The question of whether or not to hire an attorney for any estate planning or probate-related matter is the most fundamental aspect of any discussion or consideration that you must go through to begin a case. We can spend a great deal of time talking about procedural issues, hearings, planning, and all of the other factors that appear in a case like the one you may be on the verge of becoming involved in. We will discuss many of those topics in today’s blog post, by the way. With that said, you need to determine whether or not hiring a probate attorney is right for you and your circumstances.
To begin with, hiring a probate attorney has to provide you with some benefits to justify the time of interviewing potential attorneys, hiring the attorney, and paying the attorney’s fees. You need to be aware of not only what a probate case entails but how hiring an attorney justifies all of these factors and puts you in a better position than you would be without the assistance of an attorney. What does an attorney do for you beyond the help provided in the courtroom?
Organization
Let’s say that you are named as the executor of a loved one’s estate in their will. You were made aware of this by your loved ones before they passed away. While you attempted to perform some basic amount of research into what it meant to be the executor of an estate, you still have many questions that have been left unanswered. For instance, do you need to probate the will, or can you divide up the assets as you see fit according to the wheels terms? How do you notify creditors, if any, in allowing them an opportunity to present to you what they claim maybe?
These are all relevant and reasonable questions to ask. You can read through all of the blog posts and informational articles on the Internet about the probate process. That will still not adequately prepare you to know everything there is to know about probate law and probating a will. Additionally, if your loved one died without a will and you either need to seek representation as to the deceased’s spouse or as they’ve potential air, then a probate lawyer maybe someone you need to contact. Again, you can read all the general articles you want about this subject, but your circumstances may be entirely different from those presented on the Internet.
To begin with, an experienced probate attorney can help you remain organized if you are acting as the executor of a loved one’s will. As we are about to see, there is a specific process that you must follow in Texas to probate a will. Each probate court in Texas has different requirements, and you must be aware of each of those requirements. Failure to be aware of any of them may result in improper filings and significantly delay the probate process. As with many things in life, time is money when it comes to a probate case. By spending more time in the court, you utilize the property that could have been paid to 2 creditors or distributed to beneficiaries.
An attorney who practices probate law will help you identify the important circumstances of your case, begin preparing an inventory of your loved ones’ property animals assists in preparing for the filing of paperwork in a petition to probate your loved ones’ will. These are serious responsibilities that must be followed through exactly according to the terms of your probate court. Rather than you spending a great deal of your own time researching and learning each subject, your attorney can handle the procedural matters while keeping you abreast of the issues, which will allow you to make decisions that will allow you to execute on the wishes of your loved one and efficiently finalize the proceedings.
Acting intentionally is an important part of the legal process. If you are charged with the hefty responsibility of executing loved ones, you need to have a plan on which to proceed from. Simply having a good-natured attitude and a desire to do right by your loved one is insufficient in this regard. Therefore, you must develop a plan of attack and come prepared once any court proceedings begin in your probate case.
Let’s walk through the typical steps of a probate case. We can see just how having a probate attorney by your side to assist you can not only justify the cost of hiring the attorney but can provide a benefit to you, the beneficiaries, and creditors of your loved one and can honor the memory of your loved one, as well.
The first hearing in a probate case
At the first hearing in a probate case, also known as an initial hearing, you would be put under oath to give testimony regarding anything having to do with the probate application. Again, you need to perform the research necessary to figure out where the proper venues for this hearing are. Likely, it would be in the County where your loved one resided, passed away, or lived most of their life.
Depending on the County where the application for probate was filed, you should be prepared to either be in a somewhat crowded courtroom, obviously bearing covid into mind these days, or you could even be in the office over the judge. I have seen different counties all different sorts of hearings. Usually, the small counties would allow for more Internet sitting with the judge, while larger counties may require you to be one of several cases on the docket for the judge that day. These are the sort of circumstances that you can’t help, but you can be aware of them so as not to be surprised by the surroundings you find yourself in your initial hearing.
Once your initial hearing is complete, you would go to the probate clerk’s office and obtain either letters testamentary if your loved one has a will or letters of administration if you’re administering the estate of a loved one who passed without a will. These documents will allow you to go to banks, investment brokerages, and other locations to handle the business aspects of your loved one’s estate. A form will be signed by you that gives notice to any creditor of your loved one. Or notice will likely be published in any newspaper with high circulation in the area where your loved one passed away.
There are also some basic requirements that you must prove to a probate court to move forward with the application to probate a will or in a state. First, he must show that his loved one is deceased. This may seem silly to have to prove, but the reality is that a certificate of death must be prepared and made available to the court. The certificate of death will be reviewed by the judge and placed into the case’s official record.
One of the deadlines or procedural issues that you must be aware of when it comes to administering the will of a deceased loved one is a deadline for doing so after the date on which your loved one passes away. Specifically, it must not have been more than four years after the date your loved one passed before your application is filed. If you waited more than four years after the date of death, then the world will not be deemed as valid, and an administrator will occur of your loved ones a state as if they died without one.
As I mentioned at the outset of today’s blog post, it is also crucial to determine whether or not the court where you filed your application for probate has jurisdiction over the case. Jurisdiction means that the court has the right to decide to administer the will according to its terms. Once the court determines it has authority, you will know the venue where you must proceed. Again, failing to file for probate in the correct court can take time and money off the table.
