Contested matters

• Author: Keith Branyon
• Pages: 477-526

CONTESTED MATTERS

15-1

CHAPTER 15

CONTESTED MATTERS

I. JURISDICTION AND VENUE

§15:01 General Points

§15:02 Constitutional County Court

§15:03 Statutory County Court at Law

§15:04 Statutory Probate Court

§15:05 “Snatch and Grab” by a Statutory Probate Court

II. WILL CONTESTS

§15:10 General Points

§15:11 Timing and Burden of Proof

§15:12 Lack of Testamentary Capacity

§15:13 Undue Inf‌luence

§15:14 Mistake or Fraud

§15:15 Holographic Wills

§15:16 Execution Formalities

§15:17 Jury Charge and Motion in Limine

III. PROCEDURE

A. Bill of Review

§15:20 Available to Contest Probate or Revise Any Decision

§15:21 Not Available After Two Years

B. Standing

1. Requirements for Standing

§15:30 General Points

§15:31 Standing in Probate Actions

§15:32 Logan: A Pecuniary Interest Is Required

§15:33 Womble: Person Who Signs Release Does Not Have Standing

§15:34 Texas Probate Standing Requirements

2. Challenging Standing

§15:40 Request for in Limine Hearing

§15:41 Verif‌ied Denial

C. Restraining Orders and Injunctions

§15:50 General Points

§15:51 TROs and Temporary Injunctions

§15:52 Permanent Injunctions

D. Par tition of Undivided Interests

§15:60 General Points

§15:61 Property Capable of Division

CONTESTED MATTERS

Texas Probate Forms & Procedures 15-2

§15:62 Property Incapable of Division

§15:63 Liability of Executor or Administrator

§15:64 Partition of Community Property

E. Early Dismissal of Actions

§15:70 Tex. R. Civ. P. 91a

§15:71 Filing and Hearing

§15:72 Attorney’s Fees

IV. FORMS

Form 15-1 Motion and Order to Transfer to District Court (From County Court)

Form 15-2 Motion and Order to Assign Statutory Probate Judge

Form 15-3 Individual Trustee’s Motion to Transfer Venue From County Court at Law to Either

District Court or Statutory Probate Court (With Plea to Jurisdiction, Original Answer,

and Aff‌idavit Supporting Venue Facts)

Form 15-4 Corporate Trustee’s Motion to Transfer Venue

(With Original Answer and Aff‌idavit Supporting Venue Facts)

Form 15-5 Motion to Transfer Proceeding to Probate Court (Tex Est C §34.001)

Form 15-6 Order Granting Motion to Transfer Proceeding to Probate Court (Tex Est C §34.001)

Form 15-7 [Reserved]

Form 15-8 Charge of the Court

Form 15-9 Motion in Limine (Various Issues) and Order on Motion

Form 15-10 Petition for Bill of Review

Form 15-11 Request for in Limine Hearing on Standing

Form 15-12 Plaintiff’s Application for Temporary Restraining Order, Temporary Injunction

and Permanent Injunction (Suit for Declaratory Judgment, Conversion and Fraud)

Form 15-13 Temporary Restraining Order

Form 15-14 Temporary Injunction Order

Form 15-15 Application for Partition

Form 15-16 Decree Ordering Partition in Kind and Appointing Commissioners

Form 15-17 Judgment of Partition

Form 15-18 Judgment Ordering Sale When Property Cannot Be Partitioned in Kind

Form 15-19 Judgment Conf‌irming Sale by Receiver

CONTESTED MATTERS

15-3 Contested Matters §15:02

I. JURISDICTION AND VENUE

§15:01 General Points





Αλτηουγη χονστιτυτιοναλ χουντψ χουρτσ ανδ στατυτορψ χουντψ χουρτσ ατ λαω δο νοτ ηαϖε τηε βροαδ ϕυρισδιχτιον οφ





§15:02 Constitutional County Court

Ιφ α χοντεστεδ µαττερ αρισεσ ιν α προβατε τηατ ισ πενδινγ ιν α χονστιτυτιοναλ χουντψ χουρτ, τηε χοντεστεδ πορτιον

µυστ προχεεδ ιν ονε οφ τωο ωαψσ:

    Σεε Τεξ Εστ Χ



  



Τηερε ισ νο παρτιχυλαρ φορµ ρεθυιρεδ το ινιτιατε ειτηερ τηε τρανσφερ ορ τηε ασσιγνµεντ οφ τηε στατυτορψ προβατε ϕυδγε, ανδ

 

Ιφ α στατυτορψ προβατε ϕυδγε ισ ασσιγνεδ, τηε χασε δοεσ νοτ γετ µοϖεδ το τηε χουντψ ωηερε τηε ϕυδγε νορµαλλψ



ϕυδγε σηουλδ ηαϖε µορε εξπεριενχε ιν δεαλινγ ωιτη προβατε χασεσ, τηε λογιστιχσ οφ τραϖελ ανδ σχηεδυλινγ µαψ



   





Ονχε τηε χοντεστεδ πορτιον ηασ βεεν ρεσολϖεδ, ιτ ωιλλ βε σεντ βαχκ το τηε χονστιτυτιοναλ χουντψ χουρτ [Τεξ Εστ Χ







PRACTICE POINTERS:

The attorney who intends to start a contest should consider where the contested portion should be sent before

f‌iling the contest because the f‌irst request (either for transfer to district court or for assignment of a statutory pro-

bate judge) will control. [See Tex Est C §32.003(b) (providing that the county judge “shall” grant the motion).]

Sometimes it is preferable to have a “local” judge in a district court hear the case. Other times, local biases

and allegiances might hurt the contestant and an “outside” judge might be more impartial.

The attorney representing the applicant in a probate matter can “lock in” a certain judge or court to hear

a possible contest if one is f‌iled. The applicant can include a statement in the initial pleading that either requests

a transfer to district court or the assignment of a statutory probate judge in the event that a contest is later f‌iled.

Making the choice before a contest arises prevents a later contestant from having a vote.

In some counties (i.e., McLennan and Parker), the County Judge hears probate matters even though

there is a County Court at Law. §32.003 does not allow the assignment of a statutory probate judge to hear

a contested portion of the case. Instead, the contest will be referred to the County Court at Law.

PRACTICE POINTER:

After making a motion to have a statutory probate judge assigned to a case that is pending in a county

without a statutory probate court, what if the assigned judge is believed to be unqualif‌ied or to have a bias

that might be prejudicial to the case? In that event, it is important to understand that an objection can be

made to the assigned judge if the objection is f‌iled prior to the date of the f‌irst hearing or within seven days

after receiving actual notice of the assignment, whichever is earlier. [Tex Gov’t C §74.053(c).] The number of