讀後心得

In October 2024, a family dispute arose in Shanghai, China, due to a will contest. The deceased elderly person's caregiver, Aunt Wang, and her daughter ended up in court. The will specified that Aunt Wang was to be responsible for the sea burial, but the daughter opposed this, leading to conflict between the two parties. The Shanghai High Court confirmed that Aunt Wang had rights to a portion of the estate and responsibility for the sea burial, but the daughter retained the ashes and refused Aunt Wang's requests. Ultimately, the judge proposed a compromise. After negotiation, both parties were able to proceed, the sea burial ceremony was successfully completed, and Aunt Wang withdrew her lawsuit, resulting in a peaceful resolution of the case.

In October 2024, a family dispute triggered by a will controversy occurred in Shanghai, China, which ultimately evolved into a lawsuit filed by the deceased's nanny against the deceased's biological daughter. It is reported that the deceased clearly indicated in the will that a sea burial should take place after their death, and that it should be solely handled by Aunt Wang, the nanny who had been caring for them for a long time, without any interference from others. However, the elderly person's daughter opposed this view, leading to both parties ending up in court.

According to reports, the Shanghai High Court announced on the 4th that Aunt Wang, as the nanny during the elderly person's lifetime, not only held certain inheritance rights through the will but was also designated as the sole person responsible for arranging the sea burial ceremony. However, after the elderly person's passing, the ashes were kept by the daughter, prompting Aunt Wang to file a lawsuit requesting that the ashes be handed over to her for the execution of the deceased's wishes as stated in the will.

Aunt Wang's attorney stated that, despite receiving a substantial inheritance, she insisted on completing the sea burial according to her employer's wishes while not considering the property as the primary reason. The elderly person's daughter and her husband questioned the nanny's motives during the trial, arguing that "it is really excessive to want the ashes after already taking the inheritance," and emphasized that the elderly person was originally cared for by their family and that the family should handle the funeral arrangements.

Aunt Wang pointed out that due to inheritance issues, she had already had conflicts with the elderly person's daughter, leading to a tense relationship between the two. The daughter felt confused about her father's choice to give a large amount of property to a non-relative, believing that after becoming a widower, her father had grown distant from her, even entrusting final arrangements to outsiders, which she found hard to accept.

The judge initially suggested that both parties jointly handle the sea burial, but both refused. Aunt Wang believed it was impossible to be in the same space as the daughter, while the daughter strongly opposed the nanny's participation. This led to a stalemate, with both sides holding firm to their positions. During the proceedings, the court carefully examined the elderly person's will and confirmed that while the nanny was clearly appointed to be responsible for the sea burial, there was no restriction on the daughter's potential involvement.

Eventually, the judge proposed a compromise: Aunt Wang would be responsible for applying for the sea burial, while the employer's daughter would carry the ashes aboard, with the sea burial service personnel completing the ceremonial process. After negotiation between both parties, this proposal was accepted. In October 2024, the sea burial ceremony was successfully held according to the court's recommendations. Aunt Wang later withdrew the lawsuit, allowing the case to conclude peacefully.