Will Forgery

Will forgery ranges from crude fabrication of an entirely fake document to subtler alteration of a genuine will, such as changing a beneficiary's name, inserting a new bequest, or forging a late codicil that supposedly revises earlier instructions. It is most often attempted by someone with access to the deceased in their final years, such as a caregiver, new acquaintance, or estranged family member, who exploits declining capacity or isolation to influence or fabricate a document favoring themselves.

Forged wills are frequently produced with a shaky or inconsistent signature, unusual witnesses who cannot later be located or who have a personal connection to the person benefiting, and legal language that does not match the deceased's normal vocabulary or the drafting conventions of a real solicitor. They often surface suspiciously close to the death or are only produced after the family has already begun distributing the estate under an earlier known will.

Contesting a suspected forged will typically requires expert handwriting or forensic document analysis, tracking down the named witnesses to verify they actually attended a signing, and an experienced estate litigation attorney, since courts require clear evidence of fraud or undue influence rather than mere suspicion.