Probate Administration

Guiding executors and administrators through the complex court supervision of estate assets.

The California Probate Timeline

Probate is the court-supervised process of authenticating a deceased person’s Will (or applying California intestacy laws if there is no Will), valuing their assets, paying final debts, and distributing the remainder to beneficiaries. In California, this is a procedural marathon, not a sprint. Even a simple estate typically requires a minimum of 9 to 18 months to close due to mandatory statutory waiting periods and court backlog.

The process begins with filing a Petition for Probate to have an Executor or Administrator formally appointed. Until “Letters of Administration” are issued by the judge, no one has the legal authority to touch the bank accounts, sell the house, or manage the deceased’s affairs.

Statutory Fees & Costs

Many clients worry about the cost of hiring a probate attorney. In California, attorney fees for ordinary services are set by statute (law) based on the gross value of the estate, not an hourly rate. This means the fees are the same regardless of which attorney you choose. Furthermore, these fees are generally paid from the estate assets at the end of the case, meaning executors rarely pay out-of-pocket for legal representation.

Executor Support

We handle the mountains of paperwork, from the initial Petition to the Final Accounting, so you can focus on grieving, not filing.

We formally notify creditors and scrutinize claims to ensure the estate does not pay invalid or time-barred debts.

Coordinating with real estate agents and appraisers to sell estate property quickly and in compliance with strict court requirements.