Top-rated Houston Probate, Estate Planning & Personal Injury Attorney.

You may handle probate alone for simple cases, but hiring a probateattorney is recommended when:

• The estate is large or complex.
• Disputes arise between heirs.
• The Will is missing or unclear.

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To start probate, you must:

1. File an application in Harris County Probate Court.
2. Attend a probate hearing to confirm the executor.
3. Notify creditors and beneficiaries.
4. Inventory and appraise assets.
5. Pay debts and distribute assets.

For personalized legal help, schedule a free consultation.

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Out-of-state executors must:

• File a probate application in Harris County.
• Appoint a registered agent in Texas (don't worry -- we do this for you).
• Comply with Texas probate laws.

Our firm provides legal guidance for out-of-state executors, and routinely represents executors from all over the world.

Debts must be settled before distributing assets. However, heirs are NOT responsible for debts unless:

• They co-signed a loan.
• They are a spouse in a community property marriage.

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Yes, probate can be contested for:

• Fraud or undue influence in the will.
• Lack of mental capacity of the deceased.
• Improper Will execution (e.g., missing signatures).

Heirs must contest probate within two years of probate opening. Learn more about contesting a will in Texas.

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An Executor must:

• File the will with the Harris County Probate Court.
• Notify heirs and creditors.
• Pay debts and taxes from the estate.
• Distribute assets as outlined in the will.

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If someone dies without a will, Texas intestate succession laws apply:

• Spouse and children inherit first.
• If unmarried, parents and siblings inherit.
• If no close relatives exist, the estate may escheat to the state.

To find the best Houston probate attorney:

• Choose an attorney with experience in Texas probate law.
• Read client reviews and testimonials.
• Ensure they handle contested and uncontested probate cases.
• Schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

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Yes, probate can be avoided by:

• Creating a revocable living trust.
• Naming beneficiaries on financial accounts.
• Holding property in joint tenancy with survivorship rights.
• Using a Transfer-on-Death (TOD or TODD) deed for real estate.

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Houston probate cases are handled by Harris County Probate Courts:

• Probate Court No. 1
• Probate Court No. 2
• Probate Court No. 3
• Probate Court No. 4

These courts oversee estate administration, contested wills, and guardianships.

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Probate costs depend on estate complexity but generally include:

• Court  filing fees: $700 - $1,600
• Attorney fees: Starting at $3,000
• Executor fees: Set by law or the will
• Other costs: Appraisals, bond fees, and creditor notifications

For a cost estimate, schedule a probate consultation.

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No, not all estates require probate. Texas law allows forprobate avoidance when:

• The estate is under $75,000 (Small Estate Affidavit).
• Assets are placed in a revocable living trust.
• Property is co-owned with survivorship rights.
• Accounts have named beneficiaries (e.g., life insurance, retirement funds).

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Probate in Texas is the legal process of settling a deceased person’s estate. It involves:

• Validating the will (if one exists).
• Appointing an executor or administrator.
• Identifying and valuing assets.
• Paying debts and taxes.
• Distributing remaining assets to beneficiaries.

Texas offers simplified probate options, such as independent administration, which can speed up the process.

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Probably, unless the deceased spouse did proper estate planning to avoid probate court. 90% of the time, real estate is the primary reason why probate is required. If thre are bank accounts that the surviving spouse was not an account-holder on, that is another common reason on needing to go to Probate Court. The bottom line is, if you have probate assets that are community assets purchased during the marriage, probate will be required for any formal transfer of title that needs to be recoznied in the public domain.

Probate Court is where a person's Last Will & Testament is examined by the Judge in order to make sure it is a valid Will. But, secondarily, the probate process, which is generally called Administration, is primarily there as a way for creditors to get one last bite at the apple at collecting any debts owed by the Deceased individual. The Probate Court Administration of the Decedent's Last Will & Testament consists of a public process where the Will is offered for probate, and then, after a designated waiting period, a personal representative is appointed by the Court (i.e. an Executor or Administrator). This allows for the public at large to be able to rely on that Will, filed for record in the probate Court, as the person's actual very Last Will & Testament, and not a previous Will that has been revoked.

The probate process in Houston typically takes 1 to 3 months, but it can take longer if the estate is contested. Factors affecting probate length include:

• Whether there is a valid will.
• The complexity of the estate.
• Potential disputes among heirs.
• Court schedules in Harris County.

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In Texas, recoverable damages for someone injured by someone else include the following:

• Medical bills from the past
• Medical bills for the future
• Physical impairment in the past
• Physical impairment in the future
• Disfigurement in the past
• Disfigurement in the future
• Mental Anguish from the past
• Mental Anguish for the future
• Lost wages from the past
• Lost wages from the future
• Loss of earning capacity in the past
• Loss of earning capacity in the future
• Punitive damages

All of the above should help you decide what questions to ask a personal injury lawyer in the Northwest Houston area.

