Probate is a legally complex and emotionally-charged process. The loss of a loved one is devastating to a family. However, after that loss, legal steps must be taken to attend to the estate. Probate involves the transfer of assets from a deceased individual’s name to...
Elder Law Attorneys Helping You Plan For The Future
Probate & Estate Administration
Estate proceedings can be more complex without a will
When people die without a will in Houston or Harris County, then heirs typically have to go through the probate process before an estate can be settled. The absence of a will can make the entire process more difficult and lengthy. One way that the probate process in...
Judge says play’s use of comedy material is fair use
If you are an heir to an estate containing creative material, then protecting your rights to those assets can mean life-long royalty payments or other forms of income. Because laws governing such materials can be complex, administering an estate with creative assets...
Heirs sometimes have concerns years later
Estate administration can take years, and the probate process is not always easy. You can keep your heirs from excessive probate burdens with comprehensive estate planning that helps reduce the chance of in-fighting or unplanned legal issues. But you can't always plan...
Naming trustees is a vital decision for some estate plans
In our previous blog post, we discussed how the children and widow of Robin Williams are still fighting over certain aspects of his estate. If you recall, Williams left trustees whom he trusted in charge of making certain decisions. The decisions of those trustees...
The battle over Robin Williams’ estate continues
The fight over Robin Williams' estate has been going on for the better part of 10 months. His three children and his widow have been battling in court over some of the late actor's possessions. One of the areas of contention is that his widow claims she isn't getting...
Tom Benson wins 1 battle over his estate plan, 2 more to go
Tom Benson, the man who owns sports franchises and other businesses in Texas and Louisiana, has been found competent to run his empire. That ruling came as a result of his daughter and her children trying to get the man declared incompetent in court so that the...
Handle your loved one’s estate according to his or her wishes
Losing a loved one is a life-changing event that sets off a chain reaction. You have to make the funeral arrangements for your loved one and you have to take care of his or her estate. In many cases, handling the estate of your loved one is an easy process; however,...
Only certain people have a legal standing to challenge a will
When a loved one dies, you are likely going to go through a variety of emotions. When it is time to deal with the person's will, you might end up going through a host of emotions again. In some cases, the reading of the will occurs as expected. In other cases, the...
Tom Benson’s estate being dragged through the probate process
The owner of the Saints has been in the middle of a media frenzy lately regarding his estate plan because of his family's claim that he is unable to make decisions about his own estate. Tom Benson's daughter is asking that her 87-year-old father be removed from his...