MUNIMENT OF TITLE 2019 Probate Academy Chapter 257 By: Heidi - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

MUNIMENT OF TITLE

Chapter 257 Estates Code

2019 Probate Academy By: Heidi Easley, Victoria County Clerk

With excerpts by Rose Pietsch, Bastrop County Clerk And Linda Haney, Former Ector County Clerk

FILING AS A MUNIMENT OF TITLE

There are 2 reasons a probate case can be filed as a muniment of title: If there are NO debts owed by the estate (this includes medicaid claims) other than any debt secured by a lien on real estate. If there is no administration necessary.

WHO CAN FILE?

While most probate courts require an attorney to file to probate cases, a small number of courts will allow individuals to file a case.  This usually only occurs when there is only 1 heir  Always consult your judges before making an official policy to accept from private individuals  It is better to err on the side of precaution due to the complex legal issues that could arise

FILING PROCEDURES

The case will be electronically filed into Efile Texas*

Verify party information Verify payment information Determine if all necessary documents have been presented for filing

• the Original Will should be brought in within 3 days after the e-filing of

the application. *unless the case has been approved to be filed pro se

WHAT CAN YOU DO IF THEY DON’T BRING THE WILL IN WITHIN THE 3 DAYS?

 Contact the attorney and kindly remind them that the original will hasn’t been received in your office yet.  Don’t set the matter for a hearing until you receive the original will in your office.

APPLICATION

§257.051

Contents of Application:

The application for the probate of a will as a muniment of title must state and aver the following to the extent each is known to the applicant or can, with reasonable diligence, be ascertained by the applicant:

• each applicant’s name and domicile:
• the last three numbers of each applicant’s driver’s license

number and social security number;

• the testator’s name, domicile, and if known, age, on the date
• f the testator’s death;

• the last three numbers of the testator’s driver’s license number

and social security number;

• the date, and place of the testator’s death;
• the application is filed in the proper venue;
• that the testator owned property, including a statement

generally describing the property and the property’s probable value;

• the date of the will;
• the name, state of residence, and physical address where

service can be had of the executor named in the will;

• the name of each subscribing witness to the will, if any;

• if one or more children was born to or adopted by the testator

after the testator executed the will survived the testator and, if so, the name of each of those children;

• that the testator’s estate does not owe an unpaid debt, other

than any debt secured by a lien on real estate, or that for another reason there is no necessity for administration of the estate;

• whether a marriage of the testator was ever dissolved after

the will was made and, if so, when and from whom; and

• whether the state, a governmental agency of the state, or a

charitable organization is named in the will as a devisee.

• If an applicant does not state or aver any matter required by

Subsection (a) in the application, the application must state the reason the matter is not stated and averred.

THE WILL

§257.052 Filing of Will with Application Generally Required (a) An applicant for the probate of a will as a muniment of title shall file the will with the application if the will is in the applicant’s control; (b) A will filed under Subsection (a) must remain in the custody of the county clerk unless removed from the clerk’s custody by court order.

WHAT IF A WILL IS NOT PRODUCED?

Under Section 257.051, if an applicant for the probate of a will as a muniment of title cannot produce the will in court, the application must state:

• The reason the will cannot be produced;
• The contents of the will, to the extent known; and
• The name and address, if known, whether the person is an adult or

minor, and the relationship to the testator, if any, of:

• Each devisee;
• Each person who would inherit as an heir of the testator in the

absence of a valid will; and

• In the case of partial intestacy, each heir of the testator.

THIS SLIDE SERVES NO PURPOSE BUT TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE STILL AWAKE!

CITATION AND COURT SETTING

Calculate the hearing date –

 The hearing can not be held until on or after the first Monday following the expiration of 10 days from the posting of the citation, after 10:00 a.m.

Once application has been accepted into your case management system:

 Issue your citation (EC 51.001-51.056 )  Forward to Sheriff or Constable for posting and any necessary service;  Citations in Probate matters may not be served by a civil process server. They must be served by a Sheriff or Constable.

THE HEARING

• The Court will conduct the hearing to

establish if the will should be admitted to probate as a muniment of title.

• Proof Required as set forth in Estates

Code 257.054 is presented at the hearing.

• When the judge has determined the

will should be admitted to probate as a muniment of title, an order is entered. The order is sufficient legal authority for the named distributees to receive the assets of the estate to which they are

• entitled. The distributees may treat the

property as their own.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

Following the Court Hearing:  The Clerk will enter all case dispositions into the case management system.  Certified copies of the Order Admitting the Will to Probate as a Muniment of Title and the Last Will and Testament of the Decedent are issued, if requested;  No Letters or Administration of the Estate are necessary;  The heirs of the estate become the owners of their portions;  No bond is required.

