Let me say upfront that I’m not looking for legal advice, but just some legal information. I had a great-aunt pass away about a year ago, and she left her stepson as the executor of her will. She didn’t really have much, but I know she left my dad some family heirlooms we’d like to have.
The problem is, the stepson has done absolutely nothing about the will. He won’t return phone calls or answer letters. He was very emotionally dependent on her, and I think he may be burying his head in the sand about it.
I guess my question is, is there a time limit within which an executor has to dispose of an estate? This is in Texas.
Random, I know I haven’t said this enough lately, but: I think I love you.
flurb, you really, really need to talk to a real lawyer, instead of people on the internet who impersonate real lawyers. You’ve given some information that could help us begin to answer your question, but there isn’t enough there. I don’t know where in Texas you are, but Texas has a pretty neat program called Legal Line. In Dallas, for example, real lawyers will answer your question for free on the second and third Wednesday of each month. Houston, by contrast, does theirs the first and third Wednesday of the month.
Best of luck. Like Random, I wouldn’t touch this with a ten foot pole.
Yeah, I agree with Rick. This one should be closed.
I don’t think that the OP did anything wrong in posting his question. He couldn’t know that he was asking a question about the legal issue that generates the most legal malpractice problems. But as Campion and Bricker have said (or at least implied), no one reputable is going to answer this question here. It can’t be done. This is too real-world, too important of an issue, and there are too many variables to explore. The OP needs to talk to a lawyer licensed in his state.
I do owe the OP an apology for initially choosing to respond with a lawyer in-joke, rather than a serious response. But (i) I was fairly certain that other lawyers would explain; (i) if they hadn’t, I would have; and (iii) nothing that causes Campion to respond like that can be all bad.
Sorry, guys! I tried to keep my question in the “information” rather than “advice” category, but I can see your point that there are just too many variables to seek comment from anybody who isn’t my legal counsel. And no apologies necessary – just makes me feel even better about the Dope that we’ve got some honest lawyers on the boards!
I’ll contact the Mods and have them close the thread.
