Void Versus Voidable Marriages

Void Versus Voidable Marriages

by | Last updated Sep 5, 2023 | Contesting wills, Grounds, Probate, Spouse, Time limits

Void versus Voidable

In a recent Texas case, Allebach v. Gollub, 14-22-00272-CV, the issue of void versus voidable marriages came up. There is a difference in the way the courts treat void marriages as opposed to voidable marriages. A void marriage is just that, void. A voidable marriage is one that can be declared void but someone must take some action to get it voided.

A man remarried after his wife died. When the man died, the new wife filed a new will for probate that left most of his estate to her. The Man’s children from the first marriage contested the will on the basis that the man lacked the testamentary capacity to make a new will. They also alleged that the marriage to the new wife was void. It was void, according to them, because the new wife was the daughter of their father’s biological sister – she was his niece. The new wife said the children were too late to contest the marriage because they didn’t complain about the new marriage until four years after the man died.

Is it too late?

There is a provision in the Texas estates code, §123.102, that says an interested party must contest a marriage within three years of the date of death of the Decedent. The subchapter is titled “Proceeding to Void Marriage Based on Mental Capacity Pending at Time of Death.”

The new wife said that this provision applied and since the children had not filed their motion to void the marriage within three years, the limitations of that provision applied and they were too late.

The court examined §123.102 and found that it applied to voidable marriages but not void marriages. The court explained that the marriage to a close relative was void and not voidable. Different rules are applied to void marriages. The court pointed out that:

And under our common law, such suits may be brought “by anyone, at any time, directly or collaterally.” See Simpson v. Neely, 221 S.W.2d 303, 308 (Tex. App.-Waco 1949, writ ref’d)…Thus, the limitations provision contained within Section 123.102 should only be understood to apply to a challenge to a marriage made voidable on the ground of mental incapacity. This understanding comports with the plain language of the statute, and it also preserves the longstanding common law rule that challenges to void marriages are not subject to limitations.

When you need to contest a marriage of someone who dies, you have to know the difference between void versus voidable marriages. If the marriage is void, as it was here, it can be contested at any time by anybody. However, if you are contesting the marriage because a person lacks mental capacity, you have to contest it within three years of that person’s deat.

INHERITANCE RIGHTS IN TEXAS—HOW TO OBTAIN THEM

INHERITANCE RIGHTS IN TEXAS—HOW TO OBTAIN THEM

by | Last updated Dec 16, 2020 | Children, DNA, Inheritance Overview, Others, Property, Time limits

Background

Heirship proceeding are different from will contest.

This article deals with getting property that is yours based on an inheritance. This may occur where a person dies without a will. It can also occur where there is a will but the will leaves property to the decedent’s “children” or his “heirs” or something similar without identifying the children or heirs by name. It may occur when there is a will but someone has taken your inheritance without your knowledge or when you didn’t know about your inheritance. This is different from a will contest where you are trying to prove your inheritance.

Let us say an heir finds out that a relative died some years back and that they may have some inheritance rights. What can they do? Is the statute of limitations a problem?

This situation may arise because a child was unborn or was an infant when the facts occurred. It may be that the child is illegitimate or only recently learned through DNA who their relatives were. It can also arise when other heirs, not just children, discover their potential inheritance.

There is currently no statute of limitation on heirship proceedings if the decedent died after January 1, 2014. If the decedent died before that date, there may or may not be a limitation problem depending on the circumstances. This is complicated, involving heirship proceedings (trial brief), but there is a possibility that it can be done.

Don’t get this limitation period confused with the two-year limitation period for contesting a will. This article deals with heirship and not with contesting wills. And if the facts are in your favor and the case is properly handled the limitation of those dying before January 1, 2014 may be avoided. In a recent case, the decedent died in 1972. Her heirs didn’t file any proceedings until 2013 when they filed a suit to get their inheritance. The statute of limitations was not a problem because of the facts and how the case was handled.

Contesting a Will After it Has Been Admitted to Probate

Contesting a Will After it Has Been Admitted to Probate

by | Last updated Apr 2, 2020 | Time limits

Time Limits

The time limits or what lawyers call the statute of limitations for contesting a will is determined by reference to the date the will was admitted to probate. Click on “admitted” to learn what that means.

Time to File

A will can be filed for probate anytime within fours years of the death of the testator.  The date of death is not the date that the statute of limitations starts to run. It is doesn’t start to run when the will is first filed for probate. The statute of limitations doesn’t start until the will is admitted to probate. A person then has two years after the will has been admitted to probate to file a will contest.

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Texas Statute of Limitations or Probate Limits to Challenge a Will.

Texas Statute of Limitations or Probate Limits to Challenge a Will.

by | Last updated Nov 5, 2022 | Contesting wills, Time limits

Two Years

What Are Time Limits to Contest a Texas Will

In Texas, the probate limits or the time limits for challenging a will, what the law refers to as the statute of limitations, is complicated.  It is complicated because the Texas probate time limits for contesting a will center around the date that the will is admitted to probate, not the date of death of the testator.  See the article on the probate process to become familiar with how a will is probated and to learn what “admitted to probate” means.

