The strategic goals of the Travis County Probate Court are (1) to thoughtfully and expeditiously handle our incoming caseload of whatever type (probate, guardianship, mental health, civil litigation, or condemnation) and (2) to carefully monitor our ongoing guardianships and dependent administrations. We also want to help those who interact with the Court understand the processes of the Court so that hearings and other interchanges with the Court can be as efficient and pleasant as possible for everyone involved.
Note: Court staff can tell you about the services of the Court and can answer questions about how the Court works, but Court staff cannot give legal advice or answer legal questions. If you need someone to research the law and give you legal advice, you should hire an attorney.
When to contact the Travis County Clerk's office instead of the Court
The Clerk's office can assist with the following types of questions:
• Filing procedures & court costs
• Posting & citation issuance
• Obtaining Letters of Testamentary
• Obtaining Letters of Guardianship
(incl. service code for background checks)
• Record searches & copy requests
• E-File questions (filings status & acceptance)
Website: Probate Division of the Travis County Clerk's office
Phone : (512) 854-5958
Email: [email protected]
Inventories, attorneys’ fees, and routine applications are held at least 10 days before review, so wait at least 11 days before calling the Clerk’s Office to ask if an order has been signed. For a small estate affidavit, please wait at least 3 weeks.
Court Coordinators
Email the corresponding court's coordinator to schedule or change a hearing or jury-trial setting.
Melissa Moreno-Riojas
Probate Court No. 1, Judge Guy Herman
[email protected], (512) 854-9258
Karlie Garcia
Probate Court No. 2, Judge Nicholas Chu
[email protected], (512) 854-5512
Contact the Court Coordinator:
- When you have a question about the judge's calendar
- To contact Judge Herman or Judge Chu (when allowed by the rules)
- To schedule, cancel or change a hearing or jury-trial setting, this includes:
- Sales Docket
- Ordering/Returning Jury Panels
- Court 2: Uncontested Non-Record & Status Conference Zoom settings
- only cases with out-of-state witnesses
- To schedule a wedding
- When you’re not sure about the right person to contact
Court Operations Officers
Clarissa Cavazos Mercado
Probate Court No. 1, Judge Guy Herman
[email protected] (512) 854-4356
Samantha Knueppel
Probate Court No. 2, Judge Nicholas Chu
[email protected] (512) 854-5504
- Assists with scheduling matters and calendar coordination
- To contact Judge Herman or Judge Chu (when allowed by the rules)*
Briefing Attorneys
Alexandra Jones-Lafont
Probate Court No. 1, Judge Guy Herman
[email protected] , (512) 854-9283
Alexandra Leissner
Probate Court No. 2, Judge Nicholas Chu
[email protected] (512) 854-4355
Contact with questions about:
- Hearings set on the Regular & Uncontested dockets for probate matters (including continuances & cancelations)
- Applications for probate matters, including applications for successor trustees (except for court-created trusts)
- Heirships
- Temporary Administrations
- Identifying which pleadings necessitate a hearing and which can be signed upon submission
- Inquiries about pleading requirements and submission procedures for scheduled matters
- Matters concerning witnesses in scheduled hearings
Guardianship Court Investigators
(Briefing Attorneys)
Ophelia Enamorado
Probate Court No. 1, Judge Guy Herman
[email protected], (512) 854-4978
Melanie Ibarra-Herrera
Probate Court No. 2, Judge Nicholas Chu
[email protected] (512) 854-5514
Contact the Court Investigators with questions about:
- Uncontested Guardianship Docket
- Anything involving potential guardianships/current investigations
- Before you file for a temporary guardianship
- Applications for management trusts & payment of claims without guardianship
- Applications for successor trustees of court-created trusts
- Show cause for guardians of the person
- Any other issues in ongoing guardianships of the person except annual reports
Guardianship Legal Assistant (Paralegal)
Jessica Serrano
[email protected] (512) 854-9359
Contact the Guardianship Legal Assistant with all questions about annual reports, such as:
- Annual Reports, including due dates
- Needed annual report forms & how to answer a question on the form
- Compliance docket for annual reports
- Any other questions re: Guardians’ annual “report on the condition and well-being of a ward”
Guardianship Coordinator (Social Worker)
Al Benedict, MSW
[email protected], (512) 854-4359
Contact the Guardianship Coordinator with questions about:
- Issues in ongoing guardianships of the person except annual reports
- The Court Visitor Volunteer Program
- Probate Court visits in ongoing guardianships
Marsha Karrass, LCSW
[email protected], (512) 854-4359
Probate Auditors
The [email protected] email address is the email to use when submitting back-up or when contacting either of the Probate Auditors unless you're replying to an email from one of their individual email addresses.
