The Woodlands, TX estates & probate attorney Steven C. Earl discusses the deadlines or statutes of limitations you should be aware of when pursuing estate litigation. He notes that there are two key deadlines individuals should consider in estate litigation. The first is the formal deadline for will contests: generally, a person has up to two years from the date a will is admitted to probate to file a challenge.

He also highlights a more strategic, or “softer,” deadline. If a contestant files a challenge before any will is admitted to probate, they may gain certain procedural advantages. These advantages are lost once the will has been admitted. Consequently, while a contest may still be technically timely after probate, pursuing it at that stage can become more complex and costly.