A Walker County court at law created a guardianship over the person and estate of Daniel Wyatt Endicott and named Robert Endicott guardian; Endicott's mother, Jessica Trisler, appealed.¹

The Tenth Court of Appeals affirmed on May 15, 2025 (10-23-00202-CV); Trisler petitioned for review June 30, 2025, arguing lack of personal jurisdiction over the proposed ward, disregarded lack of qualification by applicant's counsel, unmet statutory requirements, and approval of an unexecuted bond.¹ An amicus brief was filed by the Texas Guardianship Association. Robert Endicott moved to dismiss September 30, 2025 because the order at issue had been vacated, and on February 6, 2026 the Court granted the motion in part: without argument or considering the merits it granted the petition, vacated the court of appeals' judgment and opinion, and remanded to the trial court; the mandate issued February 23 (docket).

Petition for review from the Tenth Court of Appeals, granted, and disposed of on a motion to dismiss without argument (docket).

As framed in the petition: whether the trial court acquired personal jurisdiction over the proposed ward, whether counsel's lack of qualification could be disregarded, whether statutory requirements for a guardianship were met, and whether a judge may approve an unexecuted bond.¹ The Court did not decide them.

Trisler (Petitioner): the court of appeals negated procedural protections the Legislature created for proposed wards and its opinion conflicts with this Court's and other courts' decisions.¹ The Court resolved the case on the motion to dismiss.

Trisler argued the case is important to the jurisprudence because the opinion, if uncorrected, would be cited to disregard the statutory protections for proposed wards.¹

Texas Guardianship Association filed an amicus brief (docket).

Disposition

Petition granted, judgment and opinion of the court of appeals vacated, and the case remanded to the trial court.

Vote Breakdown

No separate writings noted.