LAWYERS’ FAULTY WILLS

Hawera Star, Volume L, 7 August 1930, Page 8

LAWYERS’ FAULTY WILLS

MANY INSTANCE* iOF EF-RO'I!

FAMOUS JURISTS 1 MISTAKES

To I he lengthy list of judges, lawyers and other members of the legal profession who left wills not legally in order lias 'been; a dik’d'the name of !Sir 'Matthew Ingle Joyce. l’.C.. M.A.. of Liverpool.. '•Sir Matthew was Judge of the 'Chaneery Division of ttie High Court, 190015, a* 'former junior counsel to the Treasury and . a Bencher of Lincoln’s In n. Tie died on [March 10. aged 90, leaving an estate valued .at £4ti,27’7. He failed to take the necessary precautions with his own testamentary documents, and vut* affidavit of the due revocation of a codicil was required before the documents could be .admitted to probate.

Possibly the most famous instance of a clever lawyer w'ao made, a faulty will is that of Lord .Halsbury. [Affidavits were required from witnesses before if could: be- admitted to probate.

Lord, Ft. Ti.eilier, .Who, -a* Sir Francis Jeiine. was 1 for many years President of the Probate Division, left a document which .transgressed most of the rules’ and requirements of a valid will. Lord .Griiuthrorpo. left a. series of documents. They were the subject o’f litigation, and it was quite in i possible to ascertain - what his last wishes really ■were. Even two great Lord Chancellors— Lord Brougham: and .Lord Lyndliurst left faulty wills, Sir-. Richard Muir, the famous criinin.il lawyer, came to grief over his home-made document.

Sir .Henry 'Hawkins-' Schooles. Chief •fusti-ee of 'Gibraltar, made alterations in his will. 'An affidavit was required from a witness.

-Many K.'C. 's, including those practising in the Probate Division, failed to draw up their own wills correctly and. so did tt- largo 1 number of solicitors.