Contentious Probate
Disputes over a will or an estate rarely happen in isolation from everything else that comes with losing someone. They tend to surface at the same time as grief, old family tensions, and a lot of uncertainty about what happens next, which makes them some of the hardest disputes to be caught up in.
I'm Sarah, and at SHG Law I help people through exactly this: whether you're an executor facing a challenge, or a family member who feels an estate hasn't been handled the way it should have been.
The kinds of disputes I deal with
Contentious probate covers a range of situations, including:
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challenging the validity of a will, for example, where there are concerns about how it was made, or the state of mind of the person who made it
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disagreements over how a will should be interpreted
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claims that someone hasn't been reasonably provided for
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disputes between executors, or between executors and beneficiaries
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concerns that an estate isn't being administered properly
These cases are rarely just about money. They're often about fairness, and about relationships that may already be strained. I take that seriously, alongside the legal issues themselves.
How I can help
My aim is always to resolve things as sensibly and directly as possible, without letting a dispute drag on longer or cost more than it needs to. That can mean:
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talking through your position clearly, so you understand where you stand and what your realistic options are
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trying to resolve the dispute through negotiation or mediation wherever that's achievable
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representing you robustly in litigation where that becomes necessary
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keeping you supported and informed throughout, so you're never left guessing what's happening or why
Whether you're trying to protect an inheritance, defend a will you're named as executor of, or simply understand what's gone wrong, I'll give you clear, honest advice on the best way forward.
Let's talk it through
If you're facing a dispute over a will or an estate, get in touch. We can talk through what's happened and what your options realistically are, in a straightforward first conversation.
