From Newsgroup: comp.text.tex

Does anyone know of a template (or style file or class file) for something
like a Last Will and Testament? The Internet abounds with sample Wills in PDF and (yech) Word. I don't do word processing (and don't know how to actually
use a word processor and have never used one) and don't have any word processing software installed on my (Linux) computer. I have been using TeX
and LaTex for something like 50 years and am very confortable with it. If a specific template for a Last Will and Testament in LaTeX is not available, suggestions for a class / style file for a general legal document will
probably do.
--
Robert Heller -- Cell: 413-658-7953 GV: 978-633-5364
Deepwoods Software -- Custom Software Services
http://www.deepsoft.com/ -- Linux Administration Services
heller@deepsoft.com -- Webhosting Services
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From Newsgroup: comp.text.tex

Robert Heller <heller@deepsoft.com> wrote or quoted:

Does anyone know of a template (or style file or class file) for something >like a Last Will and Testament?

I have asked the chatbot; so, as a starting point and baseline
for further refinement and discussion, let me post his answer
here, formatted by me for Usenet.

My prompt,

|Do you know of a TeX or LaTeX template (or style file or
|class file) for something like a Last Will and Testament?

, the chatbot,

|There is no official, specialized document class or style file
|for a Last Will and Testament on the Comprehensive TeX Archive
|Network (CTAN). Legal documents require precise jurisdiction-
|specific wording rather than specialized typesetting engines.
|
|You can build a professional, legally structured will using
|standard LaTeX classes.
|
|Recommended Document Setup
|
|Use the standard article class. Pair it with standard geometry
|and typography packages to give the document a formal appearance.
|
|LaTeX
|
|\documentclass[11pt,12pt]{article}
|\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
|\usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry}
|\usepackage{times} % Traditional, serious serif font
|\usepackage{setspace}
|\doublespacing % Often preferred for legal documents to allow physical markup |
|\begin{document}
|% Content goes here
|\end{document}
|
|Use code with caution.
|
|Essential Formatting Elements
|
|- Header Blocks: Use centering for the main title. Do not use
| standard \maketitle metadata.
|
|- Numbered Sections: Use \section* to manually control the
| titles of your clauses (e.g., First Clause, Second Clause)
| without generating numeric article sectioning formats.
|
|- Signature Lines: Use the tabular environment or standard
| horizontal rules (\hrulefill) to create clean, aligned
| signature spaces for the Testator, Witnesses, and Notary
| Public.
|
|Structural Template Example
|
|LaTeX
|
|\documentclass[12pt]{article}
|\usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry}
|\usepackage{times}
|\usepackage{setspace}
|\doublespacing
|
|\begin{document}
|
|\begin{center}
| \bfseries\Large LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT \\
| OF \\
| [YOUR FULL LEGAL NAME]
|\end{center}
|
|\noindent I, [YOUR NAME], residing at [YOUR ADDRESS], being of
|sound mind and memory, do hereby make, publish, and declare
|this to be my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking any and
|all prior wills and codicils made by me.
|
|\section*{ARTICLE I: APPOINTMENT OF EXECUTOR}
|
|I hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint [EXECUTOR NAME], of
|[EXECUTOR ADDRESS], as the Executor of this my Last Will and
|Testament. If they are unable or unwilling to serve, I
|nominate [BACKUP EXECUTOR NAME] as alternate Executor.
|
|\section*{ARTICLE II: DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY}
|
|I direct that all my legally enforceable debts, funeral
|expenses, and expenses of my last illness be paid first.
|Subject to these payments, I give, devise, and bequeath all of
|my property, both real and personal, to [BENEFICIARY NAME(S)].
|
|\section*{ARTICLE III: MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS}
|
|[Insert additional local state provisions, digital asset
|directives, or guardianship clauses here].
|
|\vspace{2cm}
|
|\noindent IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and
|seal this \underline{\hspace{1cm}} day of
|\underline{\hspace{3cm}}, 20\underline{\hspace{0.5cm}}.
|
|\vspace{1.5cm}
|
|\begin{flushright}
| \begin{tabular}{ll}
| \line(1,0){200} \\
| [YOUR NAME], Testator
| \end{tabular}
|\end{flushright}
|
|\newpage
|\begin{center}
| \bfseries\large ATTESTATION CLAUSE
|\end{center}
|
|The foregoing instrument was on the date thereof signed,
|published, and declared by the Testator to be their Last Will
|and Testament in the presence of us...
|
|\vspace{1.5cm}
|
|\noindent
|\begin{tabular}{lll}
| Witness Signature: & \line(1,0){150} & Date: \line(1,0){60} \\
| Printed Name: & \line(1,0){150} & \\
| Address: & \line(1,0){150} & \\
| [2cm]
| Witness Signature: & \line(1,0){150} & Date: \line(1,0){60} \\
| Printed Name: & \line(1,0){150} & \\
| Address: & \line(1,0){150} & \\
|\end{tabular}
|
|\end{document}
|
|Use code with caution.
|
|Important Legal Risks
|
|- Jurisdiction Controls Legality: The structure of a will
| depends entirely on your local state or country laws. Even
| if your LaTeX compilation looks immaculate, a missing specific
| statutory clause can render the document completely void.
|
|- Witness and Notary Requirements: Most areas strictly
| enforce rules regarding the number of witnesses, witness
| disqualification (e.g., beneficiaries generally cannot
| witness), and mandatory notary signatures.
|
|- Safer Alternatives: If you need a legal base text before formatting
| it cleanly in LaTeX, cross-reference your wording against approved
| local government forms, such as the official Texas Supreme Court
| Will Forms, or interactive legal tools like LawDepot. Always have
| a licensed attorney review your final compiled text.
|
|If you are open to sharing, what state or country do you live
|in, and are there specific clauses (like guardianship for
|minors or trust structures) that you need to account for?
|
|AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses
|
what the chatbot wrote.


