About Probate Court No. 3
Probate Court No. 3 is the newest of Bexar County's three statutory probate courts, presided over by Judge Barbie Scharf-Zeldes. It sits in Suite 1.20 of the Bexar County Courthouse at 100 Dolorosa in downtown San Antonio, and it hears the full range of probate matters: will probates, heirship determinations, independent and dependent administrations, guardianships, and trust matters.
Court No. 3 publishes an unusually deep library of plain-language guides, including guides for the independent executor, the independent administrator, muniment of title, and the small estate affidavit with Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP) certification guidance, along with detailed attorney checklists for each proceeding. Before a hearing is set, the court's paralegal reviews the completed checklist, and then the court coordinator sets the date.
Remote Hearings
Court No. 3, the newest Bexar probate court, allows all participants to appear electronically for a proceeding where appropriate, and the public may observe those proceedings in the courtroom. Your attorney requests the setting and confirms the format with the court coordinator.
What to Expect
If you need to appear in person, plan to arrive at the Bexar County Courthouse at 100 Dolorosa about 15 to 20 minutes before your hearing. You will pass through security at the entrance, so bring a valid photo ID and leave prohibited items at home or in your vehicle.
Most uncontested probate hearings are brief. Dressing neatly shows respect for the court. Your attorney will guide you through the testimony, which usually involves answering a short series of straightforward questions about the person who died, the will, or the estate. For an electronic appearance, use a stable internet connection and a quiet room, and keep your camera on; your attorney will provide the link and instructions.
Court-Specific Notes
- Location: 100 Dolorosa, Suite 1.20, San Antonio, TX 78205
- Phone: 210-335-1917
- Office hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday
- Remote hearings: All participants may appear electronically where appropriate
- What sets it apart: Court No. 3, the newest court, lets all participants appear electronically for a proceeding and publishes the deepest set of pro se guides and attorney checklists of the three courts.
Court No. 3 Forms, Guides and Checklists
Probate Court No. 3 publishes the deepest set of plain-language guides and checklists of the three courts. Download them directly here; they are the court's own documents, so confirm the current version on the court's official page before you rely on one.
Guide for the Texas Independent Executor
A plain-language guide to an independent executor's duties.
Download PDF →Guide for the Texas Independent Administrator
A plain-language guide to an independent administrator's duties.
Download PDF →Probate of a Will After 4 Years Checklist
For a will offered more than four years after death.
Download PDF →How Kyle Handles Court No. 3
Kyle Robbins handles Bexar County probate in all three statutory courts. He prepares your application, proofs, and the court's required checklist, files them, and handles the appearance, in person or electronically where the court allows it, so you can focus on your family rather than the docket.
Request a Free Consultation← Back to the Bexar County Probate Process Guide
Who You Will Actually Deal With
The elected judge is not the only person who matters to your case. The court coordinator owns the docket and scheduling, and the court's paralegal and staff attorneys review filings before a hearing is set. Filing and case-record questions run through the County Clerk's Probate Division.
Court No. 3 contacts
- Court: 210-335-1917
- Scheduling: Denise Nerio, Court Coordinator
- County Clerk probate office: 210-335-2241
- Office hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday
Court and Clerk staff can tell you when a hearing is set. They cannot give you legal advice or tell you which proceeding to file.
Before you file
Can I file in Court No. 3 without a lawyer?
For most probate matters, no. The Bexar County Probate Courts publish a Pro Se Policy, and under Texas law the rule is direct:
A person applying for letters testamentary, letters of administration, a determination of heirship, or a guardianship of the person or estate must be represented by a licensed attorney.
Texas law, as applied in the Bexar County Probate Courts
Those proceedings cover the large majority of probate cases. The reason is not red tape. An executor or administrator does not act only for themselves, they act for the estate's beneficiaries and creditors. Representing someone else's interests in court is the practice of law, so a non-lawyer who prepares and files those pleadings is engaged in the unauthorized practice of law. The point cuts the other way in your favor too: you do not need to be a lawyer to serve as executor, but the executor must be represented by counsel.
The two narrow exceptions
The policy allows a pro se applicant to proceed only when they truly represent nobody but themselves. In practice that means two routes:
- Muniment of title, but only where you are the sole beneficiary under the will and the estate has no debts other than those secured by liens against real estate. Being eligible for a muniment is not the same thing as being eligible to file one yourself. Most muniments have more than one beneficiary, and those still require counsel.
- Small estate affidavit, where there is no will and the estate's assets, excluding the homestead and exempt property, fall under the statutory limit set by Texas Estates Code chapter 205.
Two warnings are worth repeating. First, whether a muniment of title is even the right procedure is a legal decision best made by a lawyer. Second, swearing that an estate has no creditors when it does is a perjury exposure, not a paperwork error.
If you are headed to Court No. 3 and you are not certain which of these applies to you, that is exactly the question worth a free call.
Talk to a probate attorney →Probate Court No. 3 FAQs
Attorney Advertising. The information on this page is for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique, contact us for guidance specific to your situation. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.