ESTATES CODE

TITLE 2.  ESTATES OF DECEDENTS; DURABLE POWERS OF ATTORNEY

SUBTITLE K. FOREIGN WILLS, OTHER TESTAMENTARY INSTRUMENTS, AND FIDUCIARIES

CHAPTER 504.  CONTEST OF OR OTHER CHALLENGE TO FOREIGN TESTAMENTARY INSTRUMENT

SUBCHAPTER A.  CONTEST OR SETTING ASIDE PROBATE OF FOREIGN WILL IN THIS STATE

Sec. 504.001.  GROUNDS FOR CONTESTING FOREIGN WILL PROBATED IN DOMICILIARY JURISDICTION.  (a)  Subject to Subsection (b), an interested person may contest a foreign will that has been:
(1)  admitted to probate or established in the jurisdiction in which the testator was domiciled at the time of the testator's death; and
(2)  admitted to probate in this state or filed in the deed records of any county of this state.
(b)  A will described by Subsection (a) may be contested only on the grounds that:
(1)  the proceedings in the jurisdiction in which the testator was domiciled at the time of the testator's death were not authenticated in the manner required for ancillary probate or recording in the deed records in this state;
(2)  the will has been finally rejected for probate in this state in another proceeding; or
(3)  the probate of the will has been set aside in the jurisdiction in which the testator was domiciled at the time of the testator's death.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.

Sec. 504.002.  GROUNDS FOR CONTESTING FOREIGN WILL PROBATED IN NON-DOMICILIARY JURISDICTION.  A foreign will admitted to probate or established in any jurisdiction other than the jurisdiction in which the testator was domiciled at the time of the testator's death may be contested on any grounds that are the basis for the contest of a domestic will.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.

Sec. 504.003.  PROCEDURES AND TIME LIMITS FOR CONTESTING FOREIGN WILL.  (a)  The probate in this state of a foreign will probated or established in a jurisdiction other than the jurisdiction in which the testator was domiciled at the time of the testator's death may be contested in the manner that would apply if the testator had been domiciled in this state at the time of the testator's death.
(b)  A foreign will admitted to ancillary probate in this state or filed in the deed records of any county of this state may be contested using the same procedures and within the same time limits applicable to the contest of a will admitted to original probate in this state.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.

Sec. 504.004.  PROBATE OF FOREIGN WILL SET ASIDE FOR LACK OF SERVICE.  (a)  The probate in this state of a foreign will shall be set aside if:
(1)  the will was probated in this state:
(A)  in accordance with the procedure applicable to the probate of a will admitted to probate in the jurisdiction in which the testator was domiciled at the time of the testator's death; and
(B)  without the service of citation required for a will admitted to probate in another jurisdiction that was not the testator's domicile at the time of the testator's death; and
(2)  it is proved that the foreign jurisdiction in which the will was probated was not the testator's domicile at the time of the testator's death.
(b)  If otherwise entitled, a will the probate of which is set aside in accordance with Subsection (a) may be:
(1)  reprobated in accordance with the procedure prescribed for the probate of a will admitted in a jurisdiction that was not the testator's domicile at the time of the testator's death; or
(2)  admitted to original probate in this state in the proceeding in which the ancillary probate was set aside or in a subsequent proceeding.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.

SUBCHAPTER B.  CONTEST OR FINAL REJECTION IN FOREIGN JURISDICTION

Sec. 504.051.  NOTICE OF WILL CONTEST IN FOREIGN JURISDICTION.  Verified notice that a proceeding to contest a will probated or established in a foreign jurisdiction has been commenced in that jurisdiction may be filed and recorded in the judge's probate docket of the court in this state in which the foreign will was probated, or in the deed records of any county of this state in which the foreign will was recorded, within the time limits for the contest of a foreign will in this state.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.
Amended by: 
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 91 (S.B. 1303), Sec. 8.020, eff. January 1, 2014.

Sec. 504.052.  EFFECT OF NOTICE.  After a notice is filed and recorded under Section 504.051, the probate or recording in this state of the foreign will that is the subject of the notice has no effect until verified proof is filed and recorded that the foreign proceedings:
(1)  have been terminated in favor of the will; or
(2)  were never commenced.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.

Sec. 504.053.  EFFECT OF REJECTION OF TESTAMENTARY INSTRUMENT BY FOREIGN JURISDICTION.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b), final rejection of a will or other testamentary instrument from probate or establishment in a foreign jurisdiction in which the testator was domiciled at the time of the testator's death is conclusive in this state.
(b)  A will or other testamentary instrument that is finally rejected from probate or establishment in a foreign jurisdiction in which the testator was domiciled at the time of the testator's death may be admitted to probate or continue to be effective in this state if the will or other instrument was rejected solely for a cause that is not a ground for rejection of a will of a testator who died domiciled in this state.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.