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States→California→San Diego County→Find Attorneys

How Do I Find a Probate Attorney in San Diego County, California?

When to consider hiring help, what to look for in a probate attorney, and firms serving San Diego County.

OverviewCosts & FeesHow to FileFind Attorneys

We found 18 estate law firms serving San Diego County. San Diego County is part of the San Diego region.

These firms handle estate administration, will contests, trust litigation, and other probate matters in San Diego County Superior Court - Probate Division.

California uses formal, court-supervised probate, which makes an attorney worthwhile for most estates in San Diego County — the filing sequence, notice requirements, and accounting leave little room for error. Estates under the small-estate threshold are the usual exception.

Probate attorney fees in California are set by statute as a percentage of the estate's value, so every San Diego County attorney charges the same schedule. Price isn't the variable — experience with the Superior Court - Probate Division and responsiveness are.

A probate attorney files the petition with the Superior Court - Probate 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.

San Diego Firms

Casiano Law Firm

Firm

Serves San Diego County through the county probate court, handling probate administration, trust administration, and trust and probate litigation alongside estate planning and elder law. Attorney Vincent M. Casiano is a State Bar certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Offers a free initial consultation.

Location

4967 Newport Avenue, Suite 12-172San Diego, CA 92107

Phone

(619) 800-6820

Service Area

1 county

Estate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbate LitigationTrust LitigationElder Law
Free consultationVisit site →

Frisella Neilson, APC

Firm

San Diego estate, trust, and probate firm handling the full range of estate planning and probate court matters. Serves individuals and families throughout San Diego County with estate plan creation, probate administration, trust litigation, and beneficiary representation.

Location

2139 First Avenue, Suite 200San Diego, CA 92101

Phone

(619) 260-3500

Service Area

1 county

Estate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationEstate LitigationProbate Litigation
Visit site →

Brierton, Jones & Jones, LLP

Firm

San Diego firm with more than 30 years handling estate planning, probate, trust administration, conservatorships, guardianships, special needs trusts, and trust and probate litigation.

Location

1550 Hotel Circle North, Suite 300San Diego, CA 92108

Phone

(619) 696-7066

Service Area

1 county

Estate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbate
Visit site →

The Lawyer in Blue Jeans Group

Firm

San Diego firm in Old Town serving San Diego County with probate administration and trust administration alongside living trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and advance healthcare directives. Practicing since 1976 with more than 50 years of combined attorney experience guiding successor trustees and executors through estate settlement.

Location

3990 Old Town Avenue, Suite A-102San Diego, CA 92110

Phone

(619) 683-2545

Established

1976

Service Area

1 county

Estate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbate
Visit site →

Leo Law Office, APLC

Solo Practice

Estate planning and probate legal services throughout San Diego County. Attorney Shawn Leo handles estate planning, probate, trust litigation, business succession planning, and elder law matters.

Location

503 N Highway 101, Suite BSolana Beach, CA 92075

Phone

(858) 284-1479

Service Area

1 county

Estate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationTrust LitigationElder Law
Visit site →

Opelon LLP

Firm

Carlsbad boutique serving San Diego County probate court, focused exclusively on probate, trust administration, and estate planning. Guides successor trustees through their duties and deadlines and administers decedent estates on flat-fee pricing, having handled 250+ San Diego County estates since 2021.

Location

1901 Camino Vida Roble, Suite 112Carlsbad, CA 92008

Phone

(760) 278-1116

Established

2021

Service Area

1 county

Estate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationEstate LitigationProbate LitigationElder Law
Free consultationVisit site →

San Diego Legacy Law, PC

Firm

San Diego firm with offices in San Diego and Vista serving San Diego County with probate, estate administration, trust administration, and conservatorships alongside estate planning. Guides executors and successor trustees through decedent estate and trust administration. Founder Nicole D'Ambrogi is a U.S. Navy veteran who advocates for veterans.

Location

3517 Camino Del Rio S, Suite 406San Diego, CA 92108

Phone

(619) 550-3080

Service Area

1 county

Estate PlanningAsset ProtectionTrust AdministrationEstate AdministrationProbateTax Planning
Visit site →

San Diego Probate Law

Solo Practice

San Diego practice concentrated on probate court representation and trust administration alongside estate planning. Attorney Steven F. Bliss guides executors and successor trustees through decedent estate administration in San Diego County, with qualified probate matters handled on a no-recovery-no-fee basis. Offers a free consultation.

