Ashley Flotte’s Legal Blog

As the year draws to a close, most of us start thinking about our ‘New Year’s Resolutions.’ Year after year, it seems the most popular choices include resolving to lose weight, get organized, spend more time with family, quit smoking/drinking, or donate time to charity. At Smith & Garg, we wish you and your families [...]

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                Texas probate law provides that, when a decedent passes away, a certain amount of personal property (such as furniture, clothing, jewelry, vehicles, and so on) should be set aside for the benefit of the decedent’s surviving spouse. This “set-aside” (along with our homestead law) is a very beneficial aspect of Texas probate, in that this [...]

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                This is a very common question, and one that is very important to address. Why hire an attorney to prepare your Will when legal software, internet downloads, and office supply store forms abound? Easy fixes and DIYs offer to fulfill your estate planning needs for a low, low price in the comfort of your [...]

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                I love to hear stories of testators with a sense of humor. Today this little anecdote on “the internets” caught my attention:           
                Apparently a fellow named Charles Vance Millar, an attorney in Toronto, Canada who passed away in 1926, left behind a pretty amusing will. An affluent attorney with a penchant for [...]

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In the past few months, I have posted several entries on specific probate topics: from muniments of title to small estate affidavits; informal family agreements to executors’ duties. But let’s take a moment and step back to the beginning: what is probate, when do you need it, and what are the first steps to take? [...]

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