The recent case of a grandfather leaving his grandchild a mere $63 from his $637,000 estate has sparked controversy and disappointment.
The reason comes from his grandchildren who didn't visit him when he was in hospital with a lung condition.
Frederick Ward Sr., a former British soldier, passed away in 2020, leaving his family embroiled in a heated dispute over his assets.
His son Terry Ward and daughter Susan Wiltshire were designated as the primary beneficiaries, receiving the majority of his significant fortune.
However, his five grandchildren from his deceased eldest son, Fred Jr., were shockingly removed from his testament and received only a tiny amount of $63 each.
His grandchildren including Carol Growing, Angela St Marseille, Amanda Higginbotham, Christine Ward, and Janet Pett, were extremely hurt and decided to take the matter to court.
According to their claims, their shares of the inheritance had been unfairly taken over by their aunt and uncle.
In response to the legal proceedings, the mother of the five grandchildren, Ann Ward, has now spoken out about the situation.
Based on the claims of a close family source, Ann firmly believes that her late husband would be really furious about his daughters being disinherited in such a manner if he were still alive.
The source emphasizes that Ann is certain her late husband would be "turning in his grave" over this decision, leaving no room for doubt.
Furthermore, she asserts that her daughters are fighting for what their deceased father would have wanted and what they were initially promised.
The source also raises questions about the judge's ruling, suggesting that crucial evidence may not have been fully considered.
However, despite their efforts in court, High Court judge Master James Brightwell finally stated that the will was written in 2018 based on rational grounds.
The judge acknowledged the disappointment of the claimants but clarified the 2018 will is entirely rational.
He emphasized that the reason for removing these grandchildren from the will came from limited contact between the grandchildren and their grandfather during his final years.
The will's lawyers have revealed that at the time, Frederick Ward was extremely disappointed that none of his grandchildren visited him during his three hospitalizations for lung disease.
So he didn't leave anything for them later.
Master Brightwell stated that while it is commonly believed that when a parent's child predeceases them, it is typically expected to distribute an equal portion of the remaining estate to that child's offspring.
However, he argued that the decision to divide the residue and allocate the majority of the estate to the surviving children can still be considered a reasonable provision.
Although Fred had previously promised to divide his estate among his grandchildren if something happened to their parents, Master Brightwell considered the 2018 will to be entirely reasonable given the circumstances.
