Daughter Guided Dying Mother’s Hand to Sign 700k Estate Over

A man won a court case. He fought for half of his mom’s will. A video showed his sister guiding their mom’s hand, compelling her to sign the fortune over to the sister.

Margaret Baverstock was 76 and very ill when she signed the will in March 2021. She supposedly cut off her son, John, who was 61, leaving everything to her daughter, Lisa, who was 55. Margaret died eight days later, and Lisa inherited everything, including her mom’s house in Herne Hill, South London.

John challenged the will, arguing his mom was forced and that Lisa made her participate in a pantomime. He stated she did not understand the document. Judge Jane Evans-Gordon agreed, stating Mrs. Baverstock had no idea and declared the will invalid. John received half of the estate.

The court heard Margaret had dementia, diagnosed in 2014, and signed the last will on her deathbed. John claimed Lisa grew resentful and excluded him from the house before their mom’s death. John learned he was cut out of the will and challenged it, contending his mom lacked the mental capacity to understand the document.

Lisa produced signing videos that cast doubt on the will, showing their mom struggling while terminally ill. Margaret could only grunt or say “yeah” in response to basic questions, as videos presented in court showed. John’s lawyer, Mark Jones, described Lisa’s actions as repeatedly placing a pen in her mom’s hand, forcing her mom to mark the will, and propelling her hand to write.

Lisa drafted a homemade will using an online template, naming herself as executor and sole beneficiary. The judge declared the will invalid, noting Margaret could barely move her eyelid. Also, a witness read the will aloud because Margaret did not read it herself and could not sign it herself, hold the pen, or move her hand; Lisa manipulated her hand to make marks.

The judge confirmed Margaret had no idea and could not act independently, responding to her daughter’s voice, which did not indicate consent to the will. Margaret looked blank during the reading, mostly replying only to Lisa, and she never asked for help or directed Lisa to sign.

Nobody ensured Margaret’s understanding or asked about the will’s contents, so she cannot be said to have signed it. The judge found lacking “testamentary capacity,” stating Margaret did not know and approve of the will. She was frail near death, making it necessary to question her, and reading the document was not enough.

Margaret Baverstock died intestate, and as there was no other known will, her assets will split. Brother and sister must now divide her £700,000. Lisa must also pay John’s legal fees, which will cost close to £80,000.