Blog
Central Texas legal articles from Ted Smith Law Group
Guides from the firm archive: injury, family, disability, estate, and local Central Texas legal questions.
Denied SSD Claim in Texas: What To Do Next
Denied SSD in Texas? Read why SSA denied your claim, understand the general 60-day appeal window, and identify the next available step.
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Filing for SSD Benefits in Killeen, TX
How to file for Social Security Disability in Killeen, TX: online, phone, or field office, what SSA asks for, the waiting period, and what happens next.
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SSDI vs SSI in Texas: What's the Difference?
SSDI vs SSI in Texas explained in plain English: work credits vs income limits, Medicare vs Medicaid, and how the disability standard is the same for both.
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Bell County Probate Guide: Steps, Timeline, and Options
Bell County probate guide from Ted Smith Law Group covering the filing steps, independent vs dependent administration, timeline, and alternatives like muniment of title.
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How Long Does Probate Take in Texas?
Texas probate timelines explained: muniment of title, independent administration, and contested cases, with the factors that speed or slow each one.
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Muniment of Title in Bell County
Muniment of title in Bell County: eligibility, the Belton filing process, and when it does not fit. Call (254) 690-5688.
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Transfer-on-Death Deed in Texas
How a Texas transfer-on-death deed works: recording, revocability, probate avoidance for that property, debt and creditor limits, and how it fits with a will.
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Living Trust vs Will in Texas
Living trust vs will in Texas: probate, privacy, incapacity planning, and real cost compared plain. Killeen estate planning attorney, Ted Smith Law Group.
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Can I get alimony in Texas?
Texas rarely awards alimony automatically. Learn who qualifies for court-ordered spousal maintenance, how much a judge can order, and how long it lasts.
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Summer Visitation under the Texas Standard Possession Order
Texas Standard Possession Orders give parents extended summer time, but notice deadlines matter. Learn the April 1 deadline, day counts, and default rules.
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Enforcement of a Texas Family Law Court Order
When a parent violates a Texas custody or visitation order, a Motion for Enforcement is how you hold them accountable. Here's how the process works in Bell County.
Read articleWhat Is a Standard Possession Order?
Texas Standard Possession Orders set the default custody schedule for parents. Learn the weekend, holiday, and summer rules and what to do if the other parent violates it.
Read articleWhat Is Community Property?
Texas is a community property state. Learn how Texas law classifies marital property, what counts as separate property, and how divorce courts divide it.
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Non-competition Agreement
Non-competes are generally enforceable in Texas if they're reasonable in time, geography, and scope. Here's what makes one hold up, and what a court can fix.
Read articleChild Support in Texas
Texas calculates child support from a parent's net income, not a flat guess. Here's how the percentages work, what counts as income, and military pay wrinkles.
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What Is Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Coverage?
PIP coverage pays your medical bills and lost wages after a Texas car accident, regardless of fault. Here's how it works and why you may still need a lawyer.
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What Is a Statute of Limitation?
Texas gives you 2 years to file most personal injury claims, but investigating a case takes time. Here's how statutes of limitation work and why timing matters.
Read articleWhat is mediation?
Mediation lets you settle a Texas case without trial, with a neutral mediator, private caucus rooms, and a signed agreement. Here's how a session actually runs.
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Motorcycle Accidents
What to do after a Texas motorcycle accident: gear that actually protects you, steps to take at the scene, and the two-year deadline to file a claim.
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Traumatic Brain Injuries
What a TBI diagnosis after a Texas car accident actually means, common symptoms to watch for, treatment options, and how to protect your claim.
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How much is my personal injury pain and suffering worth?
Pain and suffering has no fixed price tag under Texas law. Here's how it's actually proven and valued in a personal injury claim.
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What to do in the case of an accident?
Hurt in a car wreck, trucking accident, or slip and fall in Texas? Report it, get treated, and don't sign anything before calling us at (254) 690-5688.
Read articleGuardianship: Preparing for When Your Special Needs Child Becomes an Adult
When your child turns 18, Texas law treats them as an adult. Here's how Bell County guardianship works, and the alternatives worth considering first.
Read articleWhat to do when injured by an uninsured driver?
Hit by a driver with no insurance in Central Texas? Learn how uninsured motorist coverage works, what to gather at the scene, and your legal options.
Read article5 stages of a personal injury matter
From treatment through resolution, here is what can happen in a Texas personal injury claim and what can affect the timing.
Read article9 questions to ask your prospective personal injury attorney
What to ask before hiring a personal injury attorney in Texas, from who handles your file to how fees work, so you choose with confidence.
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Creating Your Love Drawer: Essential Texas Estate Planning Documents
Three common Texas estate-planning building blocks: a will, powers of attorney, and sometimes a trust. What each does and how to organize them.
Read articleGetting damages after a personal injury
What can you actually recover after a Texas injury? A plain-English breakdown of economic and non-economic damages, and how they get proven.
Read articleHow to get medical bills paid after a car accident
Medical bills piling up after a Texas car accident? Learn how liability insurance, PIP, and UM/UIM coverage can pay your bills. Call (254) 690-5688.
Read articleHow to get the appropriate medical care after a car accident
How health insurance, med pay, and PIP coverage work together after a Texas car accident, and what to do if you have no insurance at all.
Read articleI just got married, is my spouse a United States citizen?
Marrying a US citizen does not automatically make you a citizen. It can open the door to a green card through USCIS. Here's the process, step by step.
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