Category

Probate
To be legally valid, a will must be signed by the testator, or maker of the will, in front of two witnesses. A will must also be signed by the testator with “a standard of sound mind”, which means that at the time the will was created, the testator was of sound mind and knew...
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A probate court is a court having jurisdiction over probate matters and the administration of decedents’ estates. But when does the probate court not hear probate issues? Bell v. Hinkle, 562 S.W.2d 35 (Tex. Civ. App. – Houston [14th Dist.] 1978, no writ) Terminology Intestate: someone who failed to make a will prior to their...
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A lot of planning goes into preparing a Last Will and Testament.  The testator agonizes over who is going to take what asset and when.  The testator thinks through who should serve as the executor and what powers they should have.  Then the estate planning attorney carefully crafts the legal document.  And great care is…Continue...
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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...
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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...
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Parents of elementary school students in the Houston area felt welcome relief on Monday when Pfizer announced its vaccine is safe and effective for the 5- to 11-year-old age group. The findings represent a key step toward inoculating a younger population that so far is unprotected from the virus. Right now, only children 12 and…Continue...
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What does Texas law say about a creditor trying to collect a debt from someone who died? You may be surprised to learn that some debts can be erased as part of the probate process, somewhat like discharging debts in bankruptcy. The case of Ullrich v. Est. of Anderson, 740 S.W.2d 481 (Tex. App.‒Houston [1st…Continue...
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Kali Cook, a 4-year-old Galveston County girl, was running around her Bacliff home Monday, gleefully batting the fake red eyelashes her grandmother had given her for Labor Day. By 2 a.m., she had a fever. By morning she was gone. The 4-year old died of COVID-19 in her sleep Tuesday at 7 a.m., her mother…Continue...
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Spurs fans have a rare chance to own a Tony Parker collectible curated by his No. 1 fan: his mom. Vogt Auction, a San Antonio-based company, is helping basketball mom Pamela Firestone downsize before she moves back to Paris. The estate sale is taking place on site, at her North Central home, on Friday, August…Continue...
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The FDA announced on Monday the full approval of the Pfizer vaccine for those 16 and older. That means the vaccine has now undergone extensive review over a substantial period of time —more than six months —to ensure long-term safety, said Dr. Prathit Kulkarni, with infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine. A fully approved…Continue...
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