(a) Anyone, including a personal representative, who delivered to another the estate or any part of the estate of a person who was proved by circumstantial evidence to be dead under Section 454.002 and who, in a subsequent action, is proved by direct evidence to have been living at any time after the date the court granted the letters testamentary or of administration under that section is not liable for any part of the estate delivered in accordance with the court’s order.
(b) Subject to Subsection (c), the bond of a personal representative of the estate of a person described by Subsection (a) is not void in any event.

Need help with a review of a will?
Have it reviewed by a lawyer, get answers to your questions and move forward with confidence.
Connect with a lawyer now

Terms Used In Texas Estates Code 454.052

  • Court: means and includes:
    (1) a county court in the exercise of its probate jurisdiction;
    (2) a court created by statute and authorized to exercise original probate jurisdiction; and
    (3) a district court exercising original probate jurisdiction in a contested matter. See Texas Estates Code 22.007
  • Estate: means a decedent's property, as that property:
    (1) exists originally and as the property changes in form by sale, reinvestment, or otherwise;
    (2) is augmented by any accretions and other additions to the property, including any property to be distributed to the decedent's representative by the trustee of a trust that terminates on the decedent's death, and substitutions for the property; and
    (3) is diminished by any decreases in or distributions from the property. See Texas Estates Code 22.012
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Person: includes a natural person and a corporation. See Texas Estates Code 22.027
  • personal representative: include :
    (1) an executor and independent executor;
    (2) an administrator, independent administrator, and temporary administrator; and
    (3) a successor to an executor or administrator listed in Subdivision (1) or (2). See Texas Estates Code 22.031
  • Surety: includes a personal surety and a corporate surety. See Texas Estates Code 22.032

(c) A surety is not liable for any act of the personal representative that was done in compliance with or approved by the court’s order.