This guide has general information about what happens to someone's property, bills, and debts after they pass away. This area of law is called probate. The probate division of the superior court handles these issues.
This page has an overview of what to expect in formal probate. A formal probate case has 3 main parts: opening a case, administering the estate, and closing the estate. The entire process typically takes 9 to 18 months and can sometimes take even longer.
Find a specific page with the wills, estates, and probate section.
To ask to seal your juvenile record, you fill out and turn in a form to the probation department or court where your case was processed. The probation department will review your form and then turn it to the court with a recommendation. Then, a judge will decide whether to seal your record. The whole process takes at least 3 months, often longer.
This guide can help you:
Not all estates need to go through formal probate. Depending on how the property is owned, and the type and amount of property, you may be able to use a simpler court process to collect and transfer property after a persons dies.
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When someone under 18 is accused of breaking the law, the case is usually handled in juvenile justice (or delinquency) court. This is very different than the adult criminal court. This section provides basic information and an overview of the juvenile court process.
Information about who can ask to have their misdemeanor conviction dismissed and different options to consider depending on your situation.
Before your hearing, the court will assign someone (an investigator) to do an investigation. The investigator might be a court employee or someone from Social Services (typically, a social worker). A caseworker from the Regional Center will also complete a report for the judge to review.
