by Steve Spitzer | Oct 28, 2021
Please join us today from 10:30 to 11:30 at the Smith County Courthouse Annex as Lone Star Legal Aid and the Smith County Bar Foundation honor these six amazing Smith County Volunteer Attorney Recipients with their well-deserved pro bono awards. Our very own Steve...
by Steve Spitzer | Oct 20, 2021
Can a will beneficiary accept benefits under the will and then later contest that same will, hoping to receive more through the contest? According to a 2021 Texas Supreme Court opinion, the answer is no. 1. Facts The will beneficiary accepted a specific bequest of a...
by Steve Spitzer | Mar 1, 2021
Sometimes a few simple words can have a huge impact on how estates are distributed. That was true in two recent cases involving the meaning of “personal effects” and “personal property.” 1. Do personal effects include mineral rights? Most of you probably said...
by Steve Spitzer | Oct 21, 2020
Texas has joined several other states by adopting the Uniform Partition of Heirs’ Property Act. The Act makes title determinations easier and makes fair market value transfers available. Title Determinations Clearing title to real estate held by multiple heirs, often...
by Steve Spitzer | Jul 1, 2020
In some situations, joint accounts that are otherwise non-probate assets can be brought into the probate estate. The estate executor can recover the non-probate funds from the beneficiaries who received them and can also force financial institutions to provide...
