Can my lawyer keep my will from me?

Q: Does a lawyer have to provide me with a copy of my will that was drawn up by myself and the lawyer? Do I have a right to a copy of my will? I asked my lawyer for copy of my will so I could review it. He will review with me in office but refuses to give me copy of my will. Can he refuse to give?

A: Sounds weird. My understanding is that your will is your property, as you paid the attorney to draft it. If he or she is holding it for a good reason, for example if you are mentally unstable and prone to make sudden impulsive decisions that you later regret, he or she may have a good reason. However, like I said, it is your property. If nothing like that is going on here, and he or she won’t give it to you after you request, just go do another will with a new lawyer.  The new will revoke the old will.

 

If you feel like this issue relates to you, or a problem that you are experiencing, please contact me so that we can discuss your situation.