The claimant sought rectification of a will. The respondents argued that any mistake was not a clerical one so as to bring it within section 20. The gift of residue had left sixty per cent undisposed of. It was said that the will had referred to shares of one tenth and one twentieth, when it should have referred to per cent figures.
Held: Behrens J said: ‘It is to my mind inconceivable that if Mr Clarke had applied his mind to the problem he would not have appreciated that 60% of the residuary estate was undisposed of. Thus I am satisfied that he did not. In those circumstances the jurisdiction to rectify the will exists and I propose to rectify it.’
Judges:
Behrens J
Citations:
[2006] EWHC 2939 (Ch)
Links:
Statutes:
Administration of Justice Act 1982 20
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Citing:
Cited – Re Williams Deceased, Wiles v Madgin ChD 1985
A testator writing out his own will can make a clerical error just as much as someone else writing out a will for him. ‘In passing, I note that there is no claim for rectification in the present case. It was suggested in the course of argument that . .
Cited – In re Segelman (dec’d) ChD 1996
The burden of proof which falls on a disappointed beneficiary who seeks rectification of the will, saying that the will did not give effect to a testator’s intentions, is an exacting one.
Chadwick J said: ‘Although the standard of proof . .
Cited – Wordingham v Royal Exchange Trust Co Ltd and Another ChD 6-May-1992
A testatrix revoked her earlier will and, by an oversight and contrary to the testatrix’s instructions, her solicitor had failed to repeat in her later will, provisions of the earlier will exercising a testamentary power of appointment. The clerical . .
Cited by:
Cited – Marley v Rawlings and Another ChD 3-Feb-2011
A married couple had purported to make mirror wills, but by mistake had each executed the will of the other. Rectification was now sought.
Held: The will did not comply with the 1837 Act and should not be admitted to probate. The testator had . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Wills and Probate
Updated: 08 July 2022; Ref: scu.246708