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ESTATES CODE - Title 2 - SUBTITLE C. PASSAGE OF TITLE AND DISTRIBUTION OF DECEDENTS' PROPERTY IN GENERAL


Published: 2015-07-01

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ESTATES CODE

TITLE 2. ESTATES OF DECEDENTS; DURABLE POWERS OF ATTORNEY

SUBTITLE C. PASSAGE OF TITLE AND DISTRIBUTION OF DECEDENTS' PROPERTY IN GENERAL

CHAPTER 123. DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE



SUBCHAPTER A. EFFECT OF DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE ON WILL



This section was amended by the 84th Legislature. Pending publication of the current statutes, see S.B. 995, 84th Legislature, Regular Session, for amendments affecting this section.

Sec. 123.001. WILL PROVISIONS MADE BEFORE DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE. (a) In this section, "relative" means an individual related to another individual by:

(1) consanguinity, as determined under Section 573.022, Government Code; or

(2) affinity, as determined under Section 573.024, Government Code.

(b) If, after the testator makes a will, the testator's marriage is dissolved by divorce, annulment, or a declaration that the marriage is void, all provisions in the will, including all fiduciary appointments, shall be read as if the former spouse and each relative of the former spouse who is not a relative of the testator failed to survive the testator, unless the will expressly provides otherwise.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.



Sec. 123.002. TREATMENT OF DECEDENT'S FORMER SPOUSE. A person is not a surviving spouse of a decedent if the person's marriage to the decedent has been dissolved by divorce, annulment, or a declaration that the marriage is void, unless:

(1) as the result of a subsequent marriage, the person is married to the decedent at the time of death; and

(2) the subsequent marriage is not declared void under Subchapter C.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.



SUBCHAPTER B. EFFECT OF DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE ON CERTAIN NONTESTAMENTARY TRANSFERS



Sec. 123.051. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Disposition or appointment of property" includes a transfer of property to or a provision of another benefit to a beneficiary under a trust instrument.

(2) "Divorced individual" means an individual whose marriage has been dissolved by divorce, annulment, or a declaration that the marriage is void.

(2-a) "Relative" means an individual who is related to another individual by consanguinity or affinity, as determined under Sections 573.022 and 573.024, Government Code, respectively.

(3) "Revocable," with respect to a disposition, appointment, provision, or nomination, means a disposition to, appointment of, provision in favor of, or nomination of an individual's spouse that is contained in a trust instrument executed by the individual before the dissolution of the individual's marriage to the spouse and that the individual was solely empowered by law or by the trust instrument to revoke regardless of whether the individual had the capacity to exercise the power at that time.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1338 (S.B. 1198), Sec. 2.13, eff. January 1, 2014.



This section was amended by the 84th Legislature. Pending publication of the current statutes, see S.B. 995, 84th Legislature, Regular Session, for amendments affecting this section.

Sec. 123.052. REVOCATION OF CERTAIN NONTESTAMENTARY TRANSFERS; TREATMENT OF FORMER SPOUSE AS BENEFICIARY UNDER CERTAIN POLICIES OR PLANS. (a) The dissolution of the marriage revokes a provision in a trust instrument that was executed by a divorced individual before the divorced individual's marriage was dissolved and that:

(1) is a revocable disposition or appointment of property made to the divorced individual's former spouse or any relative of the former spouse who is not a relative of the divorced individual;

(2) confers a general or special power of appointment on the divorced individual's former spouse or any relative of the former spouse who is not a relative of the divorced individual; or

(3) nominates the divorced individual's former spouse or any relative of the former spouse who is not a relative of the divorced individual to serve:

(A) as a personal representative, trustee, conservator, agent, or guardian; or

(B) in another fiduciary or representative capacity.

(b) Subsection (a) does not apply if one of the following provides otherwise:

(1) a court order;

(2) the express terms of a trust instrument executed by the divorced individual before the individual's marriage was dissolved; or

(3) an express provision of a contract relating to the division of the marital estate entered into between the divorced individual and the individual's former spouse before, during, or after the marriage.

(c) Sections 9.301 and 9.302, Family Code, govern the designation of a former spouse as a beneficiary of certain life insurance policies or as a beneficiary under certain retirement benefit plans or other financial plans.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1338 (S.B. 1198), Sec. 2.14, eff. January 1, 2014.



