The 2009 Texas Legislature enacted the 2006 version of the Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act as Chapter 692A of the Health and Safety Code to replace the 1968 version which has been in effect since 1969. (Texas never adopted the 1987 version of the Uniform Act.) This revision modernizes the...

Dogs, cats, parrots, and other pet animals play extremely significant roles in the lives of many individuals. People own pets for a variety of reasons – they love animals, they enjoy engaging in physical activity with the animal such as playing ball or going for walks, and they enjoy the...

This article discusses judicial developments relating to the Texas law of intestacy, wills, estate administration, trusts, and other estate planning matters during the Survey period of November 1, 2007, through October 31, 2008. The discussion of most cases includes a moral that is the important...

Wind development is at the forefront of our nation’s green energy trend. The importance of wind energy raises prospective legal issues, in particular to estate planners, regarding how those rights should be treated in their clients’ wills. Estate planners must be especially careful in...

This article reviews the legislation enacted by the 2009 Texas Legislature relating to the Texas law of intestacy, wills, estate administration, trusts, and other estate planning matters. The reader is warned that not all recent legislation is presented and not all aspects of each cited statute...

Your client may have difficulty with communication, that is, the client may be unable to see, hear, write, or understand English. To effectively prepare a will for these clients, the estate planner must initially ascertain whether the client has a communication challenge and then take...

Humans and charities are no longer the primary entities many individuals wish to benefit upon death. Instead, there is a growing interest in providing for Rover, Fluffy, and Polly, that is, our beloved pets. There has been a recent surge of public interest in pet planning as high-profile...

This article examines some of the provisions in the 2006 Uniform Power of Attorney Act and how they attempt to meet some of the challenges that durable powers face with a focus on formalities in drafting, standards of conduct for an agent, an agent's powers and authority, and overcoming the...

Most pet owners are extremely devoted to their pets, often considering them members of the family. This devotion can carry over into the owner’s will or trust, leaving gifts for their pets in such instruments. A will or trust involving the pet can be important to the veterinarian because, for...

The use of videotape is increasingly becoming a common medium utilized by the legal profession. The areas of estate planning and probate are no exception. The suggestion to videotape the probate process began in the early 1980's. Although there has not been much litigation over the use of the...