Location

3914 Murphy Canyon RdSan Diego, CA 92123

Phone

(858) 278-2800

Service Area

1 county

Estate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbateEstate Planning
Free consultationVisit site →

Tresp Law, APC

Firm

San Diego firm with a second Cardiff-by-the-Sea office serving San Diego County through the county probate court with probate and trust administration, contested trust and estate matters, and charitable planning. Guides successor trustees and personal representatives through estate settlement across coastal North County and metro San Diego. Offers a complimentary consultation.

Location

2150 W Washington St, Suite 203San Diego, CA 92110

Phone

(858) 248-2779

Service Area

1 county

Estate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbate LitigationTrust Litigation
Free consultationVisit site →

Firms from Neighboring Regions

These firms are based in other regions but serve San Diego County.

The Ashcraft Firm

Firm

Estate planning and probate law firm with offices in Murrieta and San Diego, serving Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Hemet, Lake Elsinore, Moreno Valley, Palm Springs, Perris, and Riverside. Offers free consultations by phone or video.

Location

29970 Technology Drive, Suite 217Murrieta, CA 92563

Phone

(951) 304-3431

Established

1998

Service Area

2 counties

Estate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateEstate Administration
Free consultationVisit site →

Celaya Law

Solo Practice

Attorney Anthony G. Celaya focuses exclusively on estate planning and elder law, including Medi-Cal planning, serving the Napa Valley since 2004. Has created hundreds of estate plans for individuals and families in Napa, Solano, and Sonoma Counties. Offices in Napa and San Diego. Offers complimentary initial consultations.

Location

960 School St.Napa, CA 94559

Phone

(707) 754-0977

Service Area

4 counties

Estate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbateElder LawMedicaid Planning
Free consultationVisit site →

The Estate Lawyers, APC

Firm

Serves Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Diego from Irvine, focusing on probate, trust, and elder-law disputes. Handles trust and will contests, trustee misconduct and accounting disputes, conservatorship fights, and elder financial abuse claims, with trust and estate administration support. Three attorneys are State Bar certified specialists in Estate Planning, Trusts and Probate Law.

Location

18400 Von Karman Ave, Suite 550Irvine, CA 92612

Phone

(866) 330-0578

Established

2005

Service Area

5 counties

Estate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbateTrust LitigationTax PlanningConservatorshipElder Abuse
Visit site →

Holstrom, Block & Parke, APLC

Firm

Inland Empire firm with offices in Corona, Riverside, Temecula, Newport Beach, and San Diego. Through its Sandoval Legacy Group division it handles probate, trust administration, conservatorships, and special needs planning across Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, San Diego, and Los Angeles Counties. Offers a free telephonic consultation.

Location

1897 California AveCorona, CA 92881

Phone

(855) 827-6639

Service Area

4 counties

Estate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationSpecial Needs PlanningAppealsElder Law
Free consultationVisit site →

Klein DeNatale Goldner

Firm

For nearly 75 years, helping families in the San Joaquin Valley and beyond build effective estate plans and handle complex probate matters. Offices in Bakersfield, Fresno, San Diego, and Santa Barbara providing cost-effective probate and estate administration services. Nancy L. Oehler is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, & Probate Law.

Location

10000 Stockdale Hwy, Suite 200Bakersfield, CA 93311

Phone

(661) 485-2100

Established

1951

Service Area

4 counties

Estate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbate LitigationTrust LitigationTax Planning
Visit site →

The Legacy Lawyers

Firm

Trusted probate attorneys serving California since 1998. Founded by Phil Lemmons with a mission to protect both inheritances and relationships. Offices throughout Southern California and statewide. Handles estate planning, trust administration, probate, conservatorship, guardianship, elder abuse, and trust litigation matters.

Location

10221 Slater Ave, Ste 106Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Phone

(800) 840-1998

Established

1998

Service Area

7 counties

Estate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbate LitigationTrust LitigationConservatorshipElder Law
Free consultationVisit site →

Law Stein Anderson, LLP

Firm

Industry-leading estate, trust, and probate attorney serving clients in Irvine and surrounding Orange County communities including Newport Beach and Laguna Beach. Over 150 years of combined experience. Founded in 2015.

