Blanchards provides nationwide and international genealogy and tracing services for solicitors. In this blog we present a case study that demonstrates the important role of probate genealogy for the legal sector. Locating next of kin is not always straightforward. Families today often move abroad, lose contact or become estranged. This can complicate inheritance cases, but Blanchards tracing services help overcome these challenges by locating the rightful next of kin and ensuring the inheritance is distributed correctly.
The Starting Point Of Mr Smith’s Case
Blanchards were instructed to identify the executor or next of kin for Mr Smith, who had died in Portugal sometime between 2014 and 2016. At the outset, the only information available was his date of birth and last known address.
The first breakthrough came by obtaining the birth certificate, which confirmed his parents’ names. This provided a starting point for reconstructing Mr Smith’s family background.
Contacting Funeral Directors
Our legal sector department contacted the funeral home, who advised us that the arrangements had been made by a friend. When approached, the friend supplied all the information he had, although limited due to their relatively recent friendship. Crucially, he mentioned finding contact details for a relative, along with a company they worked for among Mr Smith’s personal effects.
Tracing Relatives To The United States
We discovered that Mr. Smith worked at company based in the U.S. Our team searched social media to identify any individuals with the relative’s name working there. Meanwhile, the genealogical work identified a potential matching birth record in the UK, which listed parents with the same names as on the birth certificate and a sibling known to have emigrated to the United States.
Eventually, contact was made with the correct relative in the U.S., who confirmed that the deceased had used multiple names and had relocated abroad in the early 2000s following a separation from their spouse.
Returning To UK Records
A UK marriage record was located for the individual, but their spouse proved difficult to trace. A copy of the spouse’s parent’s will was ordered, which provided a current address. The spouse was successfully located and confirmed that although the couple had separated, they had never formally divorced, making them the legal next of kin.
Conclusion
This case of intestacy was particularly complex as the deceased relocated abroad and changed their name. We reconstructed their family tree and mapped each relationship. Through this process, we identified the next of kin and worked on hand with the solicitors to ensure the beneficiary received their legal entitlement. For the beneficiary, the outcome was likely a surprise due to their estranged relationship.
This case study highlights just one way how Blanchards can assist the legal sector. Given the nature of every case, no two cases are the same. If you have a case you wish to discuss, please get in touch with us today.
