Chambers County Probate Court admits multiple wills and appoints independent executors

The Chambers County Probate Court on June 20, 2026, admitted several wills to probate and issued letters appointing independent executors or administrators in a series of largely uncontested matters.

In Cause No. 99, the court determined the heirs of Richard Thomas Miller and appointed his son, John Addison Miller, as independent administrator without bond after witnesses testified that the elder Miller died Jan. 3, 2025, was domiciled in Chambers County and left no known valid will. Multiple acquaintances, including coworkers, confirmed John Addison Miller is the decedent’s only biological child and that no will had been produced. The judge granted the order determining heirs and letters of administration.

In Cause No. 41, attorney Lori Hood presented an original will dated Nov. 5, 2025, for the estate of Normandy D. Burquette and identified subscribing witnesses Melody Spratland and Robert Belise. Hood told the court Burquette died Mar. 15, 2026, and was domiciled in Chambers County; the court admitted the will and authorized letters testamentary.

The court also admitted the will of Ellen Marie Lion (dated Feb. 21, 2025) and appointed Mary Rogers as independent executrix to serve without bond. In a separate matter, testimony supported admitting a will signed June 16, 2023, for which Patricia Eugenia Libert asked to be appointed independent executrix. For the estate of James Allen Weatherall (died May 11, 2024), witnesses who knew the decedent identified his handwriting and the court admitted his will and approved the spouse as independent executor, also without bond. Counsel reported that in each case four years had not elapsed since the decedent’s death, where that statutory timing was relevant to probate filings.

In Cause No. 53 the court admitted the 2019 will of Barbara Anne Simon and appointed Marilyn Marie Middleton as successor independent executrix after the originally named executor predeceased the testator. In Cause No. 55 the will of the decedent (dated Aug. 16, 2004) was admitted and the court authorized letters appointing Lisa Lynn Dubose as independent executrix after she testified that she recognized her mother’s signature and that no revocation was known.

Across the session, testimony focused on establishing domicile in Chambers County, verifying will signatures or the absence of a will, confirming whether additional children were born or adopted after will dates, and ensuring no statutory disqualifications to serving as fiduciary. Each matter concluded with the court admitting the will or determining heirs and authorizing the requested letters or appointments; no objections or contested hearings were recorded in the transcript.

The court recessed after completing the listed probate calls.