Judgment reserved in contested will case

A woman contesting her late sister’s will had engaged in four years of litigation “to effectively challenge her sister’s autonomy” in deciding to leave her estate to a long-term friend, the High Court has heard.

Majella Rippington, sister of the late Celine Murphy, 50, sought to “damnify her sister’s mental capacity” despite having been furnished with medical reports showing she had such capacity, Cormac Ó Dúlacháin said.

Mrs Rippington, replying to closing submissions by Mr Ó Dúlacháin, said she had come to court to contest the will because Ms Murphy had “allowed disingenuous people into her life”. Her sister “became a victim” and so did her family and they had a right to look for justice.