The Estate Tax Fiasco
If you had been the captain of the Titantic and had been forewarned that it would hit an iceberg at 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912, would you have taken some evasive action? What if you knew that, come...
View ArticleThe Divorce Process Part1 by Mark Scroggins
If you are going to file for a divorce, please take a look at these short clips. They answer the most frequently asked questions by Mark Scroggins. Share this on del.icio.us Share this on Facebook...
View ArticleThe Value of Fido
What is your pet worth? One hundred and twenty years ago, the Texas Supreme Court answered that question in the Heiligman case, which involved the death of three beloved dogs. A pet is worth only its...
View ArticleThe Divorce Process Part2 by Mark Scroggins
If you are going to file for a divorce, please take a look at these short clips. They answer the most frequently asked questions by Mark Scroggins. Share this on del.icio.us Share this on Facebook...
View ArticleThe Divorce Process Part3 by Mark Scroggins
If you are going to file for a divorce, please take a look at these short clips. They answer the most frequently asked questions by Mark Scroggins. Share this on del.icio.us Share this on Facebook...
View ArticleConTorts – What are they and Why should you care?
This is a story about a ConTort. If you don’t know what a ConTort is, you’re not alone. In the 1950’s, Exxon entered into a mineral lease with a group of landowners (we’ll call them the” Miesch...
View ArticleShoplifting – Texas Laws
Shoplifting is a crime with complications. Just ask Lindsay Lohan, Winona Ryder, Megan Fox, Anthony Warrall Thompson, Maria Gomez, Jose M. and James Garza. The first four got some bad publicity and...
View ArticleYour Child’s Divorce
Divorce is fraught with the opportunity for emotional and financial missteps. I’m not talking about the divorcing couple – I’m talking about the couple’s parents. What is the appropriate response of...
View ArticleExpunctions in Texas
In 1977, Texas joined a number of states that allowed criminal records to be “expunged” or wiped away from institutional memory. It is a truly miraculous law – once an order of expunction is entered,...
View ArticleHappy Holidays!
Holidays not looking good? Here are a few tips from Mark Scroggins to help you get through the holidays!! Share this on del.icio.us Share this on Facebook Share this on Reddit Stumble upon something...
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Driving After Death: the Texas Beneficiary Form for Vehicles
There’s a new form in town: Beneficiary Designation for a Motor Vehicle. If you own a vehicle registered in Texas, then you can name a beneficiary who will take title to the car when you die. How do...
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Nursing Home Do’s and Dont’s: Patient Rights Spelled Out
If you have ever been involved in the nursing home admission process (Bless you! Are you still in therapy over it?), then you know it involves answering a multitude of questions and signing a stack of...
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Durable Power of Attorney
The Center of the Bulls-Eye | The Dangers of being a fiduciary under a DPOA Somebody has to do it. If you drew the short straw and were appointed an agent under a DPOA, then you should at least know...
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Coping With The Aftermath: Be Prepared for a Spouse’s Death
Let us take a moment and focus on planning for the loss of your spouse. After a Spouse’s death, will you be prepared to handle ALL of the aspects of living – maintenance, bills, relationships,...
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Orphans, Widows and Guardians Parents, Do Your Job!
“Why any kid would want to be an orphan is beyond me.” – Mrs. Hannigan, Orphan Annie It is pretty amazing the difference a little planning can make in the life of an orphaned child. Let’s take a...
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The Shot Heard Around the World: An Overview of Gun Laws
The American Revolution began on April 18, 1775, on the common green in Lexington, Massachusetts when the “shot heard around the world” was fired from an undetermined gun while 77 armed minutemen were...
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Expectations Lost Would – Be Beneficiaries Out of Luck
For many years now there has been a monstrous legal theory swirling around in the murky waters of Texas probate law just waiting to be formally recognized. On June 22, 2018, the Texas Supreme Court...
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Playing the Double Bounce – All is Not Lost With a Missing Will
No type of case is more illustrative of that point than that of a lost will. Suppose Al dies in a house fire and leaves two surviving children, a son, and a daughter. Al and his son had long been...
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Lady Bird Deed: A Handy Tool for Estate Planning
A Lady Bird Deed has nothing to do with the former president’s wife Lady Bird Johnson and everything to do with avoiding recovery by the State of Texas when a Medicaid recipient dies. To understand...
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Practical Hints for Seniors – Juice Jacking and Other Scary Stuff
Protect yourself from the dreaded jack-attack. Plugging your phone into a public charging station or unknown port is risky. Your phone cord is a two-way device – it can send data to and from your...
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