By counter signed you mean witnessed, I assume.
If it was a scribbled out will and was not witnessed, notarized, and registered at the courthouse, along with naming an executor, It has no binding authority. The office was right. It wasn't worth the paper it was written on.
My sister and I rode our parents hard to make out their wills so their respective families were left out in the cold. My mother's older sister was making noises she was going to mom's diamond ring when she passed away. Mom made sure that sucker went to my sister, along with every thing else of mom's. When we got home from the graveside services, sure enough she was trying to get the door open to sis's condo. I had her arrested. Attempted B&E. She got 6 months.
As for my dad, he left me the house and his car. Pretty nice Buick luxury model. Sure enough his adopted mom and her husband made a play for the house. They took their best shot but no joy there.
Moral of the story is to have your folks (family, and loved ones, friends) make out their wills and make them air tight and iron clad. Go through all the required steps by law to make them valid. Made out by a lawyer, witnessed, notarized, copy on file at courthouse, and an executor named.
My sis and I had the last laugh. True to form, both our folks families behaved like animals.
If it was a scribbled out will and was not witnessed, notarized, and registered at the courthouse, along with naming an executor, It has no binding authority. The office was right. It wasn't worth the paper it was written on.
My sister and I rode our parents hard to make out their wills so their respective families were left out in the cold. My mother's older sister was making noises she was going to mom's diamond ring when she passed away. Mom made sure that sucker went to my sister, along with every thing else of mom's. When we got home from the graveside services, sure enough she was trying to get the door open to sis's condo. I had her arrested. Attempted B&E. She got 6 months.
As for my dad, he left me the house and his car. Pretty nice Buick luxury model. Sure enough his adopted mom and her husband made a play for the house. They took their best shot but no joy there.
Moral of the story is to have your folks (family, and loved ones, friends) make out their wills and make them air tight and iron clad. Go through all the required steps by law to make them valid. Made out by a lawyer, witnessed, notarized, copy on file at courthouse, and an executor named.
My sis and I had the last laugh. True to form, both our folks families behaved like animals.
