TX HB4011

Requires partition petitions to certify whether property is heirs' property and include plaintiff's acquisition date and percentage interest; non-heir cotenants acquiring interests after December 31, 2025 must also certify compliance with right of first refusal requirements

Mandates citation be served by personal service or certified mail to all joint owners 16+, parents/guardians of minor owners, persons who paid property taxes in the past 5 years, and residents; requires posting a 4x4 foot weatherproof sign on the property within 10 days of filing

Creates mandatory settlement conference process for heirs' property partition actions, allowing parties to negotiate tenancy agreements, cotenant buyouts, partition in kind, or open-market sales; defendants who appear at conference may file late answers within 30 days

Prohibits non-heir cotenants holding less than 50% interest from initiating partition actions on heirs' property for 10 years after acquiring their interest, applicable to interests acquired after January 1, 2026

Establishes right of first refusal for heir cotenants residing on property when another cotenant sells to a non-heir purchaser who is not a relative; requires 90-day notice period and due diligence to identify all heir cotenants before sale

Extends cotenant buyout payment deadline from 60 to 90 days and requires court-appointed appraisers to be certified general appraisers; eliminates auction sales as first option when property doesn't sell at appraised value