Probate Court

The Honorable Guy Herman

The Texas Judicial Council and this Court require case information sheets to be filed with all new cases.

Information for prospective jurors.

The probate court is a statutory probate court headed by an elected judge, the Honorable Guy Herman. The probate court is also served by Associate Judge Dan Prashner.

In general, the probate court probates the wills of deceased persons, declares the heirs of deceased persons who die without a will, establishes guardianships for incapacitated persons and minors, supervises court-ordered involuntary mental health commitments, and administers all eminent domain cases initiated in Travis County.

The probate court also has jurisdiction to hear lawsuits related to an estate of a decedent or ward as well as actions by or against a personal representative of a decedent’s or ward’s estate. These ancillary cases cover a wide range of topics, from products liability to fiduciary litigation to medical malpractice to family law.

Probate Court News

Also see update information by other links on the website.

• Court Policy Regarding Pro Se Applicants (Information for the non-lawyer)
• Uncontested Docket Heirship Setting Request Form (updated 05/20/2016)
• Uncontested Docket Heirship Setting Request Form (do not print this version to fill out by hand; use the pdf version instead) (updated 05/20/2016)
• Regular Docket Heirship Setting Request Form (updated 05/20/2016)
• Regular Docket Heirship Setting Request Form (do not print this version to fill out by hand; use the pdf version instead) (updated 05/20/2016)

Information about the Probate Court’s e-courtroom technology is available on this site

Free CLE at the Probate Court

The Probate Court sponsors several CLE sessions each year

From the Clerk's Office

For questions please contact the Civil and Probate Division of County Clerk's office.

• Court Costs in Probate Court (Clerk's Fees)
• Search online probate case data and documents

Probate Court Local Rules

• Probate Court Local Rules
• Probate Court E-Courtroom Local Rules
• Probate Court Recording & Broadcasting Local Rules
• Guidelines for Submitting Uncontested Probate-Docket Paperwork (updated 5/22/2016)
• Uncontested Guardianship Docket Procedures

General Documents

Documents are also available on the Probate, Guardianship, and Mental Health pages.

• Court Policy Regarding Pro Se Applicants Information for the non-lawyer (updated 1/1/2014)
• Civil Case Information Sheet with Probate Supplement (updated 10/02/2015)
• Civil Case Information Sheet with Probate Supplement (Word) (updated 10/02/2015)
• Travis County Probate Court No. 1 List of Attorneys ad Litem
• Attorney's Fees in Probate Court (updated 9/1/2015)
• Setting Hearings in Travis County Probate Court No. 1 (updated 05/20/2016)
• Filing Instructions for Probate and Guardianship, including Related and Ancillary Matters (updated for 1/1/2014)
• Amended Administrative Order Regarding Accountings
• Seniors & the Law, Texas Young Lawyers Association (updated 1/1/2014)
• Las Personas Adultas Mayores y la Ley, Texas Young Lawyers Association
• Medicaid Estate Recovery, DADS
• Programa de Recuperación de Medicaid, DADS