First thing, EVERYTHING you talk to your personal injury lawyer about is privileged and confidential. And while you already know the questions to ask a personal injury lawyer, you should concentrate on giving your personal injury lawyer as much information as possible — even if it is bad for your case. Personal injury attorneys say, “It’s much easier to explode your own bombs” and the old saying is very true. Insurance companies will dictate it is time to contact a personal injury lawyer because the insurance companies will treat you like a criminal from the moment they get you on the phone. Your Texas personal injury lawyer nearby you is well versed in dealing with insurance companies.

When to contact a personal injury lawyer is entirely up to you. Primarily, your Cypress, TX and Tomball, TX personal injury car accident lawyer will work with all effort to get your serious injuries, medical bills and medical treatment paid for by the other driver who caused the car wreck. Texas injury law is constantly changing and any top rated accident attorney keeps with the injury law changes. Your personal injury lawyer will file your case, work it up, and take the case to trial. While a lot of cases settle prior to the actual trial, more and more cases are going to trial nowadays because insurance companies are getting worse and worse with paying rightful claims.

There is NO FEE UNLESS WE WIN with Texas personal injury attorneys. This arrangement with a personal injury attorney on your injury claim is called a “contingent fee.” Contingent means your personal injury attorney charges you nothing on your injury claim unless money recovered — which can help to pay your medical bills from your medical treatment of the serious injuries caused by someone else’s negligence. You should find a top rated personal injury lawyer “near me” so that you can easily meet with your car wreck personal injury attorney without going to downtown Houston. The fee charged by a Cypress, TX and Tomball, TX personal injury attorney is the same for practically every accident attorney — the amount is 1/3rd of the gross recovery from someone else’s negligence if the case is settled prior to litigation — the amount is generally 40% of the gross recovery under the legal fee agreement once the personal injury claim has been filed at the Courthouse. What is important when selecting a “personal injury attorney near me,” you have to consider that the accident attorneys take the same percentage as any other accident attorneys under the legal fee agreement for your claim. The law firm you select to represent you needs to be a quality law firm, and with a personal injury attorney you feel comfortable with. Also, hire an attorney with a record of successful results.

You should find out the following:

• How long the attorney has been practicing probate law with a practice focus on probate?
• Who gets what and in what percentages under the Will or heirship law after my loved one’s death?
• Is the Will a valid Last Will & Testament under Texas law?
• What if I do not get along with certain members of my family?
• Who will be in charge of distributing the family member’s property?
• How long will this process take?
• When will I be able to transfer property and gain access to bank accounts?
• All of the above are very relevant questions to ask a probate attorney.

You should bring your experienced probate attorney the following:

• The Last Will & Testament (if there is one) & all Wills & Trusts of the deceased.
• The Death Certificate (if you already have it — if not, that is fine to go without it).
• Any available bank statements for any accounts that did not have joint account holders.
• Any letters received from life insurance companies for life insurance policies that will pass through the probate estate for the family member.
• A list of questions to ask a probate attorney.
• Any business corporate books that spell out the agreement of the owners of any business owned wholly or in part by the deceased
• Any Transfer on Death Deeds made prior to the deceased’s death.
• Recent retirement account statements from all retirement accounts owned by the deceased (and make sure to not take action that triggers tax law).
• Any Living Trust that the deceased is a beneficiary of (meaning a Living Trust that he/she did not create — as segregated from the above reference).

If you ask yourself, “Do I need a probate lawyer?” then the short answer is — probate law regarding probate and estate administration does not require a probate attorney who is practicing law in the related practice of the probate process. However, just like with a broken leg, you are not required to see a doctor to set your broken bone — you are far better off hiring an attorney who has a practice focus of legal representation of individuals concerned with probate and estates.

Legal representation by an attorney in connection with wills and trusts for probate is usually done by a flat fee, if possible. Probate lawyer fees vary widely depending on the probate attorney’s experience. Obviously, an experienced probate attorney with decades of experience will charge more in probate lawyer fees than a newly licensed lawyer. Tax law can come into play for the beneficiary or heir to a Will or other asset. When trying to determine for yourself the question, “how much does it cost to hire a probate attorney,” it is usually less than four thousand dollars.

You might ask yourself, “What questions do I ask a probate attorney?” A probate lawyer is an attorney who is practicing law with a practice focus on probate and estate administration. Probate law deals with Wills, sometimes including Trusts, and how they translate into probate and estates. The probate process is a related practice to Wills and Trusts because they can interplay together in practice with before the Judge at Probate Court. Probate law also applies to estates of dead people who have died without a Last Will & Testament. When you die without a Will, you are said to have died "Intestate."