Willits is in Mendocino County.
Serves Mendocino County from Ukiah, handling probate and trust and estate administration alongside estate planning. Caren Callahan has practiced since 1990 and is a State Bar certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, with trusts and estates as her reported practice area.
Ukiah solo practice serving Mendocino County with probate and estate administration, trust administration, and trust litigation, plus elder law and real estate matters. David M. Kindopp has served the Ukiah area for more than 25 years and represents beneficiaries of unplanned estates through the probate process.
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Mendocino County
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How to file probate in Mendocino County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Mendocino County? →Settling an estate in Mendocino County →
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.
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
1 probate firm has an office in Willits, California. Each listing carries the firm's practice areas, its Willits office and its phone.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to discuss your situation and verify their current practice areas and availability.
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Ukiah firm with a second Willits office, serving Mendocino County. Carries clients through probate proceedings and trust administrations, and handles trust contests within its civil litigation practice, alongside estate planning, real estate, and business matters. Counting its predecessor firm, it is the oldest law firm in Mendocino County.
