Law firms handle many different types of legal disputes, and a dispute is usually a disagreement between people, businesses or organisations that can’t be easily resolved without requiring legal help.
Examples of this can include contract disputes, neighbour disputes, property disagreements, unpaid debts, employment issues and disputes about wills or inheritance. Money could be the source of the problem, but it could also be land, goods, or even work too. In many of these cases, solicitors will try to help both sides of the dispute with the goal in mind to reach an agreement before the matter goes to court if it is required.
One example of a dispute a law firm might help with is where someone has been left out of a will. This could happen when a person expects to inherit money or property from the person who has passed, but later finds out that they have received nothing, or much less than they had previously expected.
This can be upsetting, particularly in a time of grief already and especially if the person then personally believes the will does not actually reflect what the deceased person really wanted.
There can be different reasons for why a will might be questioned if there are any doubts about its validity or fairness. For example, someone might argue that the person who made the will did not fully understand what they were doing, they may have been pressured by someone else, or that the will was not technically signed properly. If there is a serious concern about this, a solicitor can look at the evidence and explain whether the will could potentially be challenged for that reason.
On the other hand, in some cases, the will itself may be valid, but a person may still feel that they should have been provided for. This could be a dependent child, spouse or relative who could then be able to ask the court to consider whether reasonable financial allowances should have been made for them. This however doesn’t mean every disappointed person can make a successful claim, but it shows why it’s important to seek legal advice, if in doubt!
The problems associated with this kind of dispute can go further than just legal, they can also be highly emotional because they will often happen after someone has recently passed and family relationships are already under tension. Due to these emotionally intense situations, a law firm can be helpful by acting as an impartial third party, gathering evidence, contacting the relevant people, and aiming to reach a constructive end goal. If an agreement can’t be reached, it may later need to be decided in a court setting.
Being left out of a will is a good example of how legal disputes can involve both practical and personal feelings.
If you would like to discuss anything in this article or are looking for legal advice regarding Dispute Resolution, please do not hesitate to contact us.
