Probate Judge · Probate Court No. 3
What applies in this courtroom
84 verified requirements may apply in this courtroom, by layer: 12 published by Judge Barbie (Barbara) Scharf-Zeldes · 59 county-wide · 2 region-wide · 11 statewide — with 9 rule deadlines across those layers. Only the judge's own rules are specific to this courtroom; the other layers apply by court, county and state scope, and a court- or case-specific order can displace them.
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Judge — Probate Court No. 3, Bexar County
Appeals from this courtroom go to the Fourth Court of Appeals.
● LiveThat court's published bench (7): Adrian A. Spears, II, H. Todd McCray, Irene Rios, Lori I. Valenzuela, Lori Massey Brissette, Rebeca Martinez, Velia J. Meza
County-to-district assignment per Tex. Gov't Code sec. 22.201(e), live-fetched registry.
12 verified rules specific to this judge's division, grouped by requirement category. 84 total requirements apply in this courtroom across all layers — the Full Premium Report assembles the complete stack.
No judge-level deadline on record runs shorter than a statewide deadline with the same trigger. The sentinel compares quoted timing across every published rule scoped to this judge on each visit — a clean result today is re-earned tomorrow.
The temporary administrator must file the oath or declaration within 20 days and the bond by the third day after the appointing order (§ 452.004), send qualified-delivery notice of the appointment to all known heirs stating the 15-day contest window, continuation of the appointment absent contest and the court's power to make it permanent (§ 452.006), exercise only the powers in the appointing order (§ 452.101), keep funds in insured accounts, obtain court orders before any expenditure and before disposing of non-cash assets, keep records, preserve and insure assets, and at the expiration of the appointment file a sworn list of property received, a return of sales and a full exhibit and account (§ 452.151); with the fiduciary do's and don'ts and bond responsibilities; signed and filed by the temporary administrator.
The guardian of the person must file the bond and oath or declaration within 20 days of the appointing order (the qualification date), explain the Ward's Bill of Rights (Estates Code § 1151.351, attached) to the ward in the ward's language or preferred mode of communication on appointment and at each annual renewal, file the sworn Annual Report of the Condition, Welfare and Well-Being of the Ward within 60 days after each anniversary of qualification (show cause, revocation, removal or a fine up to $1,000 otherwise; form on the court's Orders & Forms page), account to the Social Security Administration for any benefits received, preserve and insure the ward's assets, file the final report when the guardianship closes on the ward's death or restoration, and consult counsel; signed and filed by the guardian.
The independent administrator of an intestate estate must file the oath or declaration (and any ordered bond) within 20 days of the order granting letters, give creditor notices (publication within one month, qualified delivery to secured creditors within two months, Comptroller notice where taxes are owed) with proof filed, file the inventory, appraisement and list of claims within 90 days of qualification (show cause, revocation or a fine up to $1,000 otherwise), may close by notice or declaratory judgment after six months, and must consult counsel; with the fiduciary do's and don'ts and bond responsibilities; signed and filed by the administrator.
The independent administrator with will annexed must file the oath or declaration (and any ordered bond) within 20 days of the order granting letters, give creditor notices (publication within one month, qualified delivery to secured creditors within two months, Comptroller notice where taxes are owed) with proof filed, give beneficiaries the § 308.002 notice within 60 days and file the affidavit or certificate of notice within 90 days, file the inventory, appraisement and list of claims within 90 days of qualification (show cause, revocation or a fine up to $1,000 otherwise), may close by notice or declaratory judgment after six months, and must consult counsel; with the fiduciary do's and don'ts and bond responsibilities; signed and filed by the administrator.
The independent executor must file the oath or declaration within 20 days of the order granting letters (and any ordered bond), publish notice to unsecured creditors within one month and send qualified-delivery notice to secured creditors within two months (and to the Comptroller if taxes are owed), filing the publisher's affidavit and affidavits of notice; give beneficiaries the § 308.002 notice within 60 days of probate and file the affidavit or certificate of notice within 90 days even if sole beneficiary; file the inventory, appraisement and list of claims within 90 days of qualification (show cause, revocation, removal or a fine up to $1,000 otherwise); may close by notice or declaratory judgment after six months; and must consult the attorney; with the fiduciary do's and don'ts (separate estate account, records, prudent management, bond premiums; no treating estate property as one's own) and bond responsibilities; the executor signs and files the instructions.
