Texas Attorney General Played Dubious Role In Hunt Estate Battle

Ken Paxton, the embattled Texas Attorney General with a recent felony indictment, is now facing questions about his conduct while serving as a guardian ad litem. The issue arises from the estate of Tanner Hunt, son of billionaire Ray Hunt, and the trust fund that had been established for him. Paxton was the guardian for Tanner's two daughters and participated in negotiations that would have bought out the girls interest in any Hunt family trust for far less than they would have otherwise inherited. In addition, details later emerged that Paxton had improper contact with the attorney that sought to exclude the daughters from their father's trust and was appointed to the position by a judge that had to recuse himself from the case due to contact with the same attorney. Several estate law experts questioned Paxton's actions in light of the prior contact with opposition attorneys and his passive acceptance of offers that obviously undervalued what the daughter could get otherwise. As of now, no investigation into his actions has been announced.

See Lise Olsen & Lauren McGaughy, Paxton's role in Hunt family probate case called ill-defined and unorthodox, Houston Chronicle, August 22, 2015.