Location

2601 Main Street, Suite 1200Irvine, CA 92614

Phone

(949) 501-4800

Established

2015

Service Area

1 county

Estate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbate LitigationTrust LitigationTax PlanningBusiness Planning
Visit site →

MMZ Law, A Professional Corporation

Solo Practice

Boutique estate planning and probate firm led by Marivel M. Zialcita with over 20 years of experience. Provides personalized estate planning, trust administration, probate, and conservatorship services. Avvo Client's Choice Award recipient. Offices in Claremont and San Diego.

Location

341 W 1st St, Ste 100Claremont, CA 91711

Phone

(909) 256-6702

Service Area

2 counties

Estate PlanningEstate AdministrationTrust AdministrationProbateConservatorshipElder LawSpecial Needs Planning
Free consultationVisit site →

RMO LLP

Firm

Statewide probate and trust litigation firm headquartered in Los Angeles, representing trustees, executors, heirs, and beneficiaries in will contests, trust disputes, and breach-of-fiduciary-duty claims. Offices in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Orange County, San Diego, the Bay Area, and Fresno. Free consultation.

Location

901 Bringham AveLos Angeles, CA 90049

Phone

(424) 320-9444

Service Area

7 counties

Estate AdministrationTrust AdministrationEstate LitigationProbate LitigationWill ContestsBreach Of Fiduciary Duty
Free consultationVisit site →

Frequently Asked Questions

Not every estate needs one. Simple estates, small estates under the affidavit threshold, and states with informal probate can often be handled without counsel. Contested wills, out-of-state property, and business interests usually need an attorney. The California self-filing assessment scores whether this estate can be handled without one.

California sets probate attorney fees by statute. San Diego County attorneys charge the same schedule as the rest of the state — there is no county-level variation. Use the probate cost calculator to see the dollar amount for your estate size.

Files the petition, publishes required notices, helps with the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. The attorney represents the personal representative, not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if disputes arise.

Referrals from an estate planning attorney you already work with are the best source. Bar association directories are second. Avoid attorneys who won't quote a fee structure up front or who won't explain whether your estate qualifies for simplified procedures.

Yes — by avoiding probate altogether. A revocable living trust removes the estate from court jurisdiction, which removes the need for a probate attorney at settlement time. Create a revocable trust online for about what one hour of probate-attorney time costs.

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. Information last verified: June 2026.

Superior Court - Probate Division

San Diego County

1100 Union Street, 3rd Floor

San Diego, CA 92101

Phone:

619-844-2676

Hours:

Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM

Visit Court Website →
Paper Filing Available
E-Filing Optional

Notify Banks & Financial Institutions

Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.

America First

America First logo

Credit Union serving the West and Southwest

America First

Arrowhead CU

Arrowhead CU logo

Credit Union serving California

Arrowhead CU

Banc of California

Banc of California logo

Bank serving California

Banc of California

Bank of Hope

Bank of Hope logo

Bank serving the West, Southeast, and more

Bank of Hope

Bank of the Sierra

Bank of the Sierra logo

Bank serving California

Bank of the Sierra

Bank OZK

Bank OZK logo

Bank serving the Southeast, Southwest, and more

Bank OZK

Banner Bank

Banner Bank logo

Bank serving the West

Banner Bank

California CU

California CU logo

Credit Union serving California

California CU

Cathay Bank

Cathay Bank logo

Bank serving the Northeast, West, and more

Cathay Bank

CEFCU

CEFCU logo

Credit Union serving Illinois and California

CEFCU

Citizens Business Bank

C

Bank serving California

Citizens Business Bank

City National

City National logo

Bank serving the Southeast, West, and more

City National

Is this your situation?

Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.

Named as Executor

Named as Executor

Being named executor means navigating probate, managing assets, and distributing the estate. What's expected, what you can charge, and how to start.

Learn more
Death of a Parent

Death of a Parent

Losing a parent is overwhelming. What needs to happen next — settling the estate, navigating probate, and the steps to move forward.

Learn more

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