England is to use a beneficiary (typically a spouse or other close family members) as a witness
although this has the effect in law of disinheriting the witness regardless of the provisions of the will.
Some jurisdictions recognize aholographic will,made out entirely in the testator's own hand, or in some
modern formulations, with material provisions in the testator's hand. The distinctive feature of a
holographic will is less that it is handwritten by the testator and often that it need not be witnessed. In
Louisiana this type of testament is called an Olographic or Mystic will.[3]
It must be entirely written, dated,
and signed in the handwriting of the testator. Although the date may appear anywhere in the testament,
the testator must sign the testament at the end of the testament. Any additions or corrections must also
be entirely hand written to have effect. In England, the formalities of wills are relaxed for soldiers who
express their wishes on active service; any such will is known as a serviceman's will. A minority of
jurisdictions even recognize the validity ofnuncupative wills(oral wills), particularly for military personnel
or merchant sailors. However, there are often constraints on the disposition of property if such an oral will
is used.
A will may not include a requirement that an heir commit an illegal, immoral, or other act against public
policy as a condition of receipt. Incommunity propertyjurisdictions, a will cannot be used to disinherit a
surviving spouse, who is entitled to at least a portion of the testator's estate. In the United States, children
may be disinherited by a parent's will, except in Louisiana, where a minimum share is guaranteed to
surviving children. Many civil law countries follow a similar rule. In England and Wales from 1933 to 1975,
a will could disinherit a spouse but since theInheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act
1975such an attempt can be defeated by a court order if it leaves the surviving spouse (or other entitled
dependent) without reasonable financial provision.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah's will, excerpt
Types of wills generally include:
nuncupative (non-culpatory)- oral or dictated; often limited to sailors or military personnel
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holographic- written in the hand of the testator; in many jurisdictions, the signature and the material
terms of the holographic will must be in the handwriting of the testator.[4]
self-proved- in solemn form with affidavits of subscribing witnesses to avoid probate
notarial- will in public form and prepared by a civil-law notary (civil-law jurisdictions and Louisiana,
United States)
mystic- sealed until death
serviceman's will- will of person in active-duty military service and usually lacking certain
formalities, particularly under English law
reciprocal/mirror/mutual/husband and wife wills- wills made by two or more parties (typically
spouses) that make similar or identical provisions in favor of each other
unsolemn will- will in which the executor is unnamed
will in solemn form- signed by testator and witnesses
Probate[edit]
Main article:Probate
See also:Administration of an estate on deathandProbate court
After the testator has died, aprobateproceeding may be initiated incourtto determine the validity of the
will or wills that the testator may have created, i.e., which will satisfy the legal requirements, and to
appoint anexecutor.In most cases, during probate, at least one witness is called upon to testify or sign a
"proof of witness" affidavit. In some jurisdictions, however, statutes may provide requirements for a "self-
proving" will (must be met during the execution of the will), in which case witness testimony may be
forgone during probate. If the will is ruled invalid in probate, then inheritance will occur under the laws of
intestacy as if a will were never drafted. Often there is a time limit, usually 30 days, within which a will
must be admitted to probate. Only an original will can be admitted to probate in the vast majority of
jurisdictions even the most accurate photocopy will not suffice.[citation needed]
Some jurisdictions will admit a
copy of a will if the original was lost or accidentally destroyed and the validity of the will can be shown to
the court.[5]
It is a good idea that the testator give his executor the power to pay debts, taxes, and administration
expenses (probate,etc.).Warren Burger's will did not contain this, which wound up costing his estate
thousands.[dubiousdiscuss]
This is not a consideration under English law, which provides that all such
expenses will fall on the estate in any case.
International wills[edit]
In 1973 an international convention, the Convention providing a Uniform Law on the Form of an
International Will,[6]
was opened for signature at Washington DC. The Convention provided for a
universally recognised code of rules under which a will made anywhere, by any person of any nationality,
would be valid and enforceable in every country which ratified or acceded to the Convention. These are
known as "international wills."
Revocation[edit]
Methods and effect[edit]
Intentional physical destruction of a will by the testator will revoke it, through deliberately burning or
tearing the physicaldocumentitself, or by striking out thesignature.In most jurisdictions, partial
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revocation is allowed if only part of the text or a particular provision is crossed out. Other jurisdictions will
either ignore the attempt or hold that the entire will was actually revoked. A testator may also be able to
revoke by the physical act of another (as would be necessary if he is physically incapacitated), if this is
done in his presence and in the presence of witnesses. Some jurisdictions may presume that a will has
been destroyed if it had been last seen in the possession of the testator but is found mutilated or cannot
be found after his or her death.
A will may also be revoked by the execution of a new will. Most wills contain stock language that
expressly revokes any wills that came before them, however, because normally a court will still attempt to
read the wills together to the extent they are consistent.
In some jurisdictions, the completerevocationof a will automatically revives the next most recent will,
while others hold that revocation leaves the testator with no will so that his or her heirs will instead inherit
byintestate succession.
InEngland and Wales,marriagewill automaticallyrevokea will as it ispresumedthat upon marriage,
atestatorwill want to review the will. A statement in a will that it is made incontemplationof forthcoming
marriage to a named person will override this.Divorce, conversely, will not revoke a will, but in many jurisdictions, will have the effect that the former
spouse is treated as if they had died before the testator and so will not benefit.
Where a will has beenaccidentallydestroyed, onevidencethat this is the case, a copy will or draft will
may be admitted toprobate.
Dependent relative revocation[edit]
Many jurisdictions exercise anequitabledoctrine known as dependent relative revocation("DRR"). Under
this doctrine, courts may disregard a revocation that was based on a mistake of law on the part of the
testator as to the effect of the revocation. For example, if a testator mistakenly believes that an earlier will
can be revived by the revocation of a later will, the court will ignore the later revocation if the later willcomes closer to fulfilling the testator's intent than not having a will at all. The doctrine also applies when a
testator executes a second, or new will and revokes his old will under the (mistaken) belief that the new
will would be valid. However, if for some reason the new will is not valid, a court may apply the doctrine to
reinstate and probate the old will, if the court holds that the testator would prefer the old will to intestate
succession.
Before applying the doctrine, courts may require (with rare exceptions) that ther
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