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.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Mariposa County, California
How probate works in Mariposa County: the Superior Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Mariposa County Superior Court
Mariposa County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-3:00 PM
Office
5088 Bullion Street, Mariposa, CA 95338
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
E-filing
OptionalOdyssey eFileCA is available and not required ("Although not required, parties are encouraged to participate in electronic filing and service"). Since July 1, 2024 a $1.00 minimum credit-card processing fee applies to e-file transactions.
Self-represented filing
AllowedLocal guardianship visitation and conservatorship termination forms (PRO-001 to PRO-004) are posted on the Local Forms page; no decedent-estate packet.
County forms
- Petition for Visitation (PRO-001)Requesting visitation in a probate guardianship.
- Order for Visitation - Guardianship (PRO-002)Order on a petition for visitation in a guardianship.
- Petition to Terminate Conservatorship (PRO-003)Petitioning to end a conservatorship.
- Order to Terminate Conservatorship (PRO-004)Order ending a conservatorship.
P.O. Box 28
Mariposa, CA 95338
Departments
- Civil Division1-209-966-6599Office hours 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
- Probate Referee1-209-532-0628 · 21 Theall Street, Sonora, CA 95370 · probate@wright-app.com
About the court
- Probate and conservatorship matters are heard at the Historic Courthouse, 5088 Bullion Street.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Mariposa 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 Mariposa, probate runs through the Superior Court at 5088 Bullion Street, Mariposa. Probate e-filing in Mariposa County goes through mariposa.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 Mariposa County
What probate costs in Mariposa 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 at 5088 Bullion Street, Mariposa.
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
Probate documents in Mariposa County can be filed in person at the Superior Court, by mail, or electronically. Most families handling probate themselves prefer paper filing, though e-filing is available.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Civil Division and Probate Referee.
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 Mariposa County Self-Filing Assessment.
Mariposa 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
All papers necessary to a probate hearing, including proof of notice and affidavits of publication, are filed no later than the second court day before the hearing.
SourceDocument Requirements
The proposed order is submitted at least three court days before the hearing, except for confirmations of sale, contested matters and orders requiring information from a government agency; orders are drawn so their substance can be determined without the petition.
SourceA petition for probate of a will lists every person and organization named in the will or codicils, and a trustee of a living trust that is a beneficiary of the will is listed as a devisee and noticed.
Where a named devisee predeceased the decedent, that is stated in the notice; where a devisee died after the decedent, the date of death is stated and notice goes in care of the personal representative.
SourceAn executor named in the will who declines to act files a written, signed declination with the court.
SourceCourt Appearances
Civil and probate hearings may be attended remotely by ZoomGov in the Upper or Lower Courtroom (telephone 833-568-8864); the remote links are for individuals on the court's calendar and attorneys.
SourceService Requirements
The clerk does not prepare, mail or publish probate notices; notices are prepared and submitted when the petition is filed, and the moving party handles all mailings and newspaper publication.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Superior Court: 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 Mariposa County
In California a death is registered locally, and in Mariposa County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Assessor-Recorder, Mariposa County as well as by California Department of Public Health - Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
County Recorder
Mariposa County · Assessor-Recorder
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
4982 10th Street, Mariposa, CA 95338
Website
P.O. Box 35
Mariposa, CA 95338
Local rule
- The Recorder's Office holds birth, death and marriage certificates for the county, and takes requests online, in person or by mail.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $26 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Sheriff-Coroner
Mariposa County · Sheriff's Office
Phone
Office
5099 Old Highway Road, Mariposa, CA 95338
Website
Mail and offices
P.O. Box 276
Mariposa, CA 95338
Fax
1-209-742-5090
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Mariposa 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 Mariposa County are recorded with the County Recorder at 4982 10th Street, Mariposa, CA 95338. Phone: 1-209-966-2332. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 35, Mariposa, CA 95338.
The County Recorder charges $14 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
Recording Office Record
County Recorder
Mariposa County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Office
4982 10th Street, Mariposa, CA 95338
Website
P.O. Box 35
Mariposa, CA 95338
Recording fees
| Base fee (first page) | $14 |
| 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 Mariposa 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 Mariposa County attorney charges the same schedule. Price isn't the variable — experience with the Superior Court and responsiveness are.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Superior Court, 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.
Merced practice serving Merced, Mariposa, Stanislaus, and Fresno counties. Advises executors and administrators through probate, from the petition and letters testamentary to collecting assets, paying debts and taxes, and distributing to heirs, and handles special needs trusts, Medi-Cal planning, and long-term care planning.
Modesto firm on K Street serving Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Merced, Mariposa, Tuolumne, and Calaveras counties with trust administration and probate alongside wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. Founded in 2009 by Gina Leguria, whose own family spent four and a half years in probate court after her father died, it also handles Medi-Cal and special needs planning.
Estate planning and tax law firm in Fresno serving the San Joaquin and Central Valley since 2004. Drafts wills, codicils, trusts, and powers of attorney and handles trust planning and asset protection alongside tax controversy and business law; the site advertises no probate work. Frank Huerta Jr. brings nearly 18 years as a tax attorney, and consultations are free.
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.
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
- Mariposa Superior Court, official page
- Mariposa County Recorder, official page
- Mariposa 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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