“For the past 43 years the Weston family of Stoke-on-Trent have been in and out of court arguing over a legacy. They should have known better. What must be one of Britain’s longest running legal battles ended in the Court of Appeal yesterday with a judgment that means, in effect, that most of the £480,000 the clan were fighting over will disappear into the pockets of lawyers. …If the Weston family business was now to celebrate by producing a sign, it would read: ‘Don’t go to law unless you absolutely have to.’ And it would be in red neon, as a warning.” (Alan Hamilton, “Lawyers take the lot as family keeps £½m legacy feud going for 43 years”, Times Online, Oct. 26).
UK: 43-year legacy battle empties estate
“For the past 43 years the Weston family of Stoke-on-Trent have been in and out of court arguing over a legacy. They should have known better. What must be one of Britain’s longest running legal battles ended in the Court of Appeal yesterday with a judgment that means, in effect, that most of the £480,000 […]
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The question about this story is whether, as losers, the clan will have to pay the other side’s legal fees over 43 years, under the English Rule?
Tormenting the other side to validate one’s righteousness may be worth one’s legal fees. The Brits take it a step further than we do. They ask if it is worth paying the fees of both sides?
That’s only about 10,000 pounds (less than $20,000) per year. British lawyers must work cheap.