Estate Litigation
In BC, wills and estates are governed by the Wills, Estates and Succession Act (“WESA”). This legislation allows children or a spouse of the deceased to challenge the terms of a will in certain circumstances. However, WESA also establishes strict time limitations for disputing the terms of a will. Disputes often arise over the terms of a deceased’s will. The most common disputes occur when a spouse or child is left out of the will, or when a child receives a smaller share of the estate than other siblings. Other common disputes include disagreements over what assets form part of the estate, to begin with, and whether the will-maker was unduly influenced, calling into question the validity of the will.