Estates Code › Title 2 › Chapter 254

Texas Estates Code § 254.005

Forfeiture Clause

Certain Provisions In, and Contracts Relating To, Wills

The Legislature has enacted more than one Estates Code section numbered 254.005. This is version 1.

(a) A provision in a will that would cause a forfeiture of or void a devise or provision in favor of a person for bringing any court action, including contesting a will, is enforceable unless in a court action determining whether the forfeiture clause should be enforced, the person who brought the action contrary to the forfeiture clause establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that:

(1) just cause existed for bringing the action; and

(2) the action was brought and maintained in good faith.

(b) This section is not intended to and does not repeal any law recognizing that forfeiture clauses generally will not be construed to prevent a beneficiary from seeking to compel a fiduciary to perform the fiduciary's duties, seeking redress against a fiduciary for a breach of the fiduciary's duties, or seeking a judicial construction of a will or trust.

Official text of the Texas Estates Code as published by the Texas Legislative Council.

Official source
Legislative history

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1338 (S.B. 1198), Sec. 2.26, eff. January 1, 2014.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 351 (H.B. 2380), Sec. 2.01, eff. January 1, 2014.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 949 (S.B. 995), Sec. 17, eff. September 1, 2015.