Intestate

[higgles]

My 3rd great grandfather died intestate in 1912. Despite the family challenging it, his money went to chancery. Where do I start looking to see if paper work on the court case exists?

[stanmapstone]

If someone dies and has not left a Will they are said to have died intestate. In these circumstances the estate must be distributed according to the laws of intestacy which set out a statutory set of rules which leave a person’s estate to their next of kin in a fixed order.
http://www.graysons.co.uk/wills-intestacy.html
Did he not have any next of kin.
Stan

[higgles]

thank you for your response. I was going on information my Grandma had written down. I have now found the will, but how would I go about finding out about the court case when it was contested?

[MaryA]

If there was a Will surely the money wouldn't have gone to Chancery?  Why would the family have contested the Will?

[Billyblue]

If there was a Will, he wouldn't have died intestate, unless:

- His executor/s predeceased him
- The will wasn't witnessed correctly, e.g. if one or more of the witnesses was also a beneficiary

Dawn M

[higgles]

I am obtaining a copy of the will. All I know is the story that my Grandma told me regarding the money from the estate going to chancery and that her father and grandfather were involved in a very long legal battle over the money from the estate (it was a lot). Having applied for a copy of the will, if it was contested will the paperwork for the court case be with it, or would I need to look elsewhere? This all happened from 1912.

[stanmapstone]

Having applied for a copy of the will, if it was contested will the paperwork for the court case be with it, or would I need to look elsewhere? This all happened from 1912.

Have you seen Records of Chancery (1386-2004) http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/civil-litigant.htm?WT.lp=rg-3155
It may help.
Stan