Do I Have Grounds to Contest a Will?

Not every unhappy outcome is a legal ground. Courts look for something specific happening around how the will came about or how it was made. Answer the questions below about your own situation to see which of the more common grounds might be worth raising with a lawyer. This isn't a legal assessment, and it can't tell you whether you have a claim: the exact test for each ground differs by state, and that's a question for a lawyer admitted where the matter would be heard.

In the time before the will was signed, was the person increasingly cut off from family or friends, with one person controlling who they saw or talked to?

Around the time the will was signed, was there a diagnosis like dementia, a serious illness, or clear confusion or memory problems?

Do you have any reason to doubt the signature is genuine, or think the person was misled about what they were actually signing?

Do you know of, or suspect there might be, a later document that could replace this will?

Answer the questions above to see your result.

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What this checklist does not do

It does not tell you whether you have a valid claim, and using it does not create a lawyer-client relationship. It covers some of the more common grounds, drawn from the same categories on grounds for contesting a will, not a complete list of everything a lawyer might consider. Whether any of these actually applies to your situation, under the law of the state that matters, is a question for a lawyer.

Frequently asked questions

Does this checklist tell me whether I have a case?

No. It's a quick way to see which of the common grounds for contesting a will might be worth raising with a lawyer, based on a few general signals about your situation. It doesn't weigh evidence, and it doesn't apply any state's specific rules. For the full explanation of each ground, see grounds for contesting a will.

What if none of these signals match my situation?

That doesn't rule out a claim. This checklist covers some of the more common grounds, not everything a lawyer might consider, and a conversation can surface things a short checklist can't. The form below connects you to a lawyer who can look at the actual details.

General information, not legal advice. Grounds and how they're tested differ by state. Something look wrong? Let us know.

Think you may have a claim?

Tell us roughly what has happened. We pass your details to a lawyer practising in contested estates in your area. This is not legal advice and no lawyer and client relationship is created by using this form.

What kind of dispute? * What is the main concern? * Where are things up to? * Full name * Phone number * Email address * Briefly, what has happened? (optional)

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