When a person dies with a legally valid will, their property is distributed according to their wishes as outlined in the will. However, when an individual dies without a will, the estate is distributed to the decedent’s heirs according to Texas intestacy laws. Regardless of whether there is a will in place, the process of distributing the deceased’s assets is called probate. However, the Houston probate process is often expensive and time-consuming.
Probate is the process in which a court recognizes a person’s death, resolves their debts, and distributes their property. For individuals with a will in place, this is a simple process where the judge recognizes the validity of the will and handles the property according to the decedent’s wishes. However, without a will, the process is a lot more complicated. In Texas, the distribution of property is determined by how closely a person was related to the decedent. In these cases, the nature and quality of the relationship are irrelevant. Sometimes, the decedent’s assets are not distributed according to their desires.