lat will and testament

alexro

HI.
Is there a possibility that someone's will can be tampered with? What guarantee is there, how are the wills kept safe for many years, e.g is there a special seal with a date, etc? Worried that someone close to my dad's solicitor may want to interfere with the will and not sure what kind of safety measures are there.

coylemj

Your father can always go to a different solicitor and make a new will thereby revoking the one that's under threat of sabotage.

alexro

He's Alzheimers, and no one has the power of attorney, so I don't think that's possible.

coylemj

You ask about 'safety measures', I guess the only thing you can rely on is the solicitor's desire not to be struck off and/or go to jail for a long time. Did your father take home a copy of the will when it was drawn up?

alexro

Yes, and I've seen it, but can't find it anymore in the house. Since my dad got sick there no way of getting any info out of him and he burnt some documents and money in the fireplace one night!

Pat Mustard

alexro wrote: »

Worried that someone close to my dad's solicitor may want to interfere with the will and not sure what kind of safety measures are there.

Even in one man practices, Wills are usually kept in a locked, fireproof safes.

If you have a genuine concern that somebody wants to damage or tamper with your father's Will, you should contact the relevant solicitor and the Gardai.

Valentine1

Wills are not usually kept under seal necessarily, but they are generally kept in a fireproof cabinet.

When a person dies their Will must be "Proved" in the Probate office, essentially this means that the office must be satisfied that a will has not been forged or tampered with. If a person believes a will may have been tampered with they can challenge that will through the courts. If you believe a will has been tampered with you should contact a solicitor about challenging that will.