codicil (def.)

A codicil is a short, formal document that changes part of an existing Will without replacing it. It must be signed and witnessed with the same formalities as the Will itself.

Codicils were common when Wills were retyped by hand and a full rewrite was expensive. Today they are used less often, because multiple codicils can make a Will harder to read and easier to dispute. In most cases it is clearer to make a new Will that revokes the previous one.

As adeus wills can be updated quickly and easily when your circumstances or wishes change, we do not provide codicils in adeus.