When someone dies without a will, the probate courts in Texas are required to appoint attorneys to represent the unknown heirs.  This attorney is referred to as an “attorney ad litem.” The attorney ad litem fee is paid out of the probate assets of the estate.  The amount of the fee can vary widely based...KEEP READING

The courts will generally enforce the terms of a valid will.  The focus is on the language of the will, not external evidence that suggests a different meaning for the language included in the will.  A good example of this can be found in Estate of Neal, No. 02-16-00381-CV (Ct. App.–Ft. Worth 2018), in which the...KEEP READING

A will has to be admitted to probate to be valid. And there is a time limit to admit a will to probate in Texas. Those who inherit everything under a will may not meet this deadline thinking that they do not need to probate the will, given that they inherit everything. This often results...KEEP READING

Probate is the legal process of administering a person’s estate after they die. In Texas, there are several different options and choices available for handling probate matters, depending on the specific circumstances of the case. Disputes can arise during the probate process, which can make the process even more complicated. In such cases, one of...KEEP READING