I think it can be helpful for you to learn more about, but some of the possible outcomes of this initial hearing might be. The last thing you want to happen is to be confused or surprised at the result of a hearing. Especially an initial hearing where the tone for your entire case can be set. Therefore, I would like to walk you through the potential outcomes of a case so we can determine what could end up happening so you can better prepare for those outcomes.
Outcome number one would be that your loved ones’ will is deemed valid and that there are no folks who attempted to intercede or contest the will. This is an ideal situation that would allow the initial hearing to go rather smoothly. You would be asked questions by the judge regarding your loved one, such as where they resided before their passing, whether or not they had children and if the signature on the will matches their normal signature. Once the judge approves the will for probate, you will need to sign off on documents that allow you to act as executor or administer the estate if no will is in place.
Another outcome that could be possible in your situation is regarding no will being in place. The most significant difference between this outcome and the one we just finished discussing is that the court will need to have an attorney at Litem be appointed to the case to perform research into locating any potential errors of your loved one. The attorney ad litem will conduct research and attempt to locate any errors so that they can be given notice of the hearing. You should also begin to think about people who can testify to your loved ones’ state at the time of their death, including where they resided and basic biographical information.
These are the most likely outcomes that you will encounter in an initial hearing. The fact is that most of the time, a court will give you a great deal of latitude on how to process the administration of the will or a state if no will is in place. An independent administration allows you to minimize costs and more speedily process the whole procedure.
A probate case where the parties cannot agree
Of the two remaining situations that you would boil likely encounter in an initial hearing for a probate case in Texas, both involve circumstances where folks involved in the case do not get along with one another and may even dispute the will. The best way to avoid this situation would be to have your loved one name an independent executor in the will itself. If your loved one has done this and no one can test this portion of the will, then you still may be able to have a fairly straightforward administration process. The administrator or executor would be able to follow through with the wishes of your loved one, and it does not matter what the other folks involved have to say.
If you are named as the executor of your loved one’s estate, then you have quite a task in front of you if there is the potential for disagreement. Imagine dividing not only significant property but also small personal pieces of property. The decision on how to divide up property like this must be arrived at after careful deliberation. You also have to balance the needs and wants of each family member before making these types of decisions. Needless to say, this can be a rather thankless position we put in.
This is really where having an experienced probate attorney can help. You would be able to lean on that person’s guidance on how to best divide property and will be able to do so with the understanding that you are following typical precedent in a case like this. You would not have to make these decisions independent of any authority; they would instead be able to lean on an attorney for their perspective and guides not only do so in a manner that allows your case to be attended to efficiently but also treats heirs fairly.
The last situation you may encounter in your initial hearing is 1, where none of the parties get along. The family and potential heirs or beneficiaries require a great deal of involvement from the probate court judge. When you ask the executor or administrator to run past decisions with the judge at all points in your case, you are involved in a dependent administration. This is one with the court looks over your shoulder constantly.
A dependent administration costs more money and takes more time; it is more complicated than an independent administration. A more detailed accounting as far as the inventory list of properties concerned must be undertaken. You may even have to hire experts to come in and appraise and value the property, depending on what types are involved. He would then have to ask the court for permission to sell the property, distribute assets, or even pay creditors.
As you can see, there are a fairly wide range of possible outcomes and a probate case. With so many circumstances at play in your case, likely, you would never be able to anticipate all of them with any degree of certainty. As a result, hiring an experienced probate attorney to walk you through these steps can be incredibly important. Bear in mind that it is not only your responsible ability to ensure that the case is taken care of quickly but that the terms of the will are followed exactly.
Speaking with an experienced probate attorney can make a significant difference in the outcome of the case. That process begins with interviewing experienced attorneys who can best assist you and your family during a difficult transitionary period in your life. It is up to you which course to take regarding the case, but you need to make decisions that are known only based on the wishes of every loved one but are prudent regarding the law and the circumstances of your case.
Other Articles you may be interested in:
- The Role of a Texas Estate Planning Attorney in Probate and Estate Planning
- Taxes and Probate in Texas: What You Need to Know
- What is an Heirship Proceeding in Texas Probate?
- Can a bank release funds without probate?
- What percent does a probate attorney charge?
- What happens if you don’t go through probate?
- Is a probate lawyer necessary?
- Which Property Should Be Included In Texas Probate or Intestate
- Community property in a divorce vs community property in probate
- How much should a probate lawyer cost?
- What assets must go through probate in Texas?
- Can you file probate without a lawyer?
Bryan Fagan, a native of Atascocita, Texas, is a dedicated family law attorney inspired by John Grisham’s “The Pelican Brief.” He is the first lawyer in his family, which includes two adopted brothers. Bryan’s commitment to family is personal and professional; he cared for his grandmother with Alzheimer’s while completing his degree and attended the South Texas College of Law at night.
Married with three children, Bryan’s personal experiences enrich his understanding of family dynamics, which is central to his legal practice. He specializes in family law, offering innovative and efficient legal services. A certified member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, Bryan is part of an elite group of legal professionals committed to ongoing education and high-level expertise.
His legal practice covers divorce, custody disputes, property disputes, adoption, paternity, and mediation. Bryan is also experienced in drafting marital property agreements. He leads a team dedicated to complex family law cases and protecting families from false CPS allegations.
Based in Houston, Bryan is active in the Houston Family Law Sector of the Houston Bar Association and various family law groups in Texas. His deep understanding of family values and his professional dedication make him a compassionate advocate for families navigating Texas family law.