Note: BCP Real Estate is not a law firm and its employees/owners are not acting as your attorneys. The information contained on this website is provided for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter.
If a family property in Jefferson County has pulled you into a tax lawsuit, the confusion is understandable. Many of the people we hear from didn’t know they were tied to the property until the paperwork arrived.
Often the first contact is a constable or sheriff’s deputy at the door with a citation and an Original Petition. Being served in person is unsettling, and people frequently assume it’s something more serious than it is. In these matters it’s usually just the standard way a civil case over unpaid property taxes begins. It isn’t a criminal charge, and it isn’t a scam.
The usual cause is a gap in probate. When an owner passes away without probate, their interest passes to the next of kin under Texas intestacy laws, while the county’s records still list the original owner. When the taxes go unpaid long enough, the suit is filed and the county researches the family tree to name the living heirs.
In Jefferson County, taxes run through the Jefferson County Tax Assessor-Collector (1149 Pearl Street, Beaumont, TX 77701; 409-835-8516), property values are set by the Jefferson Central Appraisal District, and the case is on record with the Jefferson County District Clerk. All of it is public and can be confirmed before you make any decision.
From there, people generally resolve the lawsuit with an attorney, look into a payment arrangement, or sell their portion, which takes them out of the lawsuit without needing everyone else to agree.
A couple of questions we hear a lot in Jefferson County:
There’s a half-sibling listed who I’m not close to. Does that complicate selling my share? Not for your own portion. You can sell your share on your own, separate from how any other heir, including a half-sibling, decides to handle theirs.
Do I have to find and deal with the other heirs myself? No. Selling your portion doesn’t require you to track down or coordinate with the rest of the family.
If you’re looking to remove yourself from a lawsuit and get paid for your interest, no cost to you, call or text us at (469) 708-8003 for an offer today.
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