Unusual Wills & Validity - Form, Format & Formalities

Introduction

Whilst there are rules around how wills are prepared and executed, with the courts normally very prescriptive in their interpretation, this is not always the case.

The world of wills is fast paced and ever changing despite the current requirements being set out for over 180 years since the Wills Act 1837.

The landscape as to validity of wills transforms with each new decision handed down as well as minor and major advancements in technology, and some unconventional formats and contents are found to be valid as a result.

This webinar will explore some of those more unusual wills and the reason why they have been found either valid or invalid.

It will look at how to navigate the minefield of will preparation and execution to avoid making the same mistakes or being the next peculiarity to be heard by the court.

The webinar is suitable for non-contentious practitioners who want to understand how best to avoid the pitfalls, as well as contentious practitioners who want to learn what to look for and how something which may look invalid, may not be.

What You Will Learn

This webinar will cover the following:

• Form:
• The ‘norm’
• Possible digital wills in the future
• Unconventional wills:
• The treasure hunt will
• The dictionary will
• Holographic wills AKA handwritten wills (valid pre-1995) - the tractor will
• The daily rose
• The ostrich egg will
• The shortest will in history and the dispute that arose about ‘mother’
• Nuncupative wills / privileged wills / verbal wills by service personnel and the requirements
• The unsigned will
• The unsent text will
• The audio recorded will
• The video will
• The will on the wall
• Shorthand
• Written in a private code
• The will on the cigarette packet
• Format:
• The ‘fish finger box’ will
• The shell will
• Formalities:
• Requirements of the Wills Act
• Attesting witnesses
• Presence
• Execution:
• A stamped signature
• Rubber stamp
• Thumb print
• Initials
• ‘your loving mother’
• A mark
• An X
• The wrong name
• Indecipherable scrawl
• Smiley face

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Friday 19th September 2025

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 1,700+ others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email webinarsubscription@mblseminars.com for more details.