Sec. 123.053. EFFECT OF REVOCATION. (a) An interest granted in a provision of a trust instrument that is revoked under Section 123.052(a)(1) or (2) passes as if the former spouse of the divorced individual who executed the trust instrument and each relative of the former spouse who is not a relative of the divorced individual disclaimed the interest granted in the provision.

(b) An interest granted in a provision of a trust instrument that is revoked under Section 123.052(a)(3) passes as if the former spouse and each relative of the former spouse who is not a relative of the divorced individual died immediately before the dissolution of the marriage.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1338 (S.B. 1198), Sec. 2.15, eff. January 1, 2014.



Sec. 123.054. LIABILITY OF CERTAIN PURCHASERS OR RECIPIENTS OF CERTAIN PAYMENTS, BENEFITS, OR PROPERTY. A bona fide purchaser of property from a divorced individual's former spouse or any relative of the former spouse who is not a relative of the divorced individual or a person who receives from the former spouse or any relative of the former spouse who is not a relative of the divorced individual a payment, benefit, or property in partial or full satisfaction of an enforceable obligation:

(1) is not required by this subchapter to return the payment, benefit, or property; and

(2) is not liable under this subchapter for the amount of the payment or the value of the property or benefit.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1338 (S.B. 1198), Sec. 2.16, eff. January 1, 2014.



Sec. 123.055. LIABILITY OF FORMER SPOUSE FOR CERTAIN PAYMENTS, BENEFITS, OR PROPERTY. A divorced individual's former spouse or any relative of the former spouse who is not a relative of the divorced individual who, not for value, receives a payment, benefit, or property to which the former spouse or the relative of the former spouse who is not a relative of the divorced individual is not entitled as a result of Sections 123.052(a) and (b):

(1) shall return the payment, benefit, or property to the person who is entitled to the payment, benefit, or property under this subchapter; or

(2) is personally liable to the person described by Subdivision (1) for the amount of the payment or the value of the benefit or property received, as applicable.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.

Amended by:

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1338 (S.B. 1198), Sec. 2.17, eff. January 1, 2014.



SUBCHAPTER C. CERTAIN MARRIAGES VOIDABLE AFTER DEATH



Sec. 123.101. PROCEEDING TO VOID MARRIAGE BASED ON MENTAL CAPACITY PENDING AT TIME OF DEATH. (a) If a proceeding under Chapter 6, Family Code, to declare a marriage void based on the lack of mental capacity of one of the parties to the marriage is pending on the date of death of one of those parties, or if a guardianship proceeding in which a court is requested under Chapter 6, Family Code, to declare a ward's or proposed ward's marriage void based on the lack of mental capacity of the ward or proposed ward is pending on the date of the ward's or proposed ward's death, the court may make the determination and declare the marriage void after the decedent's death.

(b) In making a determination described by Subsection (a), the court shall apply the standards for an annulment prescribed by Section 6.108(a), Family Code.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.



Sec. 123.102. APPLICATION TO VOID MARRIAGE AFTER DEATH. (a) Subject to Subsection (c), if a proceeding described by Section 123.101(a) is not pending on the date of a decedent's death, an interested person may file an application with the court requesting that the court void the marriage of the decedent if:

(1) on the date of the decedent's death, the decedent was married; and

(2) that marriage commenced not earlier than three years before the date of the decedent's death.

(b) The notice applicable to a proceeding for a declaratory judgment under Chapter 37, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, applies to a proceeding under Subsection (a).

(c) An application authorized by Subsection (a) may not be filed after the first anniversary of the date of the decedent's death.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.



Sec. 123.103. ACTION ON APPLICATION TO VOID MARRIAGE AFTER DEATH. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), in a proceeding brought under Section 123.102, the court shall declare the decedent's marriage void if the court finds that, on the date the marriage occurred, the decedent did not have the mental capacity to:

(1) consent to the marriage; and

(2) understand the nature of the marriage ceremony, if a ceremony occurred.

(b) A court that makes a finding described by Subsection (a) may not declare the decedent's marriage void if the court finds that, after the date the marriage occurred, the decedent:

(1) gained the mental capacity to recognize the marriage relationship; and

(2) did recognize the marriage relationship.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.



Sec. 123.104. EFFECT OF VOIDED MARRIAGE. If the court declares a decedent's marriage void in a proceeding described by Section 123.101(a) or brought under Section 123.102, the other party to the marriage is not considered the decedent's surviving spouse for purposes of any law of this state.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.