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What to Do When Someone Dies in Kings County, California
How probate works in Kings County: the Superior Court - Civil Division record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Kings County Superior Court - Civil Division
Kings County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
1640 Kings County Drive, Hanford, CA 93230
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
E-filing
Required for attorneysMandatory in all probate case types through an approved e-filing service provider. Self-represented parties are exempt (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.253(b)(2)) and may e-file voluntarily. Kings County Local Rule 125. On paper: Wills; Codicils; Bonds.
Self-represented filing
AllowedCivil division handles probate; guided online forms via Law Help Interactive. Self-help center assists with form completion (guardianship of the person only).
Accepted payment
- At the counterCheck, Money order.Personal checks drawn on a U.S. bank, cashier's checks and money orders, payable to the Clerk of the Kings County Superior Court, for the exact amount. Two-party checks are not accepted (Local Rule 106).
Self-help center
- 1640 Kings County Drive, Hanford, CA 932301-559-582-1010 · (option 8) · kingsselfhelpcenter@kings.courts.ca.gov · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM · Assistance in Spanish in addition to EnglishWalk-in or by appointment; appointments by email. Does not assist with full probate administration; guardianship of the person only.
Departments
- Probate1-559-582-1010 ext. 6145Questions about electronic filing in probate cases.
About the court
- Civil division handles probate matters. Civil division phone hours Mon-Fri 08:00-16:00.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Kings County
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Kings County, probate runs through the Superior Court - Civil Division at 1640 Kings County Drive, Hanford. Probate e-filing in Kings County goes through kings.courts.ca.gov, which no other California county uses.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under California intestacy law when there is no will.
Most California estates take 12 months to 18 months to move through this process. Creditors have 4 monthsCal. Prob. Code §§ 9050-9054, 9100-9104, 9150, 9153, 9256, 9353, 11420; CCP § 366.2Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the opening of the estate.
What Probate Costs in Kings County
What probate costs in Kings County, California comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Superior Court - Civil Division at 1640 Kings County Drive, Hanford.
California charges $435Cal. Gov. Code §§ 70650(a), 70602.5, 70602.6Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
California sets attorney fees by statute — a percentage of the estate's gross value. Every attorney charges the same schedule, so the decision to hire one comes down to complexity, not price.
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. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
California requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under Cal. Prob. Code §§ 8480 (bond required before letters issued), 8481 (waiver: will provision or all-beneficiary written waiver; court may still require bond for good cause)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in California typically runs 12 months to 18 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Superior Court - Civil Division
Probate cases in Kings County, California are filed at the Superior Court - Civil Division.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Probate.
Walk-in or by appointment; appointments by email. Does not assist with full probate administration; guardianship of the person only.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
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.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Kings County Self-Filing Assessment.
Kings County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Where notice by publication is required, including probate petitions, proof of publication is filed at least five court days before the hearing.
Failure to comply may result in removal from calendar, a continuance or sanctions (Local Rule 307).
SourceDocuments connected with a next-day appearance are submitted no later than 3:00 PM the day before the hearing (Local Rule 111).
SourceOther Requirements
Effective September 1, 2024: Court no longer guarantees Court Reporter services for Unlimited Civil, Limited Civil, Family Law, and Probate case types.
Local Rule 130: the court does not normally provide official court reporters for probate proceedings.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Superior Court - Civil Division: Certified copy of the death certificate (required by some counties with the petition; not a statewide DE-111 attachment); Original will and any codicils (lodged with the court) (Cal. Prob. Code § 8200); Notice of Petition to Administer Estate (DE-121) with proof of publication and mailed notice (§§ 8100, 8120); Duties and Liabilities of Personal Representative (DE-147); Confidential Supplement to Duties and Liabilities of Personal Representative (DE-147S), where the court requires it by local rule; Proposed Order for Probate (DE-140)Cal. Prob. Code §§ 8000-8577 (appointment & letters); §§ 8002, 10450 (petition contents)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Kings County
In California a death is registered locally, and in Kings County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Department of Public Health Vital Statistics Unit, Kings County as well as by California Department of Public Health - Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Kings County · Department of Public Health Vital Statistics Unit
Phone
Hours
Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM; Friday 8:00 AM-11:00 AM
Office
460 Kings County Drive, Suite 101, Hanford, CA 93230
Website
Also issued by
The county recorder
Local rule
- The unit issues certified copies for the previous and present year. All other years come from the Clerk-Recorder.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $26 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Sheriff-Coroner
Kings County · Sheriff's Office Coroner-Public Administrator
Phone
Hours
Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM; Friday 8:00 AM-noon
Office
1470 North Drive, Hanford, CA 93230
Website
Mail and offices
Fax
1-559-584-3103
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Funeral Homes in Kings County
1 funeral home or crematory in Kings County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.