The dependent administrator of an intestate estate must file the oath or declaration within 20 days of the order granting letters and any ordered bond, give creditor notices (publication within one month, qualified delivery to secured creditors within two months, Comptroller notice where taxes are owed) with proof filed, file the inventory, appraisement and list of claims within 90 days of qualification (show cause, revocation, removal or a fine up to $1,000 otherwise), file sworn annual accounts within 60 days after each anniversary of qualification, keep estate funds in insured accounts, obtain court orders before any expenditure and before disposing of non-cash assets, keep records, preserve and insure assets, file the final accounting when the estate is ready to close, and consult counsel; with the fiduciary do's and don'ts and bond responsibilities; signed and filed by the administrator.
The guardian of the estate must file the bond and oath or declaration within 20 days of the appointing order, explain the Ward's Bill of Rights (§ 1151.351, attached) on appointment and each annual renewal, publish notice to unsecured creditors within one month and send qualified-delivery notice to secured creditors within four months with proof filed, file the inventory, appraisement and list of claims within 30 days of qualification, file sworn annual accounts within 60 days after each anniversary (form on the court's Orders & Forms page), keep guardianship funds in insured, interest-bearing accounts and file an investment plan within 180 days, obtain court orders before any expenditure (including a monthly or annual allowance) and before disposing of non-cash assets, keep records, keep Social Security funds separate, preserve and insure assets, file the final accounting when the guardianship closes, and consult counsel; with the fiduciary do's and don'ts (no spending or transfers without court approval except lien releases, proxies, calls and assessments, insurance, taxes, costs and bond premiums) and bond responsibilities; signed and filed by the guardian.
The guardian of the person and estate must file the bond and oath or declaration within 20 days of the appointing order, explain the Ward's Bill of Rights (§ 1151.351, attached) on appointment and each annual renewal, give creditor notices (publication within one month; qualified delivery to secured creditors within four months) with proof filed, file the inventory, appraisement and list of claims within 30 days of qualification, file both the sworn annual account and the annual report on the ward's condition within 60 days after each anniversary (forms on the court's Orders & Forms page), keep funds in insured, interest-bearing accounts under an approved investment plan, obtain court orders before any expenditure (including an allowance) and before disposing of non-cash assets, keep records, keep Social Security funds separate, preserve and insure assets, file the final accounting and final report when the guardianship closes, and consult counsel; with the fiduciary do's and don'ts and bond responsibilities; signed and filed by the guardian.
The temporary guardian must file the oath or declaration and bond within 20 days of the appointing order, explain the Ward's Bill of Rights (attached) to the ward, exercise only the powers expressed in the appointing order or later orders (§ 1251.101), and — if guardian of the person — file the § 1251.153(a-1) final report at expiration; if guardian of the estate, keep funds in insured accounts with excess in interest-bearing accounts, obtain court orders before any expenditure (including an allowance) and before disposing of non-cash assets, keep records, keep Social Security funds separate, preserve and insure assets, and, since a temporary guardianship may not exceed 60 days except under § 1251.052, file at expiration a sworn list of property, a return of sales and a full exhibit and account of all acts (§ 1251.151); with the fiduciary do's and don'ts and bond responsibilities; signed and filed by the temporary guardian.
Fifteen court-ordered duties sworn to before appointment: consult counsel; notify the court of address changes; file oath or declaration and bond within 20 days (qualification when both are done); publish creditor notice within 30 days and send qualified-delivery notice to secured creditors within two months, filing the publisher's affidavit, copies and an affidavit of notice; give will beneficiaries notice within 60 days and file the affidavit or certificate within 90 days; file the inventory within 90 days; annual accounts within 60 days after each anniversary; separate estate business; insured estate accounts with excess in interest-bearing accounts; court orders before any expenditure not expressly authorized and before selling, leasing or transferring non-cash assets; records; preserve and insure assets; final accounting by the third anniversary or petition for an extension; court permission to move out of state or be absent more than three months; removal and bond liability for failures; with the fiduciary do's and don'ts (no spending without court approval except calls and assessments, insurance, taxes, costs and bond premiums) and bond responsibilities; the applicant swears before a notary and the attorney certifies having discussed the responsibilities.
No judge-scoped deadlines on this tab. Deadlines are extracted only when the source rule text states them — we never infer or calculate dates the rule does not explicitly contain. 9 rule deadlines apply in this courtroom across all layers — assembled with citations in the Full Premium Report.
Timing shown here is quoted from the rule text. Compute your actual date against the court's calendar and the rule itself — not legal advice.
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The attributed-opinion corpus covers Florida's and California's appellate decisions today; a Texas opinion corpus is a separate build. Absence here is a coverage statement, never evidence about this judge.
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last checked October 8, 2026
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