Wills & Succession · Jersey
Find the right wills lawyers in Jersey for your estate
Jersey is a separate legal jurisdiction with its own customary law, courts and probate practice. Tell us what you need — drafting, a review, administration of an estate or a challenge to a testamentary disposition — and we introduce you to practitioners suited to the matter.
- Advocates and solicitors (écrivains) who practise Jersey law
- Support with drafting, probate and disputed estates
- Free matching — you decide whether to instruct
Free · No obligation · Jersey-qualified practitioners
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Why this page exists
Wills in a separate legal jurisdiction
Making a will in Jersey is governed by the island’s own law, not by the law of England and Wales, and probate work is dealt with in the Royal Court, with separate fee schedules applying to Probate. Because Jersey’s rules derive from Norman customary law, supplemented by legislation passed by the States Assembly and by decisions of the Royal Court, the Jersey Court of Appeal and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the way an estate is planned, challenged or administered can differ materially from what you may expect elsewhere. Our free matching service connects you with wills lawyers in Jersey who work with island property, Jersey trusts and cross-border families. Tell us your situation once, and we introduce you to practitioners suited to your matter, whether that is drafting, reviewing, administering or disputing a testamentary disposition.
Jersey in practice
How wills and succession work in Jersey
Jersey is a self-governing British Crown Dependency and a separate legal jurisdiction. Its law is a mixture of customary law and legislation passed by the States Assembly, and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London is the final court of appeal.
A customary system, not English common law
The island is not a common law jurisdiction in the English sense. Its law derives originally from the laws, customs and procedures of the Duchy of Normandy, later supplemented by Norman, French and Jersey writers and by judgments of the Royal Court, the Jersey Court of Appeal and the Privy Council. English authorities are treated as persuasive, not binding.
Who may advise you on a Jersey will
Jersey has a divided profession. Advocates have rights of audience before every court in Jersey, including the Royal Court and the Court of Appeal. Jersey solicitors, also called écrivains, have only limited rights of audience and instruct advocates for contested court work. Both must be ordinary members of The Law Society of Jersey.
Where probate and succession sit in the court structure
The Royal Court is the principal and oldest court and hears both civil and criminal matters. Its Samedi Division deals with conveyances of immovable property and related transactions, and separate fee schedules apply to Probate. Civil appeals lie to the Jersey Court of Appeal, and from there, with leave, to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London.
Challenging a will: the year and a day
An action en nullité against a will or another testamentary disposition is subject to a period of a year and a day from the date of death, and probate-related rules protect purchasers. Because Jersey has no general limitation statute, prescription periods must be identified claim by claim from customary law, case law and individual enactments.
Trusts, estates and the 21-year longstop
Jersey is a leading trust jurisdiction, and the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984 sets its own regime for breach of trust claims: three years from delivery of the final accounts or from the beneficiary’s first knowledge of the breach, whichever is earlier, with an absolute longstop of 21 years and no prescription at all in fraud and trust-property recovery cases.
Costs, court fees and legal aid
Professional fees of advocates and solicitors are not fixed by law or an official scale: they are agreed between lawyer and client, and firms publish their own hourly rates. Where a court orders costs, they are assessed by the Judicial Greffe. Civil legal aid is means-tested and generally limited to people living in Jersey.
Key time limit — Inheritance, Probate & Wills
Wills and succession: challenging a will or another testamentary disposition (action en nullité) — A year and a day from the date of death. The same provision also covers probation-related protection of purchasers.
This country information is drawn from official Jersey sources — the Courts of Jersey, Jersey legislation published at jerseylaw.je and the Legal Aid Office — as published at the time of writing.
Common situations
Why a Jersey estate needs Jersey advice
Three situations clients bring to us most often.
A will drafted elsewhere
Jersey is not a common law jurisdiction in the English sense, and the Samedi Division of the Royal Court handles conveyances of immovable property. A will prepared for England and Wales may not fit Jersey property or Jersey succession rules.
A challenge against the clock
An action en nullité against a will or other testamentary disposition is subject to a year and a day from the date of death. Because Jersey has no general limitation statute, the relevant period must be identified claim by claim.
Advocate or solicitor?
Jersey has a divided profession: advocates have rights of audience before every court, while solicitors (écrivains) have limited rights of audience and instruct advocates for contested work. Choosing the wrong profile can slow an estate down.
What you get
Matched with the right Jersey practitioner
One request, reviewed and routed to specialists in Jersey law.
Jersey-qualified practitioners
You are matched with advocates and solicitors who are ordinary members of The Law Society of Jersey and who practise Jersey law day to day, not foreign law.
Drafting, probate and disputes
Tell us whether you need a will drafted, a review, help with an estate or a challenge to a testamentary disposition, and we direct your request accordingly.
Clear on costs before you commit
Professional fees in Jersey are not fixed by law; they are agreed between you and your practitioners, and firms publish their own hourly rates. You stay in control of the mandate.
Cross-border families welcome
Jersey is a separate jurisdiction with its own courts and its own prescription rules. We match you with practitioners used to estates that touch the island and other countries.
International matters
Where our clients come from
Clients contact us from across Europe whenever an estate, a trust or a will touches Jersey.
FAQ
Questions about wills in Jersey
Can a Jersey will be challenged after death?
Yes, in principle. A will or other testamentary disposition can be challenged in Jersey through an action en nullité. The relevant period runs for a year and a day from the date of death, and probate-related rules protect purchasers. Because Jersey has no general limitation statute, the applicable period must be identified claim by claim.
Do I need an advocate or is a solicitor enough?
Both advocates and Jersey solicitors (écrivains) may practise Jersey law, and both must be ordinary members of The Law Society of Jersey. Advocates have rights of audience before every Jersey court, including the Royal Court and the Court of Appeal; solicitors have limited rights of audience and instruct advocates for contested court work.
Which court deals with probate and disputed wills in Jersey?
Probate and testamentary matters are dealt with in the Royal Court, whose Samedi Division handles conveyances of immovable property and related transactions, with separate fee schedules applying to Probate. Civil appeals go to the Jersey Court of Appeal within 28 days of pronouncement below, and a further appeal lies, with leave, to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London.
How much do wills lawyers in Jersey charge?
Fees in Jersey are not fixed by law or by an official scale: they are agreed between you and your practitioners, and firms publish their own hourly rates. Where a court orders costs, they are assessed by the Judicial Greffe. Civil legal aid is means-tested. Our matching service, which helps you compare wills lawyers in Jersey, is free.
Is Jersey law the same as English law for wills?
No. Jersey is a self-governing Crown Dependency and a separate legal jurisdiction from England and Wales. Its law derives originally from Norman customary law and has been supplemented by legislation of the States Assembly and by judgments of the Royal Court, the Jersey Court of Appeal and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, Jersey’s final court of appeal.
How long do I have to bring a breach of trust claim in Jersey?
Under the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984, a beneficiary’s claim against a trustee must generally be brought within three years from delivery of the final accounts or from first knowledge of the breach, whichever is earlier, with an absolute longstop of 21 years from the breach. There is no prescription at all in fraud cases.
Next step
Tell us about your Jersey wills matter
Describe your situation in a few lines — a first will, a review, an estate to administer or a question about a testamentary disposition. We will introduce you to Jersey practitioners suited to the matter. There is no cost to be matched and no obligation to instruct anyone.