Texas Probate Attorneys

Navigating the Probate Process

Probate is simply the legal process that takes place after someone dies. If the deceased has a valid will in place, the probate court verifies it, then ensures that the decedent’s wishes are followed.

If the deceased died without a will, the court uses Texas law to distribute assets and pay debts. As simple as it sounds, probate can get complicated quickly. The terminology can be confusing; the court’s rules and procedures are hardly intuitive and lean toward the arcane at times.

About Hopkins Centrich

Hopkins Centrich PLLC provides cutting-edge, high-quality, creative legal solutions for businesses and business owners in Texas.

Our attorneys and staff have decades of experience in virtually every aspect of business and estate law in The Woodlands and Texas. We have designed and incorporated businesses, managed their every legal concern, engaged in litigation on their behalf, aided with mergers and acquisitions, managed mergers, acquisitions, and sales.

We have handled the most complex estate matters for clients in all walks of life. We are particularly adept at handling estate issues that involve family-owned and closely held companies.

Hopkins Centrich knows Texas business and estate law. When we work with a client, our sole focus is on them. We take advantage of everything technology has to offer to optimize how we work. That gives us more time to spend with you, more time to understand the issues, and more time to negotiate and prepare for trial.

We get that no one wants to contact a law firm unless they feel they absolutely have to. When they do, it almost always means that ‘things have reached a head.’ The attorneys and staff of Hopkins Centrich understand business. We understand business owners. We will make any legal process understandable; you will know what is happening with your case every step of the way, and you will never have to track us down for answers.

Probate Issues and Things to Know

Here are some key aspects surrounding probate issues and proceedings in Texas:

• Jurisdiction - Probate proceedings take place in specialized probate courts in each county for decedents who resided or owned property in that county.
• Independent vs Dependent Administration - Texas allows for independent administration where the executor handles probate with minimal court supervision, as well as dependent administration with closer court oversight.
• Will Probate - The decedent's last will must be submitted to probate and be self-proven through notarization or affidavits of witnesses, or otherwise proven as valid through a court proceeding.
• Appointing Executor - Typically an executor named in the will petitions to be formally appointed by the probate court to administer the estate. If there is no will, the court will appoint an administrator.
• Inventory and Appraisement - The executor must file an inventory of estate assets and have real estate appraised by appointed appraisers.
• Creditor Claims - The executor must provide notice so creditors can submit claims against the estate within a specified deadline.
• Distributions - Under court supervision or following statutory procedures, the executor will gather assets, pay debts, expenses, and taxes, and ultimately distribute the remaining property to beneficiaries.
• Court oversight - The judge examines various matters like the sale of real estate and guides executors in administering estates under its review.

How We Work

Hopkins Centrich is a team with a deep bench. All our attorneys have extensive litigation experience which they fully use when called for. Hopkins Centrich’s attorneys all have ‘big firm’ backgrounds. They formed our firm with the goal of keeping the best of those firms while employing a far more personal experience for our clients.