Who Can Initiate a Probate in Texas?

Probate is the legal process of overseeing the distribution of a person’s estate after they die. It can be complicated and time-consuming, but fortunately there are people who can help make it happen – namely, probate attorneys. In this article, we’ll explore what probate attorneys do, who can initiate a probate in Texas, and some…

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5 Kinds of Texas Probate

Introduction Probate is a process by which an administrator (the executor) of an estate (the decedent’s property) distribute the estate’s assets to the decedent’s beneficiaries. In Texas, probate is handled by the Texas State Probate Office. There are at least five types of probate (more if you count the various permutations such as testate dependent,…

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Does a Probate Court’s Order Have to Be Final to Be Appealable?

In a recent case, St. John v. Hearne, a Texas probate court granted a bill of review but did not dispose of contested issues. The Court of Appeals noted that granting a bill of review does not terminate the proceedings and is not equivalent to final judgment for purposes of appeal. Legal Terminology Interlocutory Appeal…

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Probating a Will in Texas

To file the probate application, one must first decide which court has jurisdiction and which court should handle the probate court. Once the court is selected, the next step is to submit the probate application. The Probate Application under Texas Estate Law After identifying the probate court that can hear the case, the next step…

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Who Will Serve as Personal Representative of Your Estate?

Who will serve as personal representative after you’ve passed on? Many people think about this while planning their estate, but it’s important to know who is eligible to serve and who will serve by default if you don’t name a personal representative properly. Selecting The Personal Representative (Executor vs Administrator) Specialized knowledge, training or experience…

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When Is a Texas Cause of Action “Appertaining or Incident to” an Estate?

Legal Terminology Estates Code on Probate Suit Transfer: Texas law authorizes a statutory probate court to transfer to itself from a district court a cause of action “appertaining to or incident to an estate pending in the statutory probate court.” Mandamus relief: Available only when a trial court clearly abuses its discretion and when there…

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