Q: My papaw had a will drawn up before he was diagnosed with dementia, his wife then got a letter from their doctor saying
He was no longer competent my dad is his beneficiary to his will, my granny then made another will and is saying she gets all my papaws estate money & vehicles. Is my papaws will null and void now that she made another will for herself and my dad gets nothing?
A:
You must have "testamentary capacity" to execute a will. Testamentary capacity means that your Papaw does:
1. Understand the nature of the business in which he is engaged;
2. Comprehend generally the nature and extent of the property which constitutes his estate;
3. Hold in his mind the names and identity of those who have natural claims on his bounty; and
4. Appreciate his relation to the members of his family.
I recommend communicating with his wife and doctor. Even if he signs a will without the above-described capacity, it could cost a lot of money in attorney fees to fix.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
