A lot of people who google the question “how long should a California probate take” probably are either: 1) contemplating hiring a lawyer who says it will take a year or more; or 2) in the midst of a probate with a lawyer who is taking a year or more. I have personally completed over […]

I have been asked the questions many times how should people hold title to real estate in California. Let’s talk about the options. First and foremost, for anybody that owns real estate in California, the best method is in a California revocable living trust. The other options, below, are a distant second place.  Why is […]

I recently became acquainted with HomeLight.com. This website helps consumers find experienced Realtors to help them with their home sale among other features. It’s a really robust site and I encourage my readers to check it out! It has extensive information about the probate process and helping you find a probate experienced Realtor. This is […]

I was recently contacted by a potential client who lived in California. They had lost a loved one and wanted to know about probating their loved one’s will. That all sounds simple so far but wait…. Like many their loved one had set up a will and trust in the US and put some, but […]

Even if you have the best California probate attorney you can get a bad court date. In most cases there are two court dates given. One at the beginning when you file the Petition for Probate or Petition for Letters Testamentary or Petition for Letters of Administration. The second date is at the end of […]

I file a lot of probates each year throughout the state of California. Just off the top of my head I think I have open probates right now in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Alameda, San Diego, Riverside, Sacramento, Placer, Orange, El Dorado, Ventura, Sonoma, Fresno, Kern, Amador, San Bernardino, Sutter, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, Butte, […]

PRESS RELEASE – John Palley to speak at PCAR again Roseville, California.  John Palley will be the main speaker at the Placer County Association of Realtors   Lunch and Learn meeting on March 16, 2018. He will be talking about real estate sales in probate cases. His entire outline is below. Here’s the video for you to […]

It has been said to me by many a client, “it is truly a breath of fresh air how fast you reply to emails and phone calls… thank you.” They often then say something like other attorneys don’t even call them back to schedule an initial appointment or call them back once they are the […]

In homage to the great American movie starring Charlie Sheen and Lloyd Bridges among others, Hot Shots Part Deux, I bring you part deux on Heggstad petitions for non-California assets. This is a question I get asked about it a lot.  Since it was almost 6 years ago that I put up a post on […]

Attention probate attorneys and do-it-yourselfers: If you are utilizing California probate code 850 to do a Heggstad petition or other utilization of this broad code section be careful on your notice of hearing! As of January 1, 2018 there is a new California probate code section 851. I will paste it below. I have highlighted […]