A. The court may reform the terms of a decedent's will, or any codicil thereto, even if unambiguous, to conform the terms to the decedent's intention if it is proved by clear and convincing evidence that both the decedent's intent and the terms of the will were affected by a mistake of fact or law, whether in expression or inducement.
B. If shown by clear and convincing evidence, the court may modify the terms of a decedent's will to achieve the decedent's tax objectives in a manner that is not contrary to the decedent's probable intention.
C. Notice must be given and a person may represent and bind another person in proceedings under this section to the same extent that a person may represent and bind another person in proceedings brought under § 64.2-733 or 64.2-734 relating to trusts.
D. The remedies granted by this section are available only in proceedings brought in a circuit court under the appropriate provisions of this title, filed within one year from the decedent's date of death and in which all interested persons are made parties.
E. This section applies to all wills and codicils regardless of the date of their execution and all judicial proceedings regardless of when commenced, except that this section shall not apply to any judicial proceeding commenced before July 1, 2018, if the court finds that its application would substantially interfere with the effective conduct of the judicial proceeding or prejudice the rights of the parties.
2018, c. 44.
Structure Code of Virginia
Title 64.2 - Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries
§ 64.2-401. Who may make a will; what estate may be disposed of
§ 64.2-402. Advertisements to draw wills prohibited; penalty
§ 64.2-403. Execution of wills; requirements
§ 64.2-404. Writings intended as wills
§ 64.2-404.1. Reformation of will to correct mistakes or achieve decedent's tax objectives
§ 64.2-405. Interested persons as competent witnesses
§ 64.2-407. Will of personal estate of nonresidents
§ 64.2-409. Wills of living persons lodged for safekeeping with clerks of certain courts
§ 64.2-410. Revocation of wills generally
§ 64.2-411. Revival of wills after revocation
§ 64.2-413. Effect of subsequent conveyance on will
§ 64.2-414. When wills deemed to speak
§ 64.2-416. Devises, bequests, and distributions that fail; how to pass
§ 64.2-417. When advancement deemed satisfaction of devise or bequest
§ 64.2-418. When children or descendants of beneficiary to take estate or trust
§ 64.2-419. Provision for omitted children when no child living when will made
§ 64.2-420. Provision for omitted children when child living when will made
§ 64.2-421. Construction of certain conditions of spouse's survivorship
§ 64.2-422. When omitted spouse to take intestate portion
§ 64.2-424. When direction to purchase annuity binding on legatee
§ 64.2-425. Interest on pecuniary legacies
§ 64.2-427. Testamentary additions to trusts by testator dying after June 30, 1999
§ 64.2-436. Other points of form
§ 64.2-438. Effect of certificate
§ 64.2-440. Source and construction
§ 64.2-442. International will information registration
§ 64.2-443. Jurisdiction of probate of wills
§ 64.2-444. Clerks may probate wills
§ 64.2-445. Appeal from order of clerk
§ 64.2-446. Motion for probate; process against persons interested in probate
§ 64.2-447. Use of depositions
§ 64.2-448. Complaint to impeach or establish a will; limitation of action; venue
§ 64.2-449. Procedure in probate proceedings
§ 64.2-450. Probate of copy of will proved outside the Commonwealth; authenticated copy
§ 64.2-451. Appointment of curator; when made; his duties
§ 64.2-452. How will may be made self-proved; affidavits of witnesses
§ 64.2-453. How will may be made self-proved; acknowledgment of witnesses
§ 64.2-454.1. Will contest; presumption of undue influence
§ 64.2-455. Wills to be recorded; recording copies; effect; transfer to the Library of Virginia
§ 64.2-456. Bona fide purchaser of real estate without notice of devise protected
§ 64.2-457. Bona fide purchaser of real estate without notice of devise protected; later will
§ 64.2-458. Bona fide purchaser of real estate without notice of devise protected; intestacy