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Robert A. Ray
If you feel that you have lost an inheritance or are going to lose an inheritance; need to remove a Trustee due to a mismanaged estate or due to unscrupulous relatives; or, if you are considering contesting a will, we would be happy to give you a free, confidential review of the merits of your case.
Please click on the "Contact Us" tab at the top of the page, where you can fill out a short questionnaire or call us at the phone numbers listed. Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law — Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Our principal office is in Tyler, Texas.
We handle contested probate cases throughout Texas.
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We have 12 guests online| Learn How to Obtain a Copy of a Will. |
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When a will is filed for probate, it is a public document and anyone can get a copy of it. If a person has a will and doesn't want to give a copy of it to the heirs of the decedent, the heirs should immediately become suspicious since it is a public document. There is no reason to hide it except to deny the heirs their rightful inheritance. The Texas Probate Code has a procedure where the attorney for the heirs can demand that a will be filed with the clerk. If the will is not filed after the demand, the attorney can file a motion with the court to hold in contempt the person who refuses to file the will. There is a provision for a fine and jail time for refusing to file the will. In addition, the Texas Penal Code makes it a jail felony to conceal, alter or destroy a will. While it can be difficult to obtain a copy of a will after someone dies, there are remedies available. |
If a person dies with a will, the will determines how his estate is disposed of to his beneficiary. Often, the heirs don't have a copy of the will. This may happen because the person who has the will is not on good terms with the heirs. It may also happen when the person who has the will is attempting to defraud the estate of the property and doesn't want the rightful beneficiaries to know that they have an interest in the estate.