Protecting Your Legacy

Probate litigation in Texas may help prove a will is invalid

On Behalf of | Nov 30, 2016 | Probate Litigation |

Texas residents may be interested in will dispute currently taking place in another area. Reports indicated that probate litigation is proceeding due to the daughter of a deceased man believing that her father’s will was drafted with undue influence from a friend of the man. Apparently, the friend and her husband stand to inherit a considerable amount of the man’s estate per the terms of the new will. 

The man had apparently been diagnosed with various cancers before his death, and his daughter believes that the friend drafted the will for the man in order to gain beneficiary status. She also stated that the man suffered from mental instability. As a result of her concerns, she is contesting the validity of the will. 

The friend reportedly did draft the will for the man, but such practice is not uncommon. Because it is not necessary under state law for an attorney to create a will, the woman believes she has not done anything untoward. This will was signed four months before the man’s death, and it apparently replaced a will that he had drafted in 1982, which left his estate divided between his then-wife and two children. 

Feeling that a loved one has been taken advantage of can be heart-wrenching for surviving family members. If individuals believe that other parties acted in an unjust manner for personal gain, there may be cause to pursue legal action. Probate litigation may be able to help concerned Texas residents who wish to contest wills due to uncertainty over the documents’ validity. If interested, individuals may wish to consult with attorneys in this area of the law. 

Source: vineyardgazette.com, “Tangled Probate Dispute Involves Dukes County Manager“, Steve Myrick and Julia Wells, Nov. 17, 2016

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