APPLICANT’S REPORTING REQUIREMENT

Estates Code 257.103 Unless waived by the court, the applicant for probate of the will must file with the court clerk a sworn affidavit stating specifically the terms of the will that have been fulfilled and the terms of the will that have been unfulfilled. This affidavit must be filed before the 181st day after the will is admitted to probate as a muniment of title. Failure of the applicant to file such affidavit shall not otherwise affect title to property passing under the terms of the will.

CANCELLATION OF REGISTRATION ELECTION CODE SEC. 16.001

(b) Each month the clerk of each court having probate jurisdiction shall prepare an abstract of each application for probate of a will, administration

• f a decedent's estate, or determination of heirship, and each affidavit under

Chapter 205, Estates Code, that is filed in the month with a court served by the clerk. The clerk shall file each abstract with the voter registrar and the secretary of state not later than the 10th day of the month following the month in which the abstract is prepared.

REFERENCE AND RESOURCE MATERIALS FROM:

Estates Code Local Government Code Government Code Rules of Civil Procedure Victoria County Courts at Law website

 http://www.vctx.org/pdf/ProbatePolicy.pdf

Supreme Court of Texas website

 http://www.txcourts.gov/supreme

Office of Court Administration website

 http://www.txcourts.gov/

Small E state s Affidavit

T e xas E state s Code Chapte r

205

By: He idi E asle y, Vic to ria Co unty Cle rk

With Ro se Pie tsc h, Bastro p Co unty Cle rk

2019 T e xas Asso c iatio n o f Co untie s Pro b ate Ac ade my

Oh no ! I didn’ t ta ke the time to write my will!

Wha t is a sma ll e sta te a ffida vit?

 A Small E

state Affidavit a llo ws a fa st tra c k re so lutio n o f a n e state thro ug h pro b a te

c o urt. I t's a g o o d wa y to he lp re so lve fina l e state ma tte rs fo r a de c e a se d pe rso n who die d witho ut a will a nd with a "small e state".

 Do n’ t c o nfuse “fast trac k” with “e asy sub stitute ” fo r ha ndling a c a se witho ut a

will.

A small e state is o ne in whic h the to ta l va lue o f the a sse ts o wne d b y a pe rso n who die d fa lls unde r the do lla r limit se t b y sta te sta tute s. T he pro b a te c o de in e a c h sta te de fine s wha t q ua lifie s a s a small e state a nd the filing rule s tha t must b e fo llo we d. I n T e xa s: Whe n a de c e de nt has no will and the value of his or

he r e state is $75,000 or le ss, the b e ne fic ia rie s o f the

e sta te c a n file a Sma ll E sta te Affida vit (swo rn sta te me nt) to c o lle c t the pro pe rty witho ut g o ing thro ug h the pro b a te pro c e ss.

E sta te s Code 205.001

 E

ntitle me nt to E sta te Witho ut Appo intme nt o f Pe rso na l Re pre se nta tive

 T

he distrib ute s o f the e sta te o f a de c e de nt who die s inte sta te a re e ntitle d to the de c e de nt’ s e sta te witho ut wa iting fo r the a ppo intme nt o f a pe rso na l re pre se nta tive o f the e sta te to the e xte nt tha t e sta te a sse ts, e xc luding ho me ste a d a nd e xe mpt pro pe rty, e xc e e d the kno wn lia b ilitie s o f the e sta te s, e xc luding a ny lia b ilitie s se c ure d b y ho me ste a d a nd e xe mpt pro pe rty, if:

1.) 30 da ys ha ve e la pse d sinc e the da te o f the de c e de nt’ s de a th; 2.) No pe titio n fo r the a ppo intme nt o f a pe rso na l re pre se nta tive is pe nding o r ha s b e e n g ra nte d; 3.) T he va lue o f the e sta te a sse ts, e xc luding ho me ste a d a nd e xe mpt pro pe rty, do e s no t e xc e e d $75,000; 4.) An a ffida vit tha t me e ts the re q uire me nts o f Se c tio n 205.002 is file d with the c le rk o f the c o urt tha t ha s jurisdic tio n a nd ve nue o f the e sta te ; 5.) T he judg e a ppro ve s the a ffida vit a s pro vide d b y Se c tio n 205.003; 6.) T he distrib ute e s c o mply with Se c tio n 205.004.

Se c . 205.002 Affidavit Re quir e me nts

 (a ) An a ffida vit file d unde r Se c tio n 205.001 must:  (1) b e swo rn b y: (A) two disinte re ste d witne sse s; (B) e a c h distrib ute e o f the e sta te who ha s le g a l c a pa c ity;

a nd

(C) if wa rra nte d b y the fa c ts, the na tura l g ua rdia n o r ne xt o f

kin o f a ny mino r distrib ute e o r the g ua rdia n o f a ny o the r inc a pa c ita te d distrib ute e ;

 (2) sho w the e xiste nc e o f the c o nditio ns pre sc rib e d b y Se c .

