Can a cat inherit millions? In her latest 'Probate and Pop Culture' blog, Kelsey Jones discusses what happens when a person wants to leave their estate to their pet.

In her latest 'Probate and Pop Culture' blog, Kelsey Jones discusses what happens when the dynamics seen on The Traitors play out in real life?

In the world of contentious probate, many clients are women who have survived domestic abuse, coercive control, financial manipulation, and relationships that were on the brink of collapse long before their partner passed away. In this blog, we recognise their resilience and endurance.

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) or the older Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) gives an appointed attorney authority to make decisions about a person’s property, finances, health or welfare when they cannot manage these matters themselves. Under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, attorneys are required to act responsibly and always in the donor’s best interests.

When a loved one loses the ability to make their own decisions, families often want to know how to manage the person’s affairs, what authority is needed and where to turn for advice. The law provides a framework to safeguard people who have lost capacity, but understanding the process can be difficult without the right guidance.

Understand how the Court of Protection can protect the affairs of vulnerable people during probate disputes. Get specialist legal advice from Switalskis.

Contentious probate refers to any dispute about how a person’s estate is handled after their death. These disputes can take many forms, such as concerns about whether a will is valid, disagreements between executors and beneficiaries and conflicts over trusts or claims for provisions from excluded or disappointed beneficiaries.

Succession is a gripping watch because it shows what happens when succession planning is left vague or avoided altogether. The boardroom falls silent, loyalties fracture, and chaos begins. Unlike television, though, real families don’t get a second season to fix probate mistakes. When wills are unclear or absent, disputes erupt, estates stall, and grief turns into litigation.