Executor Previous Wills Query

[flawless101]

Hi,

A friend of mine is an executor - and one of the benefactors - of her father's estate.

She suspects that her father may have had undue influence placed on him to change his recent will.
To verify this, she needs access to her father's previous wills which are held by the same solicitor who holds the current will.

As executor, can she request copies of previous wills from the solicitor?

Thanking you for your reply.

[des8]

She can certainly request them, but it is quite likely the solicitor will refuse access to any previous wills, even if they have been retained.

[flawless101]

She can certainly request them, but it is quite likely the solicitor will refuse access to any previous wills, even if they have been retained.

Can I ask why? Especially if these wills can show there has been coercion? We are not talking about one will, but multiple wills stretching back 10 years?
To get these wills, would the executor have to go to court?

[des8]

The solicitor possibly will not release them due to client confidentiality, unless she is named as executor on these old wills.