Contest a will with our experienced
Will Dispute Solicitors
Will Dispute Solicitors
- Expert will dispute solicitors in Lurgan and Lisburn.
- Helping people contest wills in Northern Ireland since 1949.
- Legal advice on all aspects of wills and probate
- Free consultation on contesting a will.
Our will dispute solicitors ensure your loved one’s wishes are followed
The death of a loved one is always distressing. Your grief will understandably be compounded if their wishes are being ignored or if you have concerns over the legality or validity of their will.
If you’re worried about how a will is being administered — or if someone is unfairly challenging how you are executing a will — we will offer sensitive, practical legal advice while shielding you from unnecessary worries.
How our will dispute solicitors help you
A family dispute over a will makes an upsetting time even harder for everyone involved. Our expert will dispute solicitors are here to support you with any issues or disputes arising from a will or probate. Some of the things we can support you with include:
Challenging a will
If you didn’t inherit something you expected to receive in a will, we can help you challenge this. Similarly, if someone else has inherited something that you don’t believe is rightfully theirs, we will contest the will on your behalf.
Contesting the validity of a will
We will support you in contesting a family member’s will if you don’t believe it is legally valid. This could be because your loved one didn’t have the mental capacity to understand the consequences of their actions when the will was made, or because another person pressured or coerced them through undue influence.
Administering an estate
If you’re the executor of a will, you might find yourself subject to difficult, upsetting and time-consuming challenges. Our will dispute solicitors will guide you through any issues you face while administering an estate.
Contesting an executor of a will
Being the executor of a will is a significant responsibility — and, unfortunately, not all executors are suited to that responsibility. If you’re experiencing problems with the executor of a loved one’s will, and especially if you believe the estate is not being managed properly, we will help you to challenge the executor.
Any other will dispute
Wills and probate are complex. They are also deeply personal. For that reason, the examples of will disputes we’ve given are by no means exhaustive. Talk to our will dispute solicitors for guidance on any issue you’re currently facing in relation to wills and probate.
What is probate?
Probate is the legal process of managing a person’s estate after their death. This includes distributing their property, money, belongings and any other assets in accordance with their will.
If your loved one has named an executor in their will, they will be responsible for dealing with any actions arising from the will, including distributing the estate. If no executor is named in the will or the deceased didn’t make a will, the courts will appoint an executor.
Given all of that, it is no surprise that the vast majority of will disputes happen — and need to be resolved — during probate.
Why choose H McPartland & Sons during will disputes?
We’re experienced wills and probate solicitors who have been helping people to resolve will disputes and contest wills in Northern Ireland since 1949.
During our time serving the communities in Lurgan and Lisburn, we’ve helped generations of local people to protect their families’ futures by making a will. One of the main reasons we encourage all our clients to write a will is that we’ve seen too often over the decades what happens when there is no will, or the will doesn’t fully address all the legal considerations.
We’ve supported many people through the difficult and often distressing prospect of challenging a will or dealing with a challenge to a will they are managing. We will use all of that experience to resolve your will dispute quickly and sensitively.
You’re welcome to join us for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your situation. Our offices in Lisburn and Lurgan both offer ample car parking. If you’re unable to travel to either office, we’re happy to visit you at home or arrange a phone consultation. We’ll talk everything through and offer initial legal advice on the best course of action.
They where very efficient and attentive to our case.We where made to feel at ease and confident that our case would get their full attention
We where very happy with the outcome in the end.
Thank you Harry McPartland and Sons.
Will Dispute Solicitors FAQs
A will dispute is any disagreement or challenge relating to wills and probate. Sometimes called contentious probate, will disputes are typically about the validity of a will or how an estate is being managed or distributed.
With that in mind, will disputes often involve allegations in relation to the deceased’s mental capacity when making the will, misappropriation of assets from a vulnerable person, undue influence, lack of proper execution, fraud, or forgery.
Given the potential for upsetting allegations by or against family and friends, will disputes are best handled by experienced wills and probate solicitors from the outset.
If you would like to contest a will, the first step is to contact our will dispute solicitors. In a free, no-obligation consultation, we will give you legal advice on the strength of your case and the options available to you.
We will help you to determine your grounds for contesting the will. If you decide to proceed, we will take action on your behalf. This usually involves filing paperwork with the Probate Office to stop the probate process, then making a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) (NI) Order 1979.
Inheritance provision for family and dependents is protection under the law for some family members and dependents of the deceased when their needs are not met by the distribution of a person’s estate during probate.
Under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) (NI) Order 1979, it’s possible to make a claim when you have not been provided with reasonable financial provision by the person who has died.
People who can bring Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) (NI) Order 1979 claims are:
- The spouse or civil partner of the person who died
- A former spouse or former civil partner of the person who died
- Anyone living as partners with the person who died for at least two years before their death
- Any children of the person who died, including adult and adopted children
- Any step-children, foster children or grandchildren who were treated like a child by the person who died
- Anyone financially dependent on the person who died at the time of their death
If you would like to make an Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependents) (NI) Order 1979 claim, book a free initial consultation with our will dispute solicitors.
No win, no fee will contesting is not allowed in Northern Ireland. The law here prohibits all forms of no win, no fee arrangements, including no win, no fee will contesting.
Instead, we offer a free consultation. Our will dispute solicitors will listen to your case and give free initial legal advice on the likelihood of successfully contesting the will. There is absolutely no obligation to take that advice or to proceed with contesting the will.
Yes, you can contest a will after probate, but it becomes significantly more complicated and expensive at that stage. For that reason, if you want to contest a will — or even if you have doubts or reservations about a will or the executor of a will — it is best to raise these with our will dispute solicitors as soon as possible.
Get in touch for a free consultation to discuss your circumstances.
Talk to our will dispute solicitors
Lisburn Office
- Niagara Buildings,
- Tonagh Drive,
- Lisburn,
- BT28 1DY
Hear from our previous clients
They where very efficient and attentive to our case.We where made to feel at ease and confident that our case would get their full attention
We where very happy with the outcome in the end.
Thank you Harry McPartland and Sons.