Contest A Texas Will Before Or After The Will Is Admitted To Probate

You can oppose a Texas will filed for probate before or after it is admitted to probate. There are benefits to challenging the will before it is admitted to probate. However, you can contest the will even after it is admitted to probate if you file the will contest before the statute of limitations or probate limits run out. You can challenge a Texas will on several grounds. I have written on the reasons for contesting a will here and here.

Contesting a Will in TexasTime Limits
You know you are an heir2 years from date will admitted to probate
Minor2 years from date of majority
FraudNo limit but you must act reasonably quickly after discovery of fraud

Two Year Rule

The basic rule in Texas is that a person has two years from the date a will is admitted to probate to contest it.  That seems simple enough, but the probate limits are not so simple.  For instance, the proponent of the Texas will has four years after the death of the testator to file the will for probate.  If the proponent files the Texas will just before the four years is up, the contestant will have two years after that to contest the will (six years after the death of the testator!)  To complicate matters even more, a person who is not at fault can file a will more than four years after the death of the testator.  “Not at fault” usually means that the person who files the Texas will for probate after four years did not know about the will during the four years after the testator’s death but found it later.  If a person knows about the will and just doesn’t file it, he is usually at fault and can’t file it after four years elapse.  As with all rules, there are exceptions.  If the person knew about the will but was told by his lawyer that he didn’t need to file it, he may not be at fault and may be able to file the will after four years.  In any event, the contestant can challenge the will within two years of the date that it was admitted to probate whenever that date is. Probate limits in Texas are complicated!

Minors

Minors have two years from the time they reach their majority to file a will contest in Texas. Probate limits in Texas are complicated! There is a 2018 case where the children were minors when their father died. The Administrator of the estate, took all of the money and didn’t tell anyone. When each child turned 18, the Administrator gave them a check for around $25,000. The estate was worth over $250,000. The children had all been raised in foster care and were unaware of their rights. More than four years later, the children finally hired an attorney and sued the Administrator. The Administrator said he had destroyed all the records and didn’t remember what was in the estate. The Administrator asked the court to dismiss the claim because of the statute of limitations. The court did dismiss the claims. The dismissal was upheld by the court of appeals. So remember, time matters! 571/324.

Earlier Will

If a person finds a will dated earlier than the will that is filed for probate and thinks that the earlier will is the true last will of the testator, he has two years from the date that the later will was admitted to probate to file the earlier will for probate.  This operates as a contest of the latter will.  If a person finds a later will than the one admitted to probate, he has four years after the death of the testator to file the will for probate.  Filing a later will executed after the earlier will that has been admitted to probate may not be considered a “contest” and may not be governed by the Texas two-year statute of limitation for will contest.  The latter will can be filed within four years of the testator’s death or later if the person filing the will is not at fault. Probate limits in Texas are complicated! (Compare 322 S.W.3d 361 with 577 S.W.2d 748.)

As stated above, the statute of limitations is complicated. If you are concerned about the time, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible.

Burden of Proof

If a will is opposed before it is admitted to probate in Texas, the proponent of the will must prove that it is a good will, executed with the formalities required by law, at a time when the testator was competent and that it has never been revoked.  After the will has been admitted to probate in Texas, the contestant has the burden to show that the will is not good, that it was not executed with the formalities required by law, that the testator was not competent or that the will has been revoked.

By a Texas inheritance attorney. The foregoing information is general in nature and does not apply to every fact situation. If you are concerned about Texas inheritance laws, inheritance rights, probate limits, have a family inheritance dispute, a property dispute or want to know the reasons for contesting a will or protecting a will from a contest and need an inheritance lawyer, we can help. Please click on the “Contact Us” tab above and use the contact form to contact us today. We are Texas inheritance lawyers and would love to learn about your case. There is no fee for the initial consultation.

Your Privacy

We take your privacy very seriously. We are keenly aware of the trust you place in us and our responsibility to protect your privacy. We treat all information provided to us with care and discretion.

Robert Ray is Board Certified

Robert Ray is the Editor and owner of this site. Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law — Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

We handle cases throughout Texas. Our principal office is in Lantana, Texas (DFW area).

Robert Ray Texas Inheritance

Click here to email us or to go to the contact form if you want to contact us about a Texas inheritance dispute.

Can you probate a will after four years?

Can you probate a will after four years?

by | Last updated Sep 7, 2022 | Time limits

Can you probate a will after four years?

A will has to be filed for probate within four years of the testator’s death. After four years, a will can be filed as a muniment of title but only if the person filing the will is not “in default.” When a late-filed will is opposed, the issue is usually concerned with whether or not the person filing the will late was in default.

In a case on this issue decided in 2011, the testator had children by a prior marriage. His wife had children from a previous marriage. He executed a will leaving everything to his wife if she survived him. The testator died in 2002. His wife probated no will. Six years later, she died. While going through her papers, her children found the will. Although it was more than four years after the testator died, the wife’s children filed the will for probate. A daughter from the testator’s first marriage contested the probate, contending that the wife’s children were in default for not filing it within four years. (If the testator died intestate, his children from the prior marriage would inherit his property, not the wife.)

