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1300 COMLAW (266 529)

02 4704 9991

Suite 11, 354-360 High Street, Penrith NSW 2750
PO Box 1835 PENRITH NSW 2751

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Family Provision – Wran Estate

ANOTHER FAMOUS WILL BATTLE

The daughter of former New South Wales Premier Neville Wran has settled out of Court over a dispute with her half-sister about Wran’s $40 million Estate.

Harriet Wran is currently in gaol accused of murder. She launched her legal action together with her brother Hugo from behind bars.

There are a number of specific people who are eligible to contest a deceased person’s Will and this includes natural children, adopted children, spouses and de factos and some other categories of people who were dependent on the deceased.

While the terms of the settlement remain confidential there are a number of claims that accused murderer Harriet Wran may have been making regarding Mr Wran’s Estate. These include:

  1. Asking for a greater share of the Estate (it is understood she stood to receive approximately $10 million).
  2. Altering the terms of the Will, for example if there were restrictions on when and how Harriet could access her money.
  3. Contesting who was to be in charge of her inheritance while she remains in gaol.

The process for making a claim against a deceased person’s Estate is as follows:

  1. Establish that you are an eligible person to make a claim.
  2. File a Summons in the Supreme Court within one year of the deceased’s date of death.
  3. Attend a compulsory mediation with the Defendant (who is usually the Executor).
  4. While the above is occurring the legal representatives of the parties may correspond with each other trying to settle the matter.
  5. If the matter cannot be settled out of Court, then it will go to a full hearing whereby a Judge will decide what the outcome is.

Interestingly, being convicted of a serious crime does not preclude a person who is an eligible claimant from making a claim against a deceased person’s Estate.

Typically, the Court will only be concerned with this conduct if it involved the deceased.

If you have been left out of a Will or haven’t been adequately provided for, or you are an Executor who has been threatened with legal action, contact us today to discuss your rights.