Diary Entry Declared Valid Will, Granting Inheritance to Grandson Over Daughter
A businessman's final wish, written in a diary two days before his death, has been legally recognized as a valid will, disinheriting his daughter.
A New South Wales Supreme Court has ruled that a diary entry made by businessman Jianping Shen just two days before his death constitutes a valid will, awarding the majority of his multimillion-dollar estate to his grandson, Gordon Dang. Shen's only daughter, Eva Wu, had challenged the validity of the diary entry, seeking to uphold prior estate plans.
The diary entry, dated May 22, 2023, stated Shen's intention to leave 60 percent of his fortune to his favoured grandson, Gordon Dang. A condition of this inheritance was that Dang must change his surname to Shen. Forensic handwriting specialist Kiki Wong, a former Scotland Yard expert, provided evidence confirming that the diary entry was indeed written by Mr. Shen.
Justice Stephen Free, presiding over the case, accepted the diary entry as Mr. Shen's last will and testament. The ruling means that Eva Wu will not inherit the portion of the estate previously designated for her and will not receive assets intended for her under earlier wills.
The estate left by Mr. Shen is substantial, encompassing properties in Sydney, Shanghai, and Beijing. Among his assets is an apartment on Harrington Street in The Rocks, Sydney, purchased in 2022 for $1.93 million. This apartment was described in documents as a gift for Eva Wu "to enjoy in your old age."
Gordon Dang, a young Deloitte worker, will now inherit the significant portion of his grandfather's fortune under the terms of the diary will. The court's decision underscores the legal weight that can be given to informal documents, such as diary entries, when they clearly express a person's testamentary intentions and can be authenticated.