IN THEIR OWN HAND: AN ANALYSIS OF HOLOGRAPHIC WILLS AND HOMEMADE WILLMAKING.

This Article addresses the common conception that holographic wills are a constant source of imprecise, ambiguous, and vague language inviting forgery, fraud, and deception that ultimately corrupts testators' final wishes and leads to unnecessary post-mortem litigation. The author conducted a systematic study of wills filed in the government archives for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and concluded that the concerns about holographic wills largely are misplaced. The Article suggests that legislatures should allow the probate of holographic wills and relax traditional will formalities that discourage would-be testators and lead to the frustration of their final wishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]