1. (a) The court may remove a personal representative as provided by Subsection (a-1) if:

   1. (1) sufficient grounds appear to support a belief that the representative has misapplied, embezzled, or removed from the state, or is about to misapply, embezzle, or remove from the state, all or part of the property entrusted to the representative's care;
   2. (2) the representative fails to return any account required by law to be made;
   3. (3) the representative fails to obey a proper order of the court that has jurisdiction with respect to the performance of the representative's duties;
   4. (4) the representative is proved to have been guilty of gross misconduct, or mismanagement in the performance of the representative's duties;

   5. (5) the representative:

      1. (A) becomes incapacitated;
      2. (B) is sentenced to the penitentiary; or
      3. (C) from any other cause, becomes incapable of properly performing the duties of the representative's trust; or
   6. (6) the representative, as executor or administrator, fails to make a final settlement by the third anniversary of the date letters testamentary or of administration are granted, unless that period is extended by the court on a showing of sufficient cause supported by oath.

2. (a-1) The court may remove a personal representative for a reason described by Subsection (a) on:

   1. (1) the court's own motion, after the personal representative has been notified by a qualified delivery method to answer at a time and place set in the notice; or
   2. (2) the complaint of an interested person, after the personal representative has been cited by personal service to answer at a time and place set in the notice.

3. (b) If a personal representative, as executor or administrator, fails to timely file the affidavit or certificate required by Section 308.004, the court, on the court's own motion, may remove the personal representative after providing 30 days' written notice to the personal representative to answer at a time and place set in the notice, by a qualified delivery method to:

   1. (1) the representative's last known address; and
   2. (2) the last known address of the representative's attorney of record.

Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 514 (S.B. 39), Sec. 1(a), eff. September 1, 2017.

Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 205 (S.B. 1373), Sec. 34, eff. September 1, 2023.

Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 818 (S.B. 1335), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2025.