Alesia Henderson
Probate Court No. 1 & 2
[email protected], (512) 854-4358
Monica Limon
Probate Court No. 1 & 2
[email protected], (512) 854-9755
Samantha Balandran
Probate Court No. 1 & 2
[email protected] (512) 854-9577
Attorneys (and their staff) may contact the Probate Auditors with questions about:
- Accountings, including management-trust accountings
- Bonds
- Safekeeping agreements
- Commissions
- Reimbursements
- Applications and orders to close and discharge
Business Analyst
Kirby Hernandez
Probate Courts No. 1 & 2
[email protected], (512) 854-9579
- Condemnation proceedings
- Court projects
Planner
Maggie Holt
Probate Courts No. 1 & 2
[email protected], (512) 854-5516
- Court projects
Court Administrator
Angelica Torres
Probate Court No. 1 & 2
[email protected], (512) 854-5513
Contact the Court Administrator (for either Court No. 1 or No. 2) with questions about . . .
- County-paid services
- Department budget and financial management
- Docket management (Odyssey & Jury Calendars)
- Judicial support matters
- Statutory Probate Judge requests for assignments & reimbursements for out-of-county matters
- For assignments, email [email protected] or call (512) 854-5518
Associate Judges
Associate Judge Tom Ruffner
Probate Court No. 1, Judge Guy Herman
[email protected]
Please contact Assoc. Judge Tom Ruffner for cases regarding Court No. 1
Associate Judge Emily Rickers
Probate Court No. 2, Judge Nicholas Chu
[email protected]
Please contact Assoc. Judge Emily Rickers for cases regarding Court No. 2
Emailed Communication (only attorneys may email Associate Judges)
- In contested cases: only non-contested procedural questions (not strategy questions) about the matters listed below.
- In non-contested cases: procedural or substantive questions about the listed matters:
-
- Inventories
- Attorneys’ fees
- Monthly allowances
- Sales Docket
- Emergency funeral and burial expenses
- Access to safety deposit boxes
- Settlement agreements
- Applications to partition
- Applications for partial distribution
- Miscellaneous motions sent to the Court on submission, including motions to substitute or withdraw
Contact the Associate Judge in Court 1 for:
- Attorney Ad Litem Appointments (both Court 1 & Court 2 cases)
- Small Estate Affidavits (only Court 1 cases)
- Requests for Court-approved rates (both Court 1 & 2 cases)
Contact the Associate Judge in Court 2 for:
- AOT Docket matters
- Small Estate Affidavits (only Court 2 cases)
Court Reporters
Kim Showers
Probate Court No. 1, Judge Guy Herman
[email protected], (512) 854-9086
Roxanne Davenport
Probate Court No. 2, Judge Nicholas Chu
[email protected], (512) 854-5511
Contact the Court Reporter when you need a hearing transcript.
Mental Health Public Defenders
For Civil Commitment Proceedings:
Jamie MacLean
Probate Court No. 2, Judge Nicholas Chu
(512) 854-5501
Daniel Garza
Probate Court No. 2, Judge Nicholas Chu
(512) 854-9257
For Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) Program:
Belinda Roberts
Probate Court No. 2, Judge Nicholas Chu
