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 Cooke County has put your name on a tax lawsuit, the confusion is understandable. Many of the people we talk to 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 Cooke County, taxes run through the Cooke County Tax Assessor-Collector (112 South Dixon, Gainesville, TX 76240; 940-668-5500), property values are set by the Cooke County Appraisal District, and the case is on record with the Cooke 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 Cooke County:
Some of the family is up in Oklahoma. Can I still sell my share without them? Yes. Where the other heirs live doesn’t affect your ability to sell your own share, and the signing can be done remotely with an online or mobile notary.
I assumed this was settled ages ago. Could it still be open? It’s possible. People often believe a property was handled when it never fully was, and the taxes and ownership can sit unresolved for years.
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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