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Monthly Archives: May 2017

To Probate Or Not To Probate, That Is The Question

By J. Grady Randle |

A question I am often asked is, “When do you have to probate?” The basic answer is, you probate a Will when you need to transfer property title. As I have blogged before, trust “peddlers” are out pushing the sale of their trusts with the pitch that, with this approach you can avoid probate…. Read More »

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Can a Registered Sex Offender Move in Next Door?

By Byron L. Brown |

Individuals convicted or adjudicated of certain sexual offenses are required to register with a local law enforcement agency for a certain period of time, sometimes for life. The Texas Department of Public Safety compiles all of the local law enforcement registrations into a statewide sex offender registration database, known as the Texas Public Sex… Read More »

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City of Meadows Place Wins Lawsuit over Sexual Offender Residency Restriction Ordinance

By J. Grady Randle |

General Law City Prevails to Maintain Criminal Ordinance HOUSTON, May 19, 2017 – The City of Meadows Place, Texas, the first city in Fort Bend County to enact a Sexual Offender Residency Restriction Ordinance (SORRO), recently prevailed in a lawsuit brought on behalf of a homeowner illegally maintaining a residence within a restricted area… Read More »

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Gated Communities, Private Roads and Public Services: a Practical Guide

By Drew Shirley |

A general law city has exclusive control over its city streets, and private citizens cannot restrict access to public roads; therefore, all roads in a gated community must be private roads. The city can sell public streets to private interests by following certain procedures. Once the roads are private, however, the city cannot enforce… Read More »

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Short Term Rentals in a Changing Texas Legal Landscape

By Judith El Masri |

Perhaps you are going on vacation, heading to a wedding or taking a college tour trip. The city you are visiting normally has ample hotel space, but a convention is in town and everything is booked or rates are at a premium. What to do? Short-term rentals of residences (STRs) are changing the travel… Read More »

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City Real Estate Sales 101

By J. Grady Randle |

How do you sell city-owned real estate? Is it hard? Can it take a long time? The answer to all these questions is yes, as I told the Mayor. The first question you have to ask is: what type of property is it? The second question is: what type of city is selling its… Read More »

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