Alicia Lopez Batiller v Clive Edwards & Ors

Facts

The claimant, Alicia Lopez Batiller, and the first defendant, Clive Edwards, are wife and husband, estranged for some years. The claimant occupies a property known as Hillcrest, Leeswood in Flintshire under an occupation order made in the family courts. Hillcrest was the home of her late mother-in-law, Dorothy May Edwards, who died in 2017. In these proceedings the claimant challenged Mrs Edwards' will dated 24 December 2012, for which the defendant was granted probate in January 2024, on the grounds of undue influence, forgery and lack of due execution. By the December 2012 will the residuary estate, essentially comprising Hillcrest, was left to Mrs Edwards' grandson Steven Beales, son of her daughter Valerie Beales; it bore what purported to be Mrs Edwards' signature and purported to be witnessed by Lucille Ingram, a cousin of the defendant, and Stuart Youd, the partner of Valerie Beales. An earlier will dated 20 August 2012, professionally drawn by Legal & Contract Services Ltd and unchallenged, had left the residue equally between Valerie Beales and the defendant. Steven Beales was joined as second defendant but his defence was struck out by order dated 13 April 2026 after he indicated he would take no active part. Each party who appeared did so in person; the trial proceeded before the High Court in Wales.