Fairfield firm serving Solano and Contra Costa counties. Guides families through the California probate process in the Solano County court, advises trustees and beneficiaries during trust administration, and represents parties in contested will and trust proceedings. The practice also covers estate planning, guardianships, elder abuse, and family law.
Probate in Contra Costa County
Probate Court Record
Contra Costa County Superior Court - Probate Division
Contra Costa County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
725 Court Street, Martinez, CA 94553
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Contra Costa County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Contra Costa County? →Settling an estate in Contra Costa County →
Trust Litigation Firms Serving Contra Costa County
Serves San Francisco, San Mateo, and the surrounding Bay Area from downtown San Francisco. Handles probate and trust administration through asset distribution and title transfers, plus conservatorships and trust and estate litigation. Principal Sheila Robello holds an LLM in taxation and is a State Bar certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law.
South Lake Tahoe office serving El Dorado County and the Bay Area with trust and probate administration, trust and probate litigation, and wealth succession planning alongside estate planning. Attorney Jean-Claude Mallein is a dual Certified Specialist in Taxation Law and in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law, certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization.
Serves Merced, Mariposa, and Stanislaus counties from Merced, with offices in San Jose, Modesto, and Mariposa. Represents trustees and executors on full and summary probate, sub-trust funding, fiduciary accountings, estate tax returns, and post-death tax planning, and handles probate, trust, and estate litigation. One of the few firms with a Mariposa County office.
Corona-headquartered firm with offices in San Diego, Newport Beach, Glendale, and San Francisco, plus satellite offices in Riverside, Temecula, Vista, and Roseville. Through its Sandoval Legacy Group division it handles probate and trust administration, conservatorships, will contests and fiduciary disputes, elder law, and special needs planning. Offers a free phone consultation.
Serves San Diego County and Southern California from Newport Avenue in San Diego, centered on probate and trust disputes. Handles probate and trust administration, contested wills and accountings, trustee removal, and breach-of-fiduciary-duty claims, plus elder law and Medi-Cal planning. Vincent M. Casiano is a State Bar certified specialist; the first 30-minute consultation is free.
All 29 California trust litigation firms serving Contra Costa County →
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.
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 Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in California happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's trust statuteCal. Prob. Code § 15000 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysCal. Prob. Code §§ 16061.7, 16061.8, 16064, 16460Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
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What's Fair Trustee Compensation?
In California, trustee compensation follows "reasonable compensation" (UTC § 708 or equivalent)Cal. Prob. Code §§ 15680-15688Verified Sep 18, 2026View source unless the trust instrument sets a different amount.
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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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