In Texas, if you die intestate, the property owned upon your death will be distributed pursuant to the rules of intestacy. Intestate simply means dying without leaving a valid will. Under Texas intestacy laws, how your assets are distributed is determined by whether or not you are married, have living parents, children, or other relatives upon your death. Because of this, intestate succession can be very complicated and occasionally results in assets being distributed in a manner that is contrary to the decedent’s wishes.

Did your loved one prepare a legal document without a lawyer? Did they download a form from the internet, that is now causing problems? People will often download and sign documents written for other states assuming that they will work in Texas. However, because of Texas’ unique history, many of its laws draw inspiration from Spain and Mexico. Because of this, many standardized forms that work in other states simply do not meet Texas requirements. We see this problem all of the time and, thankfully, there are often legal procedures that can be used to correct the flaws on these documents circulating the internet. Let us help you and your loved one’s straighten out these errors before it is too late.

Probate is the process of a court recognizing that someone has died and authorizing the administration and settling of their estate. Probate can occur with or without a will.