讀後心得

In October 2024, a family dispute arising from a will controversy in Shanghai, China, led to Aunt Wang, the nanny of the deceased elderly person, suing the elderly person’s daughter. The will explicitly stated that Aunt Wang was to handle the sea burial, but the daughter opposed this and kept the ashes of the elderly person. The court confirmed that Aunt Wang had the right to manage the sea burial and proposed a compromise solution. Ultimately, both parties completed the sea burial ceremony under the court's suggestion, and Aunt Wang subsequently withdrew the lawsuit, resulting in a peaceful resolution of the case.

In October 2024, a family dispute arising from a will contest took place in Shanghai, China, eventually leading to a case where the deceased elder's former caregiver sued her daughter. The elder clearly stated in the will that after her death, she should be given a sea burial and entrusted her longtime caregiver, Aunt Wang, with full responsibility, prohibiting any interference from others. However, the elder's daughter strongly opposed this, and both parties engaged in legal litigation.

According to reports, the Shanghai High Court announced on the 4th that Aunt Wang, the elder's caregiver during her lifetime, not only gained partial inheritance rights through the will but was also designated as the sole individual responsible for the sea burial ceremony. However, after the elder's passing, the daughter retained the elder's ashes. Aunt Wang thus filed a lawsuit, claiming that according to the will, she should be responsible for handling the ashes and fulfilling the deceased's wishes.

Aunt Wang's attorney stated that although Aunt Wang had obtained a considerable inheritance, she insisted on carrying out the sea burial according to her employer's wishes, not for financial reasons. The elder's daughter and her husband questioned the caregiver's motives during the trial, stating that "having already received an inheritance, wanting the ashes as well is truly excessive," and emphasized that it was originally their family who took care of the elder, thus the family should be responsible for the afterlife arrangements.

Aunt Wang indicated that due to issues surrounding inheritance, conflicts had arisen with the elder's daughter, leading to heightened tension between the two parties. The daughter found it hard to understand why her father left such a significant amount of property to a non-relative and believed that after her father's widowhood, he had become increasingly distant from her, making it unacceptable for an outsider to handle the afterlife arrangements.

The judge initially suggested that both parties work together for the sea burial, but both Aunt Wang and the daughter refused. Aunt Wang felt unable to be in the same space as the daughter, while the daughter strongly opposed the caregiver's participation, resulting in a deadlock. During the proceedings, the court carefully reviewed the elder's will, confirming that while Aunt Wang was explicitly appointed to handle the sea burial, the will did not prohibit the daughter from participating. Ultimately, the judge proposed a compromise: Aunt Wang would be responsible for applying for the sea burial, while the daughter would carry the ashes aboard, with the burial service personnel completing the ceremony.

This proposal was accepted after negotiations between both parties, and in October 2024, the sea burial ceremony was successfully completed according to the court's suggestion. Aunt Wang subsequently withdrew her lawsuit, bringing the case to a peaceful conclusion.