Fort Bend County Court at Law No. 1 admits wills, appoints executors and approves guardianship transfer in multi‑case docket

At a docket hearing before Fort Bend County Court at Law No. 1, the court admitted several wills to probate, appointed executors and administrators, accepted a guardianship transfer from Harris County and set a bond in one administration matter.

Why it matters: the orders establish who has authority to manage estates, whether appraisers or bonds are required, and where guardianship business will be handled — all actions that affect property transfers, distribution to heirs and the administration of decedents’ affairs in Fort Bend County.

The court took the following formal actions (cases listed by file number and decedent):

24 CPR 041781 — Estate of Terence (Teron) Schaeffer: The court admitted the will shown on the record, found a necessity for administration, appointed Kenton E. Schaeffer as independent executor to serve without bond and waived the necessity for appraisers. The judge offered condolences to the family, saying, “I’m very sorry for your loss.”

24 CPR 041668 — Estate of Charles Brothers (aka Charles Shields Brothers III): The court admitted a holographic will dated Dec. 14, 2020 into probate, found the will valid after testimony by Amy Bemis Derfert and others, appointed Amy Bemis Derfert as independent executrix to serve without bond, and waived appraisers. The court also noted Moore and King LLP as the resident agent in the probate file.

24 CPR 040947 — Estate of Elizabeth Louise Hensley (aka Elizabeth Louise Kennedy Hensley): After testimony from witnesses who identified the will and the decedent’s signature, the court admitted the document to probate as a muniment of title and declined to waive the affidavit of fulfillment of terms in that case. The court said the probate would be handled as a muniment of title rather than a full administration.

24 CPR 041698 — Estate of Jacob (Vazza/Akalayelil) Chaco: Witness testimony established the date and domicile of death and the existence of a will dated Dec. 30, 2020. The court admitted the will to probate as a muniment of title and declined to waive the affidavit-of-fulfillment requirement on the record.

24 CPR 041684 — Guardianship of Olivia Harrell (transfer): The court accepted a transfer review application submitted by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission under Texas Estates Code §1023.010 and approved the transfer of guardianship files and renewal of letters of guardianship for Olivia Harrell to Fort Bend County because the ward now lives in Stafford within Fort Bend County jurisdiction.

24 CPR 040884 — Estate of Michelle Eboe (no will): The court received sworn testimony establishing death, heirs and the absence of a will. Joy Dernbach (sister) testified and the court appointed an independent administration under Texas Estates Code §401.003, naming Dernbach as independent administratrix and appointing the applicant’s resident agent as required.

22 CPR 037456 — Estate of Harry G. Klein (heirship and administration): After receiving the genealogy and ad litem reports and testimony, the court entered a judgment declaring heirs (including Robert Klein and Patricia Christian) by clear and convincing evidence and awarded attorney fees from the registry of the court. The applicant, Jennifer Kopecky, applied for administration of the estate to distribute funds held in the court registry from a condemnation matter (approximately $47,619.84 according to testimony). Because an interested heir (Robert Klein) had not waived consent to independent administration, the court appointed Kopecky as dependent administrator and set bond at $50,000. The court also awarded a fee to the attorney-of-record in the heirship matter to be paid from registry funds.

What the court did not do (selected items): in several admitted-will matters the court explicitly declined to waive the affidavit-of-fulfillment requirement; in multiple probates the court waived appraisers where petitioners requested it but did not waive that affidavit in other files.

Notable authorities cited on the record included Texas Estates Code §1023.010 (guardianship transfer) and Texas Estates Code §401.003 (independent administration). The court repeatedly relied on witness identification of signatures, proofs of death and statutory prerequisites for probate and guardianship transfers.

The court’s orders now place executors and administrators in legal control of the named estates, with differing requirements for bond and appraisals depending on the file and the court’s findings. Parties were excused after the orders and the clerk will enter letters testamentary or letters of administration as appropriate.