Testator’s gift to United Kingdom political party deemed void for insanity

Branislav Kostic executed a will in which he left approximately 8 million pounds (over $16 million) to the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom.  Kostic made this gift because he admired Margaret Thatcher.  He died in October 2005 at the age of 80.

Kostic’s son, the primary beneficiary of an earlier will, was very upset about his dad’s new will and thus contested the will on the ground that Kostic was “deluded and insane” when he executed his new will.

The son brought forth evidence that Kostic believed that Thatcher was a great leader and that she had the ability to save the world from “satanic monsters and freaks.”  He also thought that his wife, mother, and sister were part of a “devilish organization.”

High Court judge Launcelot Henderson ruled that this evidence was sufficient to show that Kostic was not of sound mind and thus his son, Zoran, could take the estate as the beneficiary of a now unrevoked prior will.

See AP, ‘Insane’ businessman left millions to U.K. party, MSNBC, Oct. 15, 2007.

Special thanks to Neda Jahansouz (J.D. Candidate, Texas Tech University School of Law) for bringing this development to my attention.