Contested Wills in North Richland Hills, Texas

Find the right Contested Wills attorney in North Richland Hills, TX

Occasionally, family members of a recently-deceased person in North Richland Hills, Texas will attempt to claim that a will is invalid, typically because it leaves them out of it. This process is called a "Will contest."

Sometimes, testators leave out of their wills people who might normally expect to inherit a large portion of the testator's estate (spouses, for instance). This might lead them to assume, correctly or not, that the will was a mistake.

If the decedent was fairly well-off, their will might involve a great deal of money or property. This is one of the main reasons, besides a general sense of exclusion, that a family member might expend the great deal of time and money necessary to contest a will.

However, this is a matter that should not be approached lightly - will contests can frequently foster strife and infighting within families who are already mourning the loss of a loved one. This can permanently damage or alter family relationships.

When Can a Will be Contested in North Richland Hills, Texas?

A court in North Richland Hills, Texas will not entertain a will contest unless there is a very good reason to do so. However, there are some allegations which, if proven, clearly invalidate a will.

For example, a will which was not made under the testator's own volition and free will is not valid. This means that the testator must be acting voluntarily throughout the entire process of making his will. Therefore, a will made under duress (force, or threat of force) will not be given effect. In order to show duress, you generally need to first prove that the person named in the will was in a position of trust and power over the decedent, and that they are an "unnatural beneficiary" (someone who you would not normally expect to receive a gift under a will, usually because they are not related to, or close friends with, the testator). These facts, taken alone, are never enough to definitively prove that duress occurred. They are, however, usually enough to suggest that something strange is going on, and warrant further investigation.

Because a testator must know what they are doing in order to write a valid will, the testator must be of sound mind at the time the will is made. Basically, if a person is unaware of what they're doing, and the consequences of their actions, they can't make a valid will. This can be due to mental illness, or intoxication. Of course, if it's a result of intoxication, the testator can simply sober up and then make a perfectly valid will.

There are many other facts that might make a will invalid, and thus serve as grounds to contest a will. If a will is successfully contested in North Richland Hills, Texas, and held to be invalid, this typically results in the property being distributed as if the decedent had died intestate (without a will). This means that it will usually go to the decedent's closest living relative.

Can a North Richland Hills, Texas Contested Will Attorney Help?

Contesting a will is often challenging, and never fun. However, the whole process can be made more bearable if you have the help of a knowledgeable North Richland Hills, Texas attorney, and the process will probably be much more manageable.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in North Richland Hills

North Richland Hills is located in Texas's Tarrant County. It is recognized as a suburb of Fort Worth. The 2010 census reported its population to be 63,343 people.

An interesting fact is that in 2006, this area was included as one of the "Top 100 Best Places to Live in America" by Money Magazine.

Top employers include Birdville Independent School District, Wal-Mart, North Hills Hospital, Santander Consumer USA, Inc., Tarrant County College-Northeast Campus, Tyson Prepared Foods, ATI Career Training Center, and Con-Way Freight Inc. There are also a decent number of law offices and well-experienced attorneys that reside in North Richland Hills. These offices and attorneys are sufficient to provide residents and local businesses with excellent legal guidance.

Kambri Crews, author of the popular book Burn Down the Ground: A Memoir featured North Richland Hills in the book. Also, Nickelodeon's Big Time Rush actor and singer, Logan Henderson, is from North Richland Hills.

All in all, this is a wonderful area to visit or call home!

Clients Rate LegalMatch Attorneys
(click to read reviews)

Regel B.
Regel B.

Wills, Trusts and Estates

Caldwell, LA

Brad M.
Brad M.

Wills, Trusts and Estates

Sussex, NJ

David L.
David L.

Wills, Trusts and Estates

Ashland, OH