Texas Estates Code Chapter 201, Subchapter B: Matters Affecting Inheritance

Subchapter B modifies or limits intestate inheritance rights based on specific family relationships, conduct, or circumstances.

These provisions do not establish an independent inheritance scheme. Instead, they operate as adjustments to the core rules set out in Subchapter A and are applied only after identifying the initial class of heirs.

Common Themes

Subchapter B addresses:

• parent-child relationships;
• adoption and marital status issues;
• distinctions between whole-blood and half-blood relatives;
• survivorship rules and statutory disqualifications.

Each provision must be applied after determining the basic order of inheritance under Sections 201.001–201.003.

Sections in Subchapter B

The following statutes make up Subchapter B, with links to the corresponding discussions on this site:

• Section 201.051 — Maternal Inheritance
  Addresses inheritance through the maternal line in certain circumstances.
• Section 201.052 — Paternal Inheritance
  Addresses inheritance through the paternal line in certain circumstances.
• Section 201.053 — Effect of Reliance on Affidavit of Heirship
  Limits the effect of errors when property is transferred in reliance on an affidavit of heirship.
• Section 201.054 — Adopted Child
  Governs inheritance rights of adopted children and their relationship to biological relatives.
• Section 201.055 — Issue of Void or Voidable Marriage
  Addresses inheritance rights of children born of marriages that are void or voidable.
• Section 201.056 — Persons Not in Being
  Limits inheritance rights of persons not in existence at the time of the decedent’s death.
• Section 201.057 — Collateral Kindred of Whole and Half Blood
  Adjusts inheritance shares among collateral relatives of whole and half blood.
• Section 201.058 — Convicted Persons
  Disqualifies certain persons from inheriting based on criminal conduct.
• Section 201.059 — Person Who Dies by Casualty
  Addresses inheritance when the decedent and a potential heir die in a common casualty.
• Section 201.060 — Alienage
  Clarifies that alienage does not bar inheritance under Texas intestacy law.
• Section 201.061 — Estate of Person Who Dies by Suicide
  Provides that suicide does not affect intestate inheritance rights.
• Section 201.062 — Treatment of Certain Parent-Child Relationships
  Addresses inheritance rights in specific parent-child relationship scenarios.