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From Newsgroup: comp.text.tex

In article <10ua9tj$14ilq$1@dont-email.me>,
heller@deepsoft.com says...

Does anyone know of a template (or style file or class file) for something like a Last Will and Testament?

Under German law, a will has to be hand-
written, so LaTeX is of no use. The exception
is when the will is errected in front of a
notary, but they will then use their own
template.

The laws of your country may, of course, be
different. And really complicated it gets for
expats.
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From Newsgroup: comp.text.tex

Dr Engelbert Buxbaum wrote:

In article <10ua9tj$14ilq$1@dont-email.me>,
heller@deepsoft.com says...

Does anyone know of a template (or style file or class file) for something >> like a Last Will and Testament?

Under German law, a will has to be hand-
written, so LaTeX is of no use. The exception
is when the will is errected in front of a
notary, but they will then use their own
template.

The laws of your country may, of course, be
different. And really complicated it gets for
expats.

In addition to the statutory regulations for emergency wills, the German legislator fundamentally provides two options for establishing a legally
valid will:

Section 2247 of the German Civil Code (-o 2247 BGB) specifies the formal requirements that a so-called 'holographic will' must satisfy in order
to be legally valid. One of these requirements indeed is the holographic
will to be written by the own hand of the testator.

However, the fact that formal requirements are prescribed for this type
of establishment does not preclude other methods of establishing a will.

The other fundamental option of establishment of a will is the so-called 'notarial will'. German law also provides formal requirements for the
legal validity of a notarial will. These are specified in Section 2232
of the German Civil Code (-o 2232 BGB), which in German language reads as follows:

| -o 2232 |uffentliches Testament
|
| Zur Niederschrift eines Notars wird ein Testament errichtet, indem der
| Erblasser dem Notar seinen letzten Willen erkl|nrt oder ihm eine
| Schrift mit der Erkl|nrung |+bergibt, dass die Schrift seinen letzten
| Willen enthalte. Der Erblasser kann die Schrift offen oder
| verschlossen |+bergeben; sie braucht nicht von ihm geschrieben zu sein.

Translation into English language: German Civil Code, Section 2232:

| Public will
|
| A will recorded by a notary is made by the testator declaring their
| last will to the notary or handing the notary a document with the
| statement that the document contains their last will. The testator can
| hand over the document either unsealed or sealed; it need not have
| been written by them.

So, of course, with public wills, instead of writing with their own
hand, testators in Germany may create documents/instruments that are
written on paper stating their last wills using software and templates according to their preferences.
These instruments constitute legally valid wills, as long as they are accompanied by the statement that they represent the will of the
testator, and are handed over by the testator to the notary. With public
wills it is the actual act of the testator themselves handing over the instrument to the notary and providing to the notary the statement that
the instrument holds the last will of the testator and the notary
recording both the handing-over of the instrument and the testator's
making of the statement that the instrument states their will and the
testator approving that record by their signature and the notary
officially authenticating that record by their signature that
constitutes the legally valid establishment of the will.

Sincerely

Ulrich
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