205.001(1), (2), a nd (3); a nd

 (3) inc lude :  (A) a list o f a ll kno wn e sta te a sse ts a nd lia b ilitie s;  (B) the na me a nd a ddre ss o f e a c h distrib ute e ; a nd  (C) the re le va nt fa mily histo ry fa c ts c o nc e rning he irship tha t

sho w e a c h distrib ute e ’ s rig ht to re c e ive e sta te mo ne y o r o the r pro pe rty o r to ha ve a ny e vide nc e o f mo ne y, pro pe rty, o r o the r rig ht o f the e sta te a s is de te rmine d to e xist tra nsfe rre d to the distrib ute e a s a n he ir o r a ssig ne e .

 (b ) A list o f a ll kno wn e sta te a sse ts unde r Sub se c tio n (a )(3)(A) must

indic a te whic h a sse ts the a pplic a nt c la ims a re e xe mpt.

Se c . 205.003 E xamination and Appr

• val of

Affidavit

 T

he judg e sha ll e xa mine a n a ffida vit file d unde r Se c tio n 205.001. T he judg e ma y a ppro ve the a ffida vit if the judg e de te rmine s tha t the a ffida vit c o nfo rms to the re q uire me nts o f this c ha pte r.

Se c . 205.005 Affidavit as L

• c al Gove r

nme nt Re c or d

 (a ) I

f the judg e a ppro ve s a n a ffida vit unde r Se c tio n 205.003, the a ffida vit sha ll b e ma inta ine d a s a lo c a l g o ve rnme nt re c o rd unde r Sub title C, T itle 6, L

• c a l Go ve rnme nt Co de .

 (b ) I

f the c o unty do e s no t ma inta in lo c a l g o ve rnme nt re c o rds in a ma nne r a utho rize d unde r Sub title C, T itle 6, L

• c a l

Go ve rnme nt Co de , the c o unty c le rk sha ll pro vide a nd ke e p in the c le rk's o ffic e a n a ppro pria te b o o k la b e le d "Sma ll E sta te s" in whic h the c le rk sha ll, o n pa yme nt o f the le g a l re c o rding fe e , re c o rd e a c h a ffida vit file d unde r this c ha pte r. T he sma ll e sta te s b o o k must c o nta in a n a c c ura te inde x tha t sho ws the de c e de nt's na me a nd re fe re nc e s to a ny la nd invo lve d.

Wha t ha ppe ns now…

 Onc e the judg e ha s a ppro ve d the a ffida vit, the do c ume nts a nd

• rde r a re sc a nne d into the c a se (unle ss the y ha ve b e e n sig ne d

e le c tro nic a lly.)

 A c e rtifie d c o py is issue d to the filing pa rty. T

his c e rtifie d c o py is use d to tra nsfe r pro pe rty. (A ma jo rity o f the time it will re la te to a b a nk a c c o unt.)

 A c e rtifie d c o py sho uld b e file d in o ffic ia l pub lic re c o rds o f the

c o unty in whic h the de c e de nt ha d a ho me ste a d.

Cle rk’s Proc e sse s

 Ac c e pt the filing a nd a sso c ia te d fe e s;  Ma y o r ma y no t b e file d via e -filing ;  F

ile ma rk do c ume nts;

 E

nte r the c a se into yo ur c a se ma na g e me nt syste m;

 E

nte r c a se dispo sitio n info rma tio n o nc e judg e ha s sig ne d o rde r;

 I

ssue c e rtifie d c o pie s o f the Sma ll E sta te Affida vit;

 Re c o rd the c e rtifie d c o py in yo ur pub lic re c o rds.

How c an you he lp?

Do n’ t o ffe r le g a l a dvic e ! I t’ s a lwa ys b e st to a dvise the m to spe a k with a n a tto rne y. Re fe r pe o ple to T e xa sla whe lp.o rg

He lpful Re sourc e s

 T

e xa sla whe lp.o rg

 I

n the se a rc h b a r – type in “pro b a te witho ut a will”

 Go o g le  “sma ll e sta te a ffida vit

T e xa s”

 Ma ny we b site s ha ve

info rma tio n, inc luding e xa mple s a nd c he c klists

 T

e xa s Asso c ia tio n o f Co untie s

 Co unty Cle rk Pro c e dura l

Ma nua l

 L

istse rve

 Ha ndo uts:

 E

sta te s Co de – Cha pte r 205 Sma ll E sta te Affida vit

 Sma ll E

sta te Affida vit Che c klist (fro m T

• m Gre e n Co unty via

Go o g le Se a rc h)