Texas Estates Code 455.007 – Access to Information
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(a) A public probate administrator who has made an investigation under Section 455.006 may present to the statutory probate court judge a statement of the known facts relating to a decedent with a request for permission to take possession or control of property of the decedent and further investigate the matter.
(b) On presentation of a statement under Subsection (a), a statutory probate court judge may issue an order authorizing the public probate administrator to take possession or control of property under this chapter. A public probate administrator may record the order in any county in which property subject to the order is located.
Terms Used In Texas Estates Code 455.007
- Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
- 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 - Decedent: A deceased person.
- 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.
- Judge: means the presiding judge of any court having original jurisdiction over probate proceedings, regardless of whether the court is:
(1) a county court in the exercise of its probate jurisdiction;
(2) a court created by statute and authorized to exercise probate jurisdiction; or
(3) a district court exercising probate jurisdiction in a contested matter. See Texas Estates Code 22.019 - Person: includes a natural person and a corporation. See Texas Estates Code 22.027
- Probate: Proving a will
- Property: means real and personal property. See Texas Government Code 311.005
- Statutory probate court: means a court created by statute and designated as a statutory probate court under Chapter 25, Government Code. See Texas Estates Code 22.007
(c) On presentation of an order issued under this section, a financial institution, governmental or private agency, retirement fund administrator, insurance company, licensed securities dealer, or any other person shall perform the following without requiring a death certificate or letters of administration and without inquiring into the truth of the order:
(1) provide the public probate administrator complete information concerning property held in the name of the decedent referenced in the order, without charge, including the names and addresses of any beneficiaries and any evidence of a beneficiary designation; and
(2) grant the public probate administrator access to a safe deposit box rented in the name of the decedent referenced in the order, without charge, for the purpose of inspection and removal of its contents.
(d) Costs and expenses incurred in drilling or forcing a safe deposit box open under Subsection (c) shall be paid by the decedent’s estate.