Funeral homes by city: Corcoran
Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.
Transferring Property in Kings County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the County Recorder.
Deeds and other real property documents for Kings County are recorded with the County Recorder at 1400 West Lacey Boulevard, Hanford, CA 93230. Phone: 1-559-852-2470. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
The County Recorder charges $13 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
Kings County accepts electronic recording.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Kings County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
1400 West Lacey Boulevard, Hanford, CA 93230
Website
E-recording
available
Fax
1-559-582-6639
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $13 |
| Each additional page | $3 |
| GC 27388.1 Building Homes and Jobs Act Fee (SB 2)Applies to a TOD deed | $75 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
Cal. Gov. Code 27361; Cal. Gov. Code 27388; Cal. Gov. Code 27388.1; Cal. Gov. Code 27388.2; Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code 11911; Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code 11930
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Forms that put a death on the title
- Free forms: Affidavit of Death Form
Probate Attorneys Serving Kings County
California allows independent administrationCal. Prob. Code §§ 10400 (Independent Administration of Estates Act), 10500(a) (administer without court supervision), 10501 (actions still requiring court supervision)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so the personal representative manages, pays and distributes the estate without returning to the court for approval at each step. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in California are set by statute as a percentage of the estate's value, so every Kings County attorney charges the same schedule. Price isn't the variable — experience with the Superior Court - Civil Division and responsiveness are.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Superior Court - Civil Division, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Serves Kings County and the Central Valley from Hanford, handling trusts and probate alongside estate planning, agricultural and real property law, and family law. Founded by Michael A. Dias and now ten attorneys, many of whom grew up in Kings County and the surrounding area.
Hanford firm serving Kings, Fresno, and Tulare Counties since 1945. Files petitions for probate in Kings County Superior Court, guides executors and administrators through estate settlement, advises trustees on trust administration, and litigates will contests and trust disputes. Its 13 attorneys quote estate planning work at flat rates.
Serves Fresno and the surrounding Central Valley from Fresno, practicing since 1903 with roughly 40 attorneys. The trusts and estates group handles trust and estate administration, trust and estate contests, litigation and appeals, and represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in estate and gift tax audits and disputes.
Visalia firm serving Tulare County and the Central Valley with probate petitions and court filings, trust administration support for trustees, and estate planning. Also handles special needs planning and Medi-Cal and elder law matters. Free initial call.
Fresno firm serving the central San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast from offices in Fresno, Modesto, Visalia, and San Luis Obispo. Its trusts and estates group administers testate and intestate estates and trusts, and represents beneficiaries, fiduciaries, and creditors in probate and trust litigation, will and trust contests, and fiduciary surcharge and removal proceedings.
Handles trust administration, probate, and trust and estate litigation for families in Tulare and Kings counties from its Visalia office, including estate settlement, appraisal and estate-tax issues, and contested probate matters. It is the oldest continuously practicing firm in Tulare County, with a legal history spanning more than 130 years.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(10)·
- Cal. Gov. Code §§ 70650(a), 70602.5, 70602.6
- Cal. Prob. Code § 10800
- Cal. Prob. Code §§ 10400 (Independent Administration of Estates Act), 10500(a) (administer without court supervision), 10501 (actions still requiring court supervision)
- Cal. Prob. Code §§ 8000-8577 (appointment & letters); §§ 8002, 10450 (petition contents)
- Cal. Prob. Code §§ 8005 (hearing on the petition), 8006 (court admits the will and appoints the personal representative); no registrar or clerk informal probate track
- Cal. Prob. Code §§ 9050-9054, 9100-9104, 9150, 9153, 9256, 9353, 11420; CCP § 366.2
- Cal. Gov. Code 27361; Cal. Gov. Code 27388; Cal. Gov. Code 27388.1; Cal. Gov. Code 27388.2; Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code 11911; Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code 11930
- Kings County Superior Court - Civil Division, official page
- Kings County Recorder, official page
- Kings County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from California statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in California
Free tools for settling an estate in California: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool.
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.
See the Steps
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.
See the Steps
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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