Sec. 306.002.  GRANTING OF LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION.  (a)  Subject to Subsection (b), the court hearing an application under Chapter 301 shall grant:
(1)  the administration of a decedent's estate if the decedent died intestate; or
(2)  the administration of the decedent's estate with the will annexed if the decedent died leaving a will but:
(A)  the will does not name an executor; or
(B)  the executor named in the will:
(i)  is deceased;
(ii)  fails to accept and qualify before the 21st day after the date the will is probated; or
(iii)  fails to present the will for probate before the 31st day after the date of the decedent's death and the court finds there was no good cause for that failure.
(b)  The court may not grant any administration of an estate unless a necessity for the administration exists, as determined by the court.
(c)  The court may find other instances of necessity for an administration based on proof before the court, but a necessity is considered to exist if:
(1)  there are two or more debts against the estate;
(2)  there is a desire for the county court to partition the estate among the distributees;
(3)  the administration is necessary to receive or recover funds or other property due the estate; or
(4)  the administration is necessary to prevent real property in a decedent's estate from becoming a danger to the health, safety, or welfare of the general public.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 680 (H.B. 2502), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2014.
Amended by: 
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 576 (H.B. 3160), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2015.