I Just Heard About a Tax Lawsuit From a Family Member – What Now?

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.

A lot of our clients first hear about a tax lawsuit from a relative.

A sibling calls and mentions paperwork they got in the mail. A cousin sends a text about a property nobody’s been to in years. Sometimes the message is detailed, sometimes it’s vague. Either way, it leaves people with a lot of questions and not many answers.

If you’re in this situation, you’re not alone. Here’s what’s usually going on.

When a property owner passes away without a will or probate, ownership typically passes to the next of kin under Texas intestacy laws. That means the property quietly flows down through the family tree to multiple heirs, often without anyone realizing it.

If the taxes on that property go unpaid for long enough, the county files a lawsuit to recover what’s owed. They start by listing the original owner on the petition and then research the family tree to identify living heirs. That’s how you, your siblings, your cousins, and sometimes relatives you haven’t spoken to in years end up listed as defendants.

Hearing about it from a family member can be confusing because the information often comes secondhand. You may not know which property is involved, how much is owed, or whether your name is actually on the paperwork.

Here are a few things you can do. The county clerk’s office in the county where the property is located keeps the lawsuit on public record, so you can call them and confirm whether your name is listed and what the petition says. The county tax assessor can tell you exactly how much is owed in back taxes.

Once you understand what you’re dealing with, you have options. One option is to sell your individual portion and take yourself out of the lawsuit entirely.

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.