When a parent can no longer manage, or a family member has died, there is a court process for what comes next.
Trust Legal Center helps families in Orange County and across Southern California through California conservatorships, probate and trust administration. You will talk directly with the attorney, get a plain explanation of your options, and know what each step costs before it starts.
Someone I love can no longer manage on their own
Dementia, a stroke, a serious illness, or an adult child with a developmental disability. A conservatorship gives a trusted person legal authority to handle care, money, or both.
Conservatorship help
A family member has died and I need to settle things
Probate, a living trust, or a simpler small estate process. The right path depends on how the property was held and what it is worth.
Probate and trust helpWhat the office handles
Conservatorships
General and limited conservatorships of the person and estate, temporary conservatorships when something cannot wait, and objections when a family disagrees about who should serve.
Probate
Opening the estate, getting letters issued, notice to heirs and creditors, the inventory, selling a house through probate, and final distribution.
Trust administration
Guidance for successor trustees on the required notice to beneficiaries, gathering and valuing assets, accountings, and distributing the trust.
Small estates
Small estate affidavits and the newer court petition that can transfer a primary residence worth up to $750,000 without a full probate.
Contested matters
Disputes over a will or trust, a trustee who will not account, or a conservator who is not acting in the conservatee's interest.
Other civil matters
The Law Office of Madaen also handles California civil litigation. Ask when you call if your matter involves property, a lease, or a debt claim.
How a first call works
- You call or send a message. Tell the office who is involved, what has happened, and the county.
- A short conversation with the attorney. Not a call center. You get an honest answer about whether you need a court case at all, and which one.
- A written plan and fee. If you move forward, you receive the steps, the court filings involved, an expected timeline, and how fees are charged.
Good to know
For deaths on or after April 1, 2025, California lets families transfer a primary residence worth up to $750,000 through a shorter court petition instead of full probate. Many Orange County homes now fit, and many families do not know it exists. How the home petition works.
Recent articles
- Probate
Do I need probate in California? A plain guide for 2026
How to tell whether a California estate needs a full probate, a small estate affidavit, the $750,000 home petition, or nothing from the court at all.
- Probate
Inheriting a home worth up to $750,000 without full probate
California's petition to determine succession to a primary residence explained: who qualifies, the $750,000 limit, form DE-310, and how long it takes.
- Conservatorship
Conservatorship or power of attorney: what families should try first
Why a durable power of attorney and health care directive can avoid a California conservatorship, and when a conservatorship is the only option left.
Talk to the attorney
Call during office hours or send a short message any time. Please share only general facts until you have spoken with the attorney.