The Court sided with the wife’s children. It ruled that her children were not in default just because the wife was in default for not filing the will within four years. They testified that they were not aware of the will until after their mother had died. The Court said that if they didn’t know about the will and were not negligent in finding it, they were not in default. 343 S.W.3d 899.

In a 2013 case, the wife didn’t file the will within four years. An attorney told her that she didn’t need to file it; she could just file an affidavit of heirship. The wife did not know that such an affidavit would not pass the husband’s separate property to the wife. A dispute arose between the wife and a son. The son claimed that the separate property belonged to the children because the wife did not probate the will within four years. He claimed that it was now too late to probate the will. The issue turned on whether the wife was “in default” for not filing the will within four years. The court ruled in favor of the wife. There are several cases where the courts have found that evidence that a proponent relied on counsel’s advice was sufficient to support a finding that the proponent was not in default or raise a material fact question of whether the proponent was not in default.  No. 11-11-00131-CV.

While the Texas Estates Code requires that a will has to be filed within four years of the testator’s death, a will can still be filed after that time if the person filing the will was not “in default” in not filing within four years. Texas courts are pretty liberal in permitting a will to be offered as a muniment of title after the statute of limitations has expired upon showing an excuse by the proponent for failure to offer the will earlier.

Update: in 2019, the Texas Supreme Court settled the issue of who is “in default.” The test now applies only to the applicant who filed the will for probate. If the applicant is not “in default,” the will can be admitted to probate. It doesn’t matter whether or not the applicant’s predecessors were “in default. ” You can read more about that case here. 17-0901.

Update: On April 29, 2022, the Austin court denied probate to a will filed more than four years after the testator’s death. 03-20-00449-CV. But, on May 6, 2022, the same court upheld a will being admitted more than four years after death. 03-21-00081-CV. In the last case where the will was admitted, the widow testified that she went to a lawyer who told her she did not need to probate the will and, as soon as she learned about the need to probate it, immediately took steps to get it probated. The difference between the two cases shows what evidence is necessary to establish a lack of default when a will is probated more than four years after death.

Update: In 2022, the El Paso court upheld the trial court’s finding that the applicant was in default. No findings of fact and conclusions of law were requested so the appeals court had to assume that the evidence supported the trial court’s ruling. It distinguished a prior similar case where the applicant was held not to be in default by noting that the applicant never had an interest in the property, was familiar with land transactions because he had bought and sold some property before, and he spoke English. It is also worth noting that the court mentioned that the applicant, a male, was the “partner” of the decedent, a male. The court even cited the Obergefell ruling. Did that influence the ruling?

Learn About Contesting a Will Before the Will is Admitted to Probate

by | Last updated Jan 2, 2020 | Time limits

Contesting a will in Texas before or after it has been admitted to probate?

You can contest a will either before or after it has been admitted to probate; however, there are certain benefits to contesting the will before it is admitted. If a will is contested before it is admitted to probate, the

person who filed the will for probate has the burden of proof to show:

  1. That the testator had testamentary capacity when he made the will;
  2. That the will was executed with the required formalities; and
  3. That the will was never revoked.

A will can be contested after it has been admitted to probate but the burden of proof is then on the person contesting the will. The burden of proof on some issues like undue influence, forgery, etc. are always on the person contesting the will whether the contest is filed before or after the will is admitted to probate.

Contesting a will after it has been admitted to probate is the usual time frame in which people contest wills. Whether it is because the person only found out about the will after it was admitted to probate or whether the person hoped that the invalid will would somehow not take effect or whether it is just normal human dragging of the feet is hard to say.

Contesting a will can be done even if the will has already been admitted to probate. A person can still contest a will but needs to contact a lawyer as soon as he thinks that he might need to contest a will. As can be seen, there are some benefits to contesting a will as soon as you realize that the will is invalid and should not be admitted to probate. Even if the will has already been admitted to probate, it is beneficial to start the process as soon as possible.

By a Texas inheritance attorney. The foregoing information is general in nature and does not apply to every fact situation. If you are concerned about Texas inheritance laws, inheritance rights, probate limits, have a family inheritance dispute, a property dispute or want to know the reasons for contesting a will or protecting a will from a contest and need an inheritance lawyer, we can help. Please click on the “Contact Us” tab above and use the contact form to contact us today. We are Texas inheritance lawyers and would love to learn about your case. There is no fee for the initial consultation.

Your Privacy

We take your privacy very seriously. We are keenly aware of the trust you place in us and our responsibility to protect your privacy. We treat all information provided to us with care and discretion.

Robert Ray is Board Certified

Robert Ray is the Editor and owner of this site. Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law — Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

We handle cases throughout Texas. Our principal office is in Lantana, Texas (DFW area).

Robert Ray Texas Inheritance

Click here to email us or to go to the contact form if you want to contact us about a Texas inheritance dispute.

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