A 92-year-old woman named Carry Keats, described as “stubborn,” sparked a family feud by tearing up her £800,000 will on her deathbed, leading to a battle among her family members over her fortune. During her final days in the hospital, Mrs. Keats shredded three-quarters of the papers of her will, causing a rift between her five distant cousins and her younger sister, Josephine Oakley, with whom she had a complex relationship.
Under the law passed in 1837, a person can legally revoke a will by tearing it up, provided it is done within specific guidelines. If it is determined that Mrs. Keats validly destroyed the will and died without a new one, her younger sister, Josephine, stands to inherit everything. However, the cousins are contesting the revocation of the will, arguing that Mrs. Keats was too weak to tear the document fully and had her solicitor finish the tearing process on her behalf.
The cousins, led by David Crew, Mrs. Keats’ son from Mrs. Oakley’s cousin Lucy Whitehorn, claim that Mrs. Keats intended to leave nothing to her sister due to past disagreements. Mrs. Oakley, on the other hand, maintains that her sister was of sound mind and made a deliberate decision to exclude the cousins from her inheritance, influenced by their proposal to place her in a care home.
The court heard that Mrs. Keats passed away in February 2022, leaving behind an £800,000 estate predominantly comprised of her home and land in Nomansland, Wiltshire. Despite initially intending to distribute her estate among her distant cousins, Mrs. Keats altered her will towards the end of her life, favouring her younger sister, Josephine, whom she grew closer to during her final years.
The legal battle revolves around whether Mrs. Keats had the mental capacity to revoke her will and whether the tearing of the document was conclusive. Witnesses, including Mrs. Keats’ solicitor, provided conflicting testimonies regarding her mindset and intentions leading up to her passing. The judge has reserved his ruling on the case for a later date.
In conclusion, the case of Carry Keats’ contested will highlights the complexities and emotional strains that can emerge within families over inheritance and end-of-life decisions. The legal proceedings underscore the importance of clarity, communication, and understanding in estate planning to prevent disputes and uphold the wishes of the deceased.