It is common for a parent to create a joint bank account with the intent that someone accesses the account to pay for their funeral or last expenses. Who owns this account once the parent dies? What about other bank accounts that are held jointly? Does the joint owner, surviving spouse or someone else inherit…Continue...KEEP READING

Yahoo! Finance ran an article entitled “How Long Does Probate Take.” The article sets out several circumstances that can slow down the probate process. The article is not Texas-specific, so many of the circumstances do not really apply for probates in Texas or are more nuanced than mentioned in the article. The article provides an…Continue...KEEP READING

During a coronavirus pandemic briefing on Friday, July 23, Mayor Ron Nirenberg announced that hospitalizations in San Antonio are now at 418 — and more than 95 percent of those patients are unvaccinated. The positivity rate has also jumped from 11.2 percent to 13.8, with a 7-day average of new cases being 363. More than…Continue...KEEP READING

It is common to see family members reach an informal agreement as to how to handle the estate when a family member dies. These informal agreements often lead to disputes and end up in probate litigation. This is especially true when it comes to real estate. Family members may put off dealing with real estate.…Continue...KEEP READING

On Tuesday of this week, an anonymous San Antonio resident won $1 Million on a scratch off lottery ticket purchased at a local convenience store. To learn more about the prize and statistics of winning these kinds of prizes, visit this KENS5 article.  If you won the lottery today, what would you do with the…Continue...KEEP READING

As the world around us increasingly returns to “normal”, many people assume that we have put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us. Unfortunately, that is not necessarily the case. With the new Delta variant, it is important to remember that this virus must be taken seriously. Although vaccine availability is higher than ever, Bexar County is…Continue...KEEP READING

What if a loved one executes a will based on a faulty assumption? What if you can prove the error? For example, what if a loved one fails to include a family member in their will because they mistakenly believe that family member is already provided for outside of the will? Can the omitted family...KEEP READING

What do you do if you lost the original copy of a Will or you cannot find the original?  What if you can find a copy of the Will?  Can you probate a copy of the Will?  If you can probate a copy of the Will, how do you go about probating a copy of…Continue...KEEP READING

It is generally common knowledge that, in America, citizens have the right to represent themselves in court. So if you are an executor for a will, it makes sense to think that you might not need to hire an attorney. However, this is not necessarily true. When probating a will, the estate and the executor…Continue...KEEP READING

Muniment of title is an alternative to the probate process in Texas. It is cost-efficient.  It is fast–relatively speaking. A Will is required. Instead of appointing you as the executor, the probate court enters an order distributing property according to the Will. And walla! But what if the story does not end there? What if…Continue...KEEP READING