This Valentine’s Day, we want to remind you how much TXdocs truly appreciates our subscribers. Your feedback, ideas, and real-world experience shape the future of our software every day. We carefully review the suggestions you share and work hard to implement as many as possible, because TXdocs is built for the way your firm actually operates.

Our goal has always been simple: deliver meaningful value and make your practice more efficient, accurate, and easier to manage. Every update, enhancement, and new feature is driven by the people who use TXdocs most—you. Thank you for helping us continue to improve and for being an essential part of the TXdocs community.

Have a suggestion for us? We'd love to hear from you! You can contact us here or below, by calling us at (210) 253-9506, or by emailing us.

What’s new for Landlord Tenant forms?:

• New intakes -- online or assembled in TXdocs
• Petitions for FE&D and Evictions conform with new rules and statutes, have improved wording, and more options
• New separate Notice to Pay Rent or Vacate
• Improvements to Notice to Vacate, including new options for delivery
• New Motion and Order for Summary Disposition
• Improvements and updates to forms after an appeal is filed
• Reorganization of volume, including moving forms for a tenant client to a separate Chapter 8
• New handy forms to have at your fingertips:
  • Landlord’s Floodplain and Flood Notice (TREC 54-1)
  • Justice Court Civil Case Information Sheet
  • Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs

To learn more about this and all other recent releases click here or below.

1. Send funds to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Unclaimed Property Division.
2. Include details in Closing Report for Independent Administration (33.05); file with court.
3. Send TXdocs’ Letter to Comptroller for Undistributed Property(33.10)
   • Includes proper recipient and address, description of attempts, known contact information for devisee or heir.
4. Attach certified copy of order of appointment of executor or administrator.
5. Send Letter for Release of Bond (33.11) to discharge the executor/administrator’s surety bond per 405.007(d) (include a file-stamped copy of Closing Report and proof of delivery).

What if finding exactly what you need in TXdocs took just a few clicks? With new filtering options, it does.

You can now:

For more information on all of our recent software and content updates click here or below.

Mr. Norris provides viewers with expert guidance on walking clients through the creation of their estate plan and utilizing TXdocs tools and features to bring that plan to fruition. Viewers receive a practical demonstration of TXdocs features that significantly reduce drafting time, increase accuracy, and elevate the overall estate planning experience. The session blends high-level instruction with live demonstration to ensure participants can implement improved processes immediately within their practice. 

To watch a recording of this webinar please click here or below. You can also access recordings of all prior webinars anytime on our website.

We've assembled some helpful information and answers to frequently asked questions regarding muniment of title: 

Governing statutes: Texas Estates Code Chapter 257

Common forms (in order of a typical chronology of assembly):

• 10.01 Application for Probate of Will as Muniment of Title
• 10.03 Order Admitting Will to Probate as Muniment of Title
• 15.07 Proof of Death and Other Facts (Muniment of Title)
• 15.08 Prove Up Questions (Muniment of Title)
• 18.19 Waiver of Letters Testamentary in Favor of Muniment of Title
• 26.04 Affidavit of No Debts
• 3.14 Letter Ordering Certified Copies – Muniment of Title
• 10.05 Letter Advising of Muniment of Title Procedures
• 5.24 Letter – MERP Form to Heir for Signature
• 5.25 Texas MERP Authorization and Certification
• 5.26 Letter – MERP Authorization to Agency
• 18.30 MERP Hardship Waiver
• 10.06 Letter Transmitting Documents to Complete Transfer of Securities
• 10.04 Affidavit RE Fulfillment of Will Admitted to Probate as a Muniment of Title

FAQ

Q: What if I don’t have the original Will? 

A: The 10.01 Application is built out for this possibility. You will be asked a question during assembly, whether the executed Will or copy is to be produced in court, or if the Will is lost. If the original Will is not producible in court, the application will include the necessary additions, including your explanation, the contents of the Will, and a listing of the devisees and heirs to the estate. 

Q: Can I have TXdocs automatically pull up all of the forms my staff will need to complete a muniment of title? 

A: Yes—you can set up your own Form Sets. Under the Document Assembly tab, click on the icon “Create Form Sets”. Let us know if you need help; our team is happy to walk you through it. 

Q: Can I send my client an online intake for a muniment? 

A: Yes, you can send the Probate of Will Intake and have your client provide all of the details regarding the decedent, the applicant(s), the Will, and other information needed for the case. When you download the completed questionnaire, you’ll have all of the case answers stored in TXdocs and available at your fingertips.

Q: What if the Will is admitted to probate as muniment of title, but we realize we need an administration after all? 

A: TXdocs has an Application and Order for Post Muniment Conversion per § 257.151 TEC at 6.11 and 6.12. The accompanying Proof and Prove Up can be found in Ch. 15. 

Our content team stays busy year-round making sure our forms library stays up-to-date with changes to Texas law. We're fanatical about making sure we have legally accurate, updated, optimized documents ready for our subscribers to use at all times. How do we do this?

For legislative updates, we (1) track bills while the legislature is in session, (2) work with legislators to positively effect changes in statues, and (3) work with experts in the field to incorporate changes by the applicable effectiveness dates.

For rule changes, we monitor Texas Supreme Court orders as they happen. 

For agency PDFs, we conduct weekly tracking and get notifications as changes are made.

For local rules and standing orders, we monitor the OCA website and track county and court websites.

Finally, we are fortunate that some Texas judges and our wonderful subscribers will give us a heads up when their court makes a change.

Come across something you think we need to be aware of? Please don't hesitate to reach out to us on our website or by clicking below, by calling us at (210) 253-9506, or by emailing us.

Since our last newsletter, we've added 26 new forms. These forms are:

Family

For more information on these and our other recent updates click here or below.

For a complete list of the content updates included in our latest release click here or below. Be on the lookout for more content releases later this month!

"Passing the bar" originates from medieval English courtrooms where a physical wooden barrier, or "bar," separated the public from the area where judges and lawyers (barristers) operated, so to "pass the bar" literally meant gaining the right to cross that line and practice law. The term evolved from this physical division to represent the entire legal profession and the rigorous exam required to become a licensed attorney.