Serves northwest Harris County from Cypress North Houston Road, by appointment. Elizabeth S. Hilbun walks executors and administrators through probate — identifying estate assets, paying debts, and distributing under the will — and drafts wills and powers of attorney. Board certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law since 1999; the firm does not take will contests.
Houston is in Harris County.
More Probate Firms in Harris County
Estate planning and probate firm based in Cedar Park with six more offices across Austin, Round Rock, Bellaire, and Arlington. Handles probate administration and avoidance, muniment of title, small estate affidavits, trust administration, guardianship, will contests, and breach of fiduciary duty claims. Eight attorneys split between planning and probate teams.
Boutique estate planning and probate firm near The Woodlands, serving Harris and Montgomery counties from Spring. Handles estate administration, guardianship of the person and estate, asset protection, business succession, and mediation. Mike Riddle and Christine Butts are board certified in estate planning and probate law; Butts served eight years as a Harris County probate judge.
Serves Baytown, Mont Belvieu, and east Harris County plus neighboring Chambers and Liberty counties. Attorney Marcus D. Pinney handles will probate, estate administration, and heirship proceedings, and works with executors and beneficiaries who live outside the area. Opens with a free 15-minute call.
Serves Fort Bend and Harris counties from Katy, with a second office in Tomball. Attorneys Christy Theander and Amanda Grimes handle dependent and independent probate administrations and heirship proceedings, guardianships, and Medicaid and long-term care planning, alongside wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.
Probate in Harris County
Probate Court Record
Harris County Probate Courts No. 1 through No. 5
Harris County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
201 Caroline, Suite 800, Houston, TX 77002
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Attorney of record required
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Harris County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Harris County? →Settling an estate in Harris County →
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Texas
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Last Will and Testament
In Texas, a will is signed before 2Tex. Est. Code § 251.051Verified Sep 16, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyTex. Est. Code § 251.051Verified Sep 16, 2026View source.
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Texas
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Texas: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Texas.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Texas costs an estimated $27,634Tex. Est. Code § 352.051 (reasonable and necessarily incurred fees; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 2.2%Modeled estimate under Tex. Est. Code § 352.051 (reasonable and necessarily incurred fees; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.5%Modeled estimate under Tex. Est. Code § 352.051 (reasonable and necessarily incurred fees; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate under a reasonable-compensation standard.
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How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Texas: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysTex. Estates Code §§ 309.001, 309.051, 309.056, 309.101Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsTex. Estates Code §§ 308.051-308.056, 355.001-355.004, 355.060, 355.064, 355.102Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
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How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Texas pays executors reasonable compensationTex. Est. Code §§ 352.002, 352.003Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, typically 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.8%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate.
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Do I Need Probate?
In Texas, estates valued at $75,000Tex. Est. Code § 205.001/205.006Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less use the Small Estate AffidavitTex. Est. Code § 205.001/205.006Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, 30 daysTex. Est. Code § 205.001/205.006Verified Sep 8, 2026View source after death, a court filing short of full probate.
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What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
In Texas, the 4 monthsTex. Est. Code § 355.060; § 403.055 (independent administration); § 355.001Verified Sep 8, 2026View source a creditor has to present a claim run only from receipt of the written notice the personal representative mails; without notice, a claim can be presented until the estate closes.
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