Articles
Plain language explanations of California conservatorship, probate and trust law, written for families.
ProbateDo 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.
ConservatorshipConservatorship 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.
- Conservatorship
How a probate conservatorship works in Orange County, step by step
The path from petition to appointment in an Orange County probate conservatorship, including the court investigator, the hearing, bonds and ongoing reports.
TrustsA parent died with a living trust. What the successor trustee must do first
The first duties of a California successor trustee: securing assets, the 60 day notice under Probate Code 16061.7, the 120 day contest window, and distribution.
- Conservatorship
Your child with a developmental disability is turning 18: limited conservatorship and its alternatives
What California parents of a young adult with autism or another developmental disability should know about limited conservatorship and less restrictive options.
- Probate
Inheriting a parent's home in California: will the property taxes go up?
How Proposition 19 changed the parent to child property tax exclusion, the one year move-in rule, and the $1,044,586 limit for transfers through February 15, 2027.
- Conservatorship
When you cannot wait: temporary conservatorships in California
When a temporary conservatorship is appropriate, what the court requires, notice rules, and how it bridges the gap until the full conservatorship hearing.
- Conservatorship
Signs a parent is being financially exploited, and what California law lets you do
Warning signs of elder financial abuse and the California tools that stop it: elder abuse restraining orders, conservatorship, and recovering stolen property.
- Trusts
Contesting a will or trust in California: the deadlines that decide your case
The 120 day deadlines for California will and trust contests, common grounds such as undue influence and lack of capacity, and what to do first.