Modena court validates 800,000-euro inheritance left to single nephew

An Italian court has upheld the validity of a handwritten will in Modena, which left an inheritance of approximately 800,000 euros to a single nephew designated as the deceased woman’s ‘favorite’.

The woman, who died in 2018, had no husband or children. Her other relatives challenged the document, claiming she was coerced or that her writing was ‘guided’ by another person due to her suffering from exudative maculopathy, a severe condition causing loss of central vision.

Following a handwriting expert's report, the Court of Appeal of Bologna ruled that the testament was ‘entirely written by a single hand’ and that the date provided was likely authentic. Furthermore, clinical records indicated that the 80-year-old woman maintained sound cognitive abilities at the time of signing. The court concluded there was no evidence of incapacity, confirming the sole heir's right to the estate.