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When you become a trustee of a trust in Texas, your job is to administer the trust, following the rules laid out in the trust and in the Texas Trust Code – and, if there are no rules in the trust or the Trust Code that apply, the rules created by Texas common law….

Will Contests in Texas When someone who is affected by a will believes that there is something wrong with the will, he or she may “contest” the will in court. This type of case is also known as a “will contest.” Since wills in Texas must follow strict legal guidelines to be considered valid,…

With Hunting season starting, Shaw Cowart wanted to remind everyone of the Hunter Safety regulations effective in Texas. Every hunter (including out-of-state hunters) born on or after Sept. 2, 1971, must successfully complete a hunter education training course. Proof of certification or deferral is required to be on your person while hunting. Minimum age…

We are pleased to announce after a lengthy and thorough application process, our firm has been selected for membership in the International Society of Primerus Law Firms.  This network consists of over 200 remarkable law firms around the globe that share our commitment to client service excellence, integrity and legal skill. Our membership expands…

The category “large trucks” is, well, a large one. It includes every truck from a 10,000-pound box truck for local deliveries to an 80,000-pound, thirteen-foot-tall tractor-trailer. One thing all these trucks have in common is their ability to outweigh a passenger vehicle by several tons. When a car, pickup, or minivan collides with a…

Since a special appearance filed under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 120a seeks to challenge the court’s personal jurisdiction over the defendant in a case, the merits of the special appearance argument focus on the basis for jurisdiction. Generally speaking, the plaintiff is responsible for asserting the basis or bases for jurisdiction, and the…

Whenever you get in your car, chances are that you’ll share a stretch of road with a tractor-trailer or other large trucks. These trucks account for a significant number of the vehicle miles driven each year – and their large size, weight, and other factors make them a big danger in an accident. To…

A special appearance challenges a court’s personal jurisdiction over a defendant in Texas. Unlike many other types of pleadings or motions, the timing of the special appearance is essential. Generally speaking, the special appearance must be filed as the first responsive pleading or as part of the first responsive pleading. In other words, when…

In some lawsuits that are filed in Texas, the defendant wishes to contest the state court’s jurisdiction over his or her person or property. To do this, the defendant must file a “special appearance” according to the rules laid out in Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 120a. Special appearances are most often filed by…

Under the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act (TUTSA), as well as under the common law, information could be treated as a “trade secret” only if it met two criteria: it wasn’t “generally known” or “readily ascertainable” to those who could benefit from it, and its owner took reasonable efforts, given the circumstances, to protect…