Required for attorneysLocal Rule 1.14 requires electronic filing in probate cases through an approved electronic filing service provider; self-represented parties may e-file but are not required to. A party required to e-file may ask for an exemption on form EFS-007, and electronically filed letters carry the appointed person's electronic signature in the affirmation. On paper: Documents filed by self-represented parties; Abstracts; Affidavit re: Real Property of Small Value; Bonds; Citations to be issued; Original wills; Writs.
Filing in person
Walk-ins acceptedDecedent estate and trust papers are filed with the Probate Unit in the Civil Clerk's Office on the fourth floor of City Towers, open 8:15 AM to 4:00 PM; the probate window itself is open 8:15 to 10:00 AM, Monday through Friday. Guardianship and conservatorship papers go to the Family Law Clerk's Office at 1100 I Street, and a drop box takes filings 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe Probate page links FAQs, a glossary and calculator tools for decedent estates, guardianships and conservatorships. A will delivered for safekeeping carries a cover sheet, sold by the clerk or downloaded from the forms page, and a $50 fee.
Hearing schedule
Decedent estate and trust matters Tuesday to Thursday at 8:30 AM; conservatorship and guardianship matters Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 AM; probate law and motion Tuesday to Friday at 8:30 AM.
Self-help center
800 11th Street, Room 220, Modesto1-209-548-6237 · self.help@stanct.org · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-4:00 PMThe Self-Help Center helps self-represented people find and complete forms, first come, first served, including guardianships and conservatorships; decedent estates are not among its listed services. Voicemails are returned on Wednesdays, and emails within one or two business days.
Mail
Superior Court of California - Stanislaus
Probate Department
P.O. Box 3488
Modesto, CA 95354
Departments
Court main line (auto-attendant)1-209-530-3100 · (press 6, then press 4 for probate estates and trust matters)Guardianship, conservatorship and other probate matters handled by Family Court Services are under option 7.
Probate Examinerprobate.examiner@stanct.orgQuestions about probate notes, with your name, the case name and number and the hearing date.
Department 22 courtroom clerk1-209-530-3171Approves and schedules law and motion ex parte matters assigned to Department 22 before papers are filed.
Ex parte hearing requestscrc_civil@stanct.orgEvery ex parte hearing request is emailed here with the department number and "Ex Parte Hearing Request" in the subject, and the case name, case number and a phone number in the body.
Family Law Clerk's Office (guardianships, conservatorships, adoptions)1100 I Street · Monday-Friday 8:15 AM-4:00 PM
About the court
Decedent estates and trusts are handled by the Probate Unit of the Civil Clerk's Office in City Towers; guardianships, conservatorships and adoptions are filed at the Family Law Clerk's Office at 1100 I Street. Phones are answered 8:15 AM to 3:00 PM.
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 Stanislaus County, probate runs through the Superior Court - Civil and Probate Division at 801 10th Street, 4th Floor, Modesto. Stanislaus County runs probate e-filing through stanislaus.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 Stanislaus County
What probate costs in Stanislaus 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 and Probate Division at 801 10th Street, 4th Floor, Modesto.
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 and Probate Division
Probate cases in Stanislaus County, California are filed at the Superior Court - Civil and Probate Division.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Court main line (auto-attendant), Probate Examiner, Department 22 courtroom clerk, and Ex parte hearing requests.
The Self-Help Center helps self-represented people find and complete forms, first come, first served, including guardianships and conservatorships; decedent estates are not among its listed services. Voicemails are returned on Wednesdays, and emails within one or two business days.
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.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
A will is delivered to the Probate Unit in the Civil Clerk's Office within 30 days of the death or of learning of it, with a cover sheet and a $50 fee.
Proofs of service, posting, proposed orders and other papers needed for the hearing are filed at least five court days before it, and the hearing date goes below the case number on the first page.
A $25 late fee per document may be charged for papers filed later (Local Rules 8.02 and 8.05).
A nominated executor who declines to act files a signed written declination, and where the court imposes a minimum bond on a personal representative it is $20,000.
Wills are proved by declaration with a photographic copy attached, filed at least five court days before the hearing; a self-proving will needs no further proof in an uncontested case, and a handwritten will also needs a typewritten copy.
A will in another language needs a certified translation (Local Rules 8.23 and 8.24).
Probate law and motion dates are reserved by calling the probate clerks, and the moving papers are filed within five court days of the reservation or it is cancelled.
Tentative rulings post after 1:30 PM the court day before; a hearing is requested by phone or by email to civil.tentatives@stanct.org before 4:00 PM (Local Rule 8.06).
Petitions for special administration, final discharge, appointment of a guardian ad litem and withdrawal from a blocked account may be granted ex parte; other probate ex parte papers go to the Probate Clerk by 2:00 PM the afternoon before, and the court rules or sets a hearing within 72 hours.
Every decedent estate files a proof of notice to the Director of Health Services or a declaration that none is required, and counsel does the mailing whenever the Probate Code assigns it to the clerk.
The Probate Examiner reviews every matter set for hearing and every probate ex parte application and posts probate notes on the court's website, updated as corrections are filed.
A conservator, including a temporary conservator, buys the Conservator's Handbook from the Probate division of the Civil Clerk's Office or downloads it before the court considers the petition; conservatorship hearings are set about 45 to 60 days after filing.
Filed with the opening petition at the Superior Court - Civil and Probate 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 Stanislaus County
In California a death is registered locally, and in Stanislaus County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Health Services Agency Vital Records, Stanislaus County as well as by California Department of Public Health - Vital Records.
Vital Records Office Record
Local Health Department
Stanislaus County · Health Services Agency Vital Records
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 Stanislaus County are recorded with the County Clerk-Recorder at 1021 I Street, Suite 101, Modesto, CA 95354. Phone: 1-209-525-5250. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM.
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 1670, Modesto, CA 95353-1670.
The County Clerk-Recorder charges $14 for the first page plus $3 for each additional page.
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 Stanislaus County attorney charges the same schedule. Price isn't the variable — experience with the Superior Court - Civil and Probate Division and responsiveness are.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Superior Court - Civil and 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.
Serves Stanislaus County from Modesto. Handles litigated and non-litigated probate, trust administration, conservatorships, and guardianships, along with probate and trust litigation. The team is led by a California Board of Legal Specialization certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law, and the office serves Spanish-speaking clients.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 3 more
Turlock solo practice representing families in Stanislaus County probate court and in private trust administration, and defending wills when a probate is contested. Also handles Medi-Cal planning and irrevocable trusts. Ronald W. Hillberg has been a State Bar certified specialist in estate planning, probate and trust law for over 20 years and is a certified elder law attorney.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 3 more
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
Modesto firm serving Stanislaus, Merced, San Joaquin, Tuolumne, Calaveras, and Fresno Counties with probate administration, trust administration, and estate and gift tax planning alongside wills and trusts. Offers a free consultation on all new probate matters.
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 more
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 2 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.
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.
Enter the estate value to see California attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
Examples:
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.
$
See whether you can file probate yourself
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.
