Costs awarded against defendant

[Jan777]

Hi , I really need some advice regarding a will dispute I am the defendant in the High Court.Ill keep this as short as possible.I initially placed a caveat on my Late Godfathers Estate to prevent his 65yr old nephew being granted Probate due to a will he produced that my Godfather had signed whilst medicated 24 hrs after being admitted by ambulance with type 2 respiratory failure.He had advanced COPD and prostate cancer.When admitted his hospital notes state he was emaciated , exhausted and extremely frightened.I placed the caveat to allow time for me to find his real will as he had no children and had always promised to leave his s Estate to me.I was named after his wife and he was extremely important throughout my life and my Dads best friend for 60 odd yrs.The nephews solicitor has been extremely aggressive and to be honest unbelievably sneaky and manipulative.As I cannot afford a solicitor I’ve been representing myself.Until recently the Court awarded no costs against me and refused to strike out the case at their request.I have received £2,000 costs due to their solicitor going ahead with a hearing that she was fully aware I couldn’t attend and both her and the Court were informed in advance but she failed to inform the Judge so out looked like I was disrespectful and hadn’t bothered turning up.Her friend is the Court Officer in charge of this case and denies receiving anything until I ask for another person in the office who ultimately finds my letters or emails like filed elsewhere....His email only sends me a received response now and then.The costs were due to an application she had made which was heard in my absence , it was for failing to complete a DRD form which I can’t because I gave all the documents to Independent administrators appointed by Court and had previously sat for 3 hrs in her offices whilst she got photocopies of everything I had.The hearing when the Order was recorded for me to complete the DRD form there was also an undertaking made by their solicitor to return particular documents to me ‘in good time’ she received them 10/12/19 (recorded delivery)and last week has told Court she’s only just got them asked to be released from her undertaking.... I’ve now received a Notice of Change if solicitors... She informed me her fees for God knows what we’re almost £80,000... Doesn’t surprise me as she repeatedly sent me hundreds of pages of computer gobbledygook instead of the proper attachments and triple letters and emails regarding the same subject..I would like to know why the claimants changed solicitors? I would also like to know if I can get the costs awarded against me removed due to her deliberately being obstructive and going ahead without being able to explain to the Judge that she has photocopies and the administrators have the originals ? I receive £119 per week due to ill health and trying to pay the interest only off my mortgage and struggling to live off the remainder.Any help would be sincerely appreciated. Many thanks*

[wcampbell]

Hi, I am an Estate Planner and Probate Specialist and Legal Researcher. Please visit my website will-trusts-probate.co.uk where you can chat with me live. I can help you by doing in-depth legal research for you, or the Law firm that I work for can take over the entire probate process for you for a fixed fee.
Contact me and I will help you. Just head over to my website and use the chat function any day before 9pm, and I will be more than happy to answer any questions you have.


Wanda Campbell
Will-trusts-probate.co.uk
WCampbell@will-trusts-probate.co.uk