How probate works in Mono County: the Superior Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Mono County
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About the court
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
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 Mono County, probate runs through the Superior Court at 100 Thompson Way, Mammoth Lakes. Mono County runs probate e-filing through mono.courts.ca.gov, the only California county on that system.
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 Mono 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 100 Thompson Way, Mammoth Lakes.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: All real and personal property taxes on estate assets are paid before final distribution, and a Property Tax Clearance Certificate from the Mono County Tax Collector is on file before final distribution.
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.
Probate documents in Mono 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 (Probate and Conservatorship filings) and Bridgeport Courthouse.
Self-Help Center and Family Law Facilitator Office. Listed case types are CARE, debt collections, divorce, evictions, fee waivers, gender change, guardianship of a minor, limited conservatorship, name change, parentage, restraining orders, small claims and stepparent adoptions; decedent probate is not listed.
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 Mono County Self-Filing Assessment.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
For probate hearings other than evidentiary hearings, settlement conferences and trials, the court waives notice of remote appearance; parties file no Notice of Remote Appearance but serve notice under Rule of Court 3.672 unless the parties stipulate to waive it.
SourceRemote appearances are by Zoom, with the link on each day's court calendar, or by telephone through CourtCall.
SourceA conservatorship petition triggers an investigation by Family Law; the investigator's report is usually completed within two to four weeks and before the hearing.
SourceFiled 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.
In California a death is registered locally, and in Mono County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Clerk-Recorder, Mono County as well as by California Department of Public Health - Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Mono County · Clerk-Recorder
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| First certified copy | $26 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Mono County · Sheriff's Office
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Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
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 Clerk-Recorder.
Deeds and other real property documents for Mono County are recorded with the County Clerk-Recorder at 74 North School Street, Annex I, Bridgeport, CA 93517. Phone: 1-760-932-5530. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 237, Bridgeport, CA 93517.
The County Clerk-Recorder charges $14 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
Mono County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN, Indecomm, Nationwide Title Clearing, Simplifile and ValueCheck.
Recording Office Record
Mono County
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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
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 Mono 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.
Solo PracticeMammoth Lakes, CA
Eastern Sierra practice with offices in Mammoth Lakes and Bishop, in business since 1989 and serving Mono and Inyo Counties. Attorney Linda D. Hess focuses on wills, trusts, and estate planning and on probate, alongside small business formation and transactions.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateBusiness Law
Solo PracticeMammoth Lakes, CA
Mammoth Lakes office serving Mono and Inyo counties, alongside the firm's Bakersfield office in Kern County. Handles probate, trust administration for successor trustees, and Medi-Cal qualification planning as well as estate planning and asset protection. Robert Brumfield has practiced law since 1984 and in Bakersfield since 1986, and consultations are free.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateAsset ProtectionMedicaid Planning
FirmMammoth Lakes, CA
Mammoth Lakes firm serving Mono and Inyo Counties across the Eastern Sierra with trust and estate administration, probate, and trust and estate litigation alongside estate planning. Rick Wood and Gian Carlo Simonetti handle contested trusts, fiduciary breach claims, and asset disputes, and also practice real estate and construction law.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTrust Litigationand 3 more
FirmSan Francisco, CA
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbate
FirmSan Rafael, CA
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
Solo PracticeSan Diego, CA
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 5 more
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.
Data sourced from California statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Free tools for settling an estate in California: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool.
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.
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.
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.
Browse vetted California attorneys handling probate matters.
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
Enter the estate value to see California attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
General information about probate costs, not legal or financial advice. Fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value or net property after debts. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
Enter the estate value to see whether California lets a self-represented person open probate, what the court requires, and what each route costs.
General information about filing probate without a lawyer, not legal advice. Both routes are priced by the probate cost estimator on the same estate; the attorney fee is the one line that differs. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
