Probate Division

Probate primarily involves decedents' estates, trusts, guardianship of minors, and conservatorship of adults who are unable to provide for their personal needs or manage their financial resources. These matters are filed and heard in the Placer County Superior Court’s Civil Division only.

Probate is the court process of administering the estate of a deceased person by resolving all claims and distributing the deceased person's property under a will. A probate matter interprets the instructions of the deceased, decides the executor as the personal representative of the estate and adjudicates the interests of heirs and other parties who may have claims against the estate. A probate trust matter involves the administration of the legal entities that hold property for another.

For detailed information about Wills, Estates, and Trusts, including forms and "How To" procedures, please visit the California Courts Self-Help website

These cases are brought by the person seeking to be appointed guardian or by someone else in the family asking the court to appoint a guardian. If custody of the minor was awarded to a non-parent through the juvenile dependency court, this section does NOT apply.

For detailed information about Guardianships, including forms and "How To" procedures, please visit the California Courts Self-Help website

A conservatorship is a court case where a judge appoints a responsible person or organization (called the “conservator”) to care for another adult (called the “conservatee”) who cannot care for himself or herself or manage his or her own finances.

For detailed information about Conservatorships, including forms and "How To" procedures, please visit the California Courts Self-Help website 

Forms can be found and printed from the California Judicial Council website and our local court forms.