How can a codicil effectively revoke a will?

A codicil serves as a legal instrument that modifies, supplements, or revokes certain provisions of an existing will. The effectiveness of a codicil in revoking a will hinges on its ability to create a clear intention to revoke by specific reference to the will and demonstrating inconsistency with its provisions. When a codicil explicitly states that it revokes a particular part of the will or the entire will itself, this intention is legally recognized, thus effectively altering or nullifying the previous directives outlined in the original will.

This principle is grounded in the idea that a testator must express their wishes clearly and unambiguously for a change in testamentary intent to be recognized legally. When the codicil contains language that contradicts or amends the provisions of the existing will, it clarifies the testator's current desires and renders the previous will ineffective in those respects.

The other options do not reflect how a codicil operates within the framework of will execution and revocation. For instance, creating an entirely new will is a different process that typically involves revocation clauses or formal execution procedures. Signing in front of witnesses pertains more to the validity of the will itself rather than the specific role of a codicil, and verbal statements do