LEGAL NOTICE: Citation by publication the State of Texas to the unknown heirs at law of Harold Steven Smith, deceased

Publish 4 times in The Ellis County Press on Thursday, March 12, 2026, Thursday, March 19, 2026, Thursday, March 26, 2026 and Thursday, April 2, 2026.
 

PUBLISH ONCE PER WEEK FOR 4 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS

CAUSE NO. 119030

CITATION BY PUBLICATION

THE STATE OF TEXAS:

TO: THE UNKNOWN HEIRS AT LAW OF HAROLD STEVEN SMITH, DECEASED

Greetings:

NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: “You have been sued. You may employ an attorney. If you or your attorney does not file a written answer with the clerk who issued this citation by 10:00 a.m. on the first Monday next following the expiration of 42 days after the date this citation was issued, a default judgment may be taken against you. In addition to filing a written answer with the clerk, you may be required to make initial disclosures to the other parties of this suit. These disclosures generally must be made no later than 30 days after you file your answer with the clerk. Find out more at texaslawhelp.org.”

YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED to appear before the 40TH Judicial District Court of Ellis County, Texas, in the Courthouse thereof, at 109 S. Jackson St., Waxahachie, TX, by filing a written answer to the ORIGINAL PETITION, at or before ten o'clock A.M. of the first Monday next after the expiration of forty-two

(42) days from the date of the issuance of this citation, in cause number 119030 filed on 11/18/2025, on the docket of said Court and styled:

FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION

vs.

ANTHONY HEREDIA, PAUL HEREDIA, THOMAS J. HEREDIA, TROY E. SMITH, JAYME A. SMITH, AND THE UNKNOWN HEIRS AT LAW OF HAROLD STEVEN SMITH, DECEASED

A brief summary of the nature of this suit is:

This proceeding concerns the foreclosure of a lien on the following real property and improvements commonly known as 841 Parksville Drive, Ferris, TX 75125, and more particularly described as:

LOT 27 BLOCK E, OF BLUFF SPRINGS, PHASE 1, AN ADDITION TO THE CITY OF FERRIS, ELLIS COUNTY, TEXAS, ACCORDING TO THE MAP OR PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN DOCUMENT NO. 2023-2311639 OF THE OFFICIAL PUBLIC RECORDS OF ELLIS COUNTY, TEXAS AND IN CABINET N, SHEETS 155-157 OF THE PLAT RECORDS OF ELLIS COUNTY.

ATTORNEY for the petitioner: Tenia Ouellette, 6080 Tennyson Pkwy., Ste. 100, Plano, TX 75024 ISSUED and given under my hand and the seal of said Court, at Waxahachie, Texas, this 27th day of

February, 2026.

MELANIE REED,

Ellis County District Clerk

109 S. Jackson St.

Waxahachie, Texas 75165

By: /s/ Cheryl Wilson

Cheryl Wilson, Deputy