Disputes rarely feel simple when you're in the middle of one. Whether it's a disagreement with a neighbour over a boundary, a landlord or tenant issue, a contract that's gone wrong, money someone owes you, a professional negligence claim, or a disagreement over a Will or inheritance, we can help you understand your position and decide what to do next.
At Fonseca Law, we help individuals and businesses across the Valleys, Cardiff, and throughout Wales and England resolve disputes as quickly and sensibly as possible.
We regularly advise on:
- Boundary and neighbour disputes
- Landlord and tenant disagreements
- Contract and payment disputes
- Claims against property
- Contested Wills, probate and inheritance disputes
- Professional negligence claims
- Debt recovery, personal and commercial
- Personal injury claims
Contested Wills, probate and inheritance disputes
Disagreements following the death of a family member can be particularly difficult, often combining complicated legal issues with an already emotional time.
We advise both people wishing to challenge a Will or the administration of an estate and executors or beneficiaries who find themselves facing a claim.
Disputes can arise for many different reasons, including concerns about whether a Will is valid, whether the person making it had the necessary capacity or understood what they were signing, allegations of undue influence or fraud, disagreements between executors and beneficiaries, or concerns about the way an estate is being administered.
We can also advise where someone has died without leaving a valid Will. In these circumstances, their estate is distributed according to the rules of intestacy, which determine who is entitled to inherit.
If there is a dispute over whether a Will is valid or who is entitled to apply for probate, it may sometimes be necessary to take steps to prevent a Grant of Probate being issued while the matter is investigated.
Whatever the circumstances, getting advice early can be important. We will explain your options clearly, help you understand the likely costs and risks involved, and wherever possible look for a practical resolution without the need for court proceedings.
Our approach
Most disputes are resolved without ever reaching a courtroom, and that's usually the better outcome as it's quicker, less stressful, and less costly.
Our first job is always to give you an honest view: whether your case is worth pursuing, roughly what it will cost, and the realistic paths to resolving it. If a claim isn't worth the stress or expense involved, we'll tell you that plainly, before you spend a penny finding out the hard way.
Where a dispute can't be settled and needs to go before a court, we represent clients across the full range of civil courts, preparing and presenting your case while keeping you informed at every stage.
How you pay
For most matters, we work on an hourly rate and give you a written estimate before we start, so there are no surprises.
For personal injury claims, no-win-no-fee funding is available, so there's nothing to pay upfront.