Let’s be honest some people are just DIYers and some people want it done for them. There is no judgement one way or the other.  My law firm provides extremely competent, full service, legal services. That’s what we do.  Therefore my post is about full service legal services and, in particular, the problems that can […]

I was recently contacted, as I have been many times throughout the years, by a family member (often a distant family member) who was contacted by a county employee from some county in California. It could be county counsel, county coroner or the public guardian’s office.  The one this past week was from a new […]

“There are no words” was a text I received from a good friend born and raised, and still living, in Los Angeles. He’s a big Laker’s fan and a big Kobe fan.  Kobe was beloved in LA but also throughout the US and even the world. He was truly a world class athlete. RIP Kobe […]

UPDATE AS OF JANUARY 1, 2020 – NEW LAW FOR THE NEW YEAR. THE LIMIT IS NOW $166,250 OR LESS Instead of the old law of $150,000 for small estate procedures. This will enable a few more estates to sneak into small estate territory but really it’s a minor change as it’s been set at […]

I find myself a little frustrated by a potential new client that has decided not to hire me… at least not at this time. Not everybody hires the best probate attorney and that’s fine. They don’t know what they don’t know. However, YOU know because you are reading this blog. So I got their voice […]

I love celebrity probate and estate stories. The latest is a double celeb story! Paulina Porizkova was excluded in Ric Ocasek’s will according to the story I read. Paulina was, of course, a famous model and actress.  Her husband, or according to the story estranged husband, Ric Ocasek was the lead singer of the Car’s. […]

A client contacted me last week and said she needs “an actual deed in her name” so that her “document specialist” could transfer the house to her trust.  I re-sent her a copy of the court order that I recorded after her husband died. I explained that we did a spousal property petition, to transfer […]

I have reported on this before but a good reminder there are tens of thousands of people who have money being held by the state of California. Go check your name and see if any is there in your name. Here is the link to that California lost property page or is the found money […]

After doing approximately 1,500 California probate estates, or “full probates,” I have a pretty good idea what the costs will be… but it’s still an approximation. Today I want to discuss the current costs and what you can expect.  Our probate cost calculator is a good start but remember it’s an approximation. So first thing […]

Lately I seem to have a run of small probate matters and I can say that small probates come in different sizes.  Though the rules are fairly simple I thought you might like to hear some fact patterns so you could see probate code section 13150 and 13200 inaction in real life! Messed up Title […]