Harris County Probate Court 1

07/09/2024

05/17/2024

Probate Court 1 will be closed Friday, May 17 due to storm damage and debris clean up efforts downtown. Mayor Whitmire urges businesses downtown to allow their employees to stay home so the city can work on cleaning up.

12/13/2023

📣 Exciting news to share! 🌟 I am absolutely thrilled and humbled to announce that members of the Houston Bar Association have honored me with one of the highest evaluations in the judiciary! 🏆❤️ This is a recognition they have consistently given me since I took office in 2019. It is truly a privilege and an incredible honor to receive this acknowledgement from such esteemed professionals in the legal community.

Being recognized in this manner only motivates me further to continue serving the community and ensuring fairness and transparency in our judicial system. The utmost gratitude goes out to everyone who has believed in me and supported my journey—and most importantly to my dedicated staff whose support is crucial to achieving such stellar results.

Every two years, the HBA conducts a Judicial Evaluation Questionnaire, in which members are asked to evaluate elected and appointed judges on a number of professional and ethical questions, based on personal, firsthand knowledge. Judges who had not actively served at least six months on their curren...

08/09/2023

Some helpful hints for a successful Zoom hearing in Probate Court 1.

08/02/2023

Update: 08/02/2023 1:46pm. Zoom appears to be out for everyone in Harris County. We are waiting for service to be restored. If Zoom remains out for too long, we will reset cases.

https://downdetector.com/status/zoom/map/

05/04/2023

Preparing for my speech at the Texas College of Probate Judges and enjoying the beautiful and historic Grand Galvez Hotel.

05/03/2023

New! Zoom Best Practices Handout. Download the pdf on our website at https://probatecrt1.harriscountytx.gov/pages/LinksForms.aspx

03/20/2023

Please welcome our new Court Reporter, Alexis Cook! Among her impressive accomplishments is providing real-time closed captioning for ESPN! Yes, we will also bring real-time captioning to Probate Court 1 for our deaf and hard of hearing community. This is in addition to the assisted listening devices already in our courtrooms.

On a related note, in addition to simultaneous language translation via a second audio channel on Zoom, we have just added a special ASL translation capability to our Zoom hearings for those who request it. The ASL module uses an enlarged video square for the ASL translator to be more easily seen and understood.

11/06/2022

In celebration of our world champion Astros, Probate Court 1 will be closed Monday, November 7 so our staff and their families can attend the Astros Victory Parade downtown.

(Also, because of downtown traffic—but mostly for the Astros!)

10/22/2022

New resources for the public and attorneys have been added to the Probate Court 1 website. Judge Jason Cox has updated the Attorney Ad Litem Manual, Attorney Fee Standards have changed, and the "Judge's Annotated Checklists" are now available, among other helpful resources like videos and presentations on various topics.

https://probatecrt1.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/LinksForms.aspx

07/19/2022

Probate Court 1 will be in a jury trial from July 19 through approximately August 5.

All regular dockets will proceed as scheduled, presided over by Associate Judge Stiles in the Ancillary Courtroom (in Probate Court 1).

The jury trial will not be broadcast on YouTube; however, the public may view the proceedings in person in the courtroom.

05/03/2022

We’ve expanded our online settings and hired a new staff attorney who will be our Online Coordinator. Please welcome our newest staff member, Sal Benavidez.

05/03/2022

Probate in your PJ's!

Now offering online settings for:
1) The Probate of Wills
2) Heirships and Administrations
3) Submission Docket

Set yours at at https://probatecrt1.harriscountytx.gov

04/07/2022

I'm continuing to update the Probate Court 1 website. Newly uploaded are all current Administrative Orders, Local Rules, and Resources for Ad Litems. Check it out here:

https://probatecrt1.harriscountytx.gov/pages/LinksForms.aspx

The information contained in this site was valid at the time of posting. Harris County assumes no liability for damages incurred directly or indirectly as a result of errors, omissions or discrepancies. Moreover, Harris County is not responsible for the content nor endorses any site which has a link...

04/04/2022

Attorneys,
The Houston Volunteer Lawyers need your help to "Clear the Waitlist!"
Review the cases at the link below and sign up to help. Even if it is out of your usual area of expertise, the HVL will guide you along the way.
https://www.makejusticehappen.org/get-involved/take-a-case/

04/04/2022

The final phase of our massive technology upgrade is nearing completion!

03/16/2022

Probate Court 1 celebrates love in all its beautiful diversity of culture, religion, language, traditions, gender, and gender identity and expression.
Simple ceremonies are offered in English, Spanish, and French. Translators are welcome for any language.
Weddings are only conducted in the courtroom. Walk-ins are welcome, but check to make sure the judge is available.
Please be sure to get your marriage license in advance and bring it with you. Couples are welcome to invite their friends and family.
To book yours, please call our office at 832-927-1401.

03/15/2022

Check out our new docket monitors located outside the courtrooms and in the main lobby on the first floor.

03/06/2022

Beginning March 7, Probate Court 1 will return to normal operations. The mask mandate in the courtroom will end. Plexiglass dividers will be removed. Staff will return to the office. In-person hearings will become routine again, with one difference.

We have invested in state of the art technology to allow seamless hybrid remote/in-person hearing and trial capabilities. Now, you can choose how you wish to appear and there is no requirement to advise the court in advance. Everyone receives a Zoom link and can use it remotely or show up in court.

Probate Court 1 was the first to offer and hold remote hearings (October of 2019). We were the first to provide technology for staff to work from home (May 2019). And now, we are the first to provide fully integrated technology for hybrid hearings and trials. No special equipment is required.

02/23/2022

Did you know that Probate Court 1 permits in-person and remote hearings?

We are also set up with new technology to manage hybrid remote/in-person hearings seamlessly.

02/22/2022

Probate Court 1 now offers online settings for some hearings using the Facebook "Book Now" button and online. Check it out now at https://ProbateCourt1.as.me/

Schedule your appointment online Harris County Probate Court 1

02/21/2022

February 21: Day One of the Bench Trial in 475,352; Estate of Rosalie Vernagallo will be broadcast live on Probate Court 1 Channel 2 at
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ZmzvN8yPzeM_txq3zETIA

Channel 2 streams live trials and special settings. Our original channel streams all regular dockets and contains several helpful videos for practicing in Pr...

02/17/2022

Check out our updated website with links to lots of helpful videos and documents in the resources tab. We are about 75% done, so please feel free to let us know what you'd like to see included.

https://probatecrt1.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Trials: Probate Court 1 is approved for in-person jury and bench trials. Parties may appear remotely or in person. Please contact the court to schedule any trials.

02/11/2022

We are saddened to hear of the loss of Jason Ostrom, an exceptional attorney and loving family man. Our hearts go out to Jason's four sons, Daniel (19), Alex (17), Emerson (6) and George (4), his daughter Alice (almost 2), and his wife, Amanda.

02/03/2022

01/24/2022

Jan. 24: Day 4 of the jury trial in the Matter of the Estate of Wanda Gonzales will be broadcast live beginning at 9:00 am on Probate Court 1 YouTube Channel 2 at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ZmzvN8yPzeM_txq3zETIA

Channel 2 streams live trials and special settings. Our original channel streams all regular dockets and contains several helpful videos for practicing in Pr...

01/20/2022

January 20: Day 2 of the jury trial in the matter of the Estate of Wanda Gonzales will be broadcast live today beginning at 9:00 am on Probate Court 1 YouTube Channel 2 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9ZmzvN8yPzeM_txq3zETIA

Channel 2 streams live trials and special settings. Our original channel streams all regular dockets and contains several helpful videos for practicing in Pr...