Will Query

strawberrytart

I was just wondering how a solicitor goes about reading a will. Do all peoples in the will have to be present for the reading or only the executor? Do others get informed by writing? Had a relative die recently and one person seems to be telling people what was in the will, but no one has heard from the solicitor. is everyone supposed to take this persons word for it?
Thanks.

Peregrinus

There's no law about this. Indeed, there doesn't have to be a reading of the will at all. The solicitor can simply give it, or a copy of it, to the executor to carry out. The "reading of the will" in front of the family is a tradition which is fast dying.

So far as I know, others have no fixed right to know what is in the will - their only interest is in their own entitlements (if any) under the will.

They're generally supposed to trust the executor - after all, the testator did. If they are concerned they can ask the executor about what is concerning him and, if they are dissatisfied with the response, they can issue court proceedings against him.

strawberrytart

Thanks for the reply. If you are in the will, do you expect to receive a letter from the solicitor or does the executor have to inform you?

Peregrinus

It's the executor's business to make sure you get your entitlements. He can do that through the solicitor, or he can do it himself. (He doesn't have to use a solicitor at all, if he doesn't want to.)

coylemj

If the executor has any sense, he/she will make a copy of the will and distribute same to anyone who is and thinks he might be mentioned in the will. That's what I did and I never heard another word from anyone.