Serves Orange County from Santa Ana, and takes matters in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties. Handles court-supervised probate administration, post-death trust administration for successor trustees, and estate and trust dispute mediation, alongside long-term care planning and special needs trusts. Home and office visits are available.
Probate in San Diego County
Probate Court Record
San Diego County Superior Court - Probate Division
San Diego County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM
Office
1100 Union Street, 3rd Floor, San Diego, CA 92101
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in San Diego County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in San Diego County? →Settling an estate in San Diego County →
Probate Firms Serving San Diego County
Serves San Francisco and the greater Bay Area from downtown San Francisco, and handles probate proceedings in every California county. Guides executors, administrators, and trustees through probate and trust administration alongside estate planning, billing probate work at California Probate Code statutory rates. Founded in 2018.
Serves Marin County from San Rafael, with offices across Northern and Southern California and statewide service by phone and video. Handles probate, trust administration, and Medi-Cal and elder law matters alongside estate and tax planning. Founder Jim Cunningham heads the San Rafael office and is a State Bar certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law.
Bakersfield boutique serving Kern and Tulare counties from offices in Bakersfield and Visalia, and probate matters throughout California. Supports executors and administrators through California probate and represents heirs, excluded heirs, and fiduciaries in estate disputes, including will contests, breach-of-fiduciary-duty claims, and trust-distribution litigation.
Yuba City firm serving Sutter, Yuba, and Placer Counties since 1983, with a second office in Roseville. Handles probate, trust administration, and conservatorship and guardianship matters, and represents beneficiaries and fiduciaries in probate and trust disputes across California. Also prepares revocable and irrevocable trust-based estate plans.
Serves San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and Riverside counties from Upland, and takes probate work throughout California. Handles probate administration, Heggstad petitions for assets left out of a trust, trust administration, conservatorships, and estate and trust litigation over executor misconduct and will disputes. Offers a free consultation.
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in California
Free California forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for California.
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Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
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Last Will and Testament
In California, a will is signed before 2Cal. Prob. Code § 6110Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and the witnesses sign an affidavit at probate instead of a self-proving affidavitCal. Prob. Code § 6110Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in California
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in California: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for California.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in California costs an estimated $27,235Cal. Prob. Code § 10810Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees are statutory (set by law)Cal. Prob. Code § 10810Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in California: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 120 daysCal. Prob. Code §§ 8800-8804, 8900-8903Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsCal. Prob. Code §§ 9050-9054, 9100-9104, 9150, 9153, 9256, 9353, 11420; CCP § 366.2Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 9 months to 12 months.
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How Much Can an Executor Charge?
California sets executor compensation by statute — about $13,000 on a $500,000 estate, roughly 2.6%Cal. Prob. Code § 10800Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
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Do I Need Probate?
In California, estates valued at $208,850Cal. Prob. Code § 13100Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less skip probate with the Small Estate AffidavitCal. Prob. Code § 13100Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, 40 daysCal. Prob. Code § 13100Verified Sep 8, 2026View source after death.
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What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
In California, creditors have 4 monthsCal. Prob. Code § 9100 — later of 4 months from letters or 60 days from mailed/personal notice of administrationVerified Sep 8, 2026View source from the personal representative's appointment to present claims; late claims are barred.
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Can I Self-File Probate?
In California, informal probate is not availableCal. Prob. Code §§ 8005 (hearing on the petition), 8006 (court admits the will and appoints the personal representative); no registrar or clerk informal probate trackVerified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
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