California Probate Attorney

A full probate proceeding is necessary in most cases when a deceased person has left assets valued in excess of $100,000 which have not been placed in a living trust or joint tenancy ownership prior to death. In general, all steps in a full probate proceeding are directed toward three goals:

• Collection and management of assets
• Payment of debts and taxes, and
• Distribution of the balance of the assets as provided in the will (or according to California's laws of intestate succession if a person dies without a will).

Our law firm serves executors of all types of wills, including wills drafted by lawyers, do-it-yourself wills, and holographic (hand-written) wills. The person named to distribute property as directed by a will is called an "executor."

If a person dies without a will (known as intestate), then California's intestate succession laws will determine how assets will be distributed to heirs. The person named to distribute the property of someone who dies intestate is called an "administrator."

For further information on probate and estate planning please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. 

At the law firm of Johnson, Fort, Meissner, Joseph & Palley, we have a great deal of experience helping executors and administrators through the probate process.

A Court-Supervised Process

It's important to remember that probate is a court-supervised process. If you have been named as an executor or administrator of someone's estate, you are limited in the duties you can conduct without court approval. You should consult a California probate attorney before doing anything related to the decedent's property or creditors.

At the law firm of Johnson, Fort, Meissner, Joseph & Palley, we represent executors and administrators in all court-supervised proceedings. As your probate attorney, we can ask the court to grant you authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. The authority, if granted, will enable you to take certain actions in administrating the estate without court approval by simply giving notice of your proposed actions to persons having an interest in the estate. We will provide you with further guidance on this "notice of proposed action" as the administration of the estate progresses. We recommend, however, that no actions be taken without conferring with us.

We will prepare all legal documents, conduct all legal filings, make all court appearances, and in general move the probate toward a sure and swift conclusion. It is your job as executor or administrator to make sure all assets are found, a list of creditors is made, and that proper disbursements are eventually made.

At the law firm of Johnson, Fort, Meissner, Joseph & Palley, we will ensure that all necessary legal steps in the administration of the estate are taken, including the preparation of all necessary documents. We will keep you informed of the progress of the probate process. We are always available to answer your questions by telephone or email.

Some assets such as life insurance policies do not go through the probate process, but our law firm can still help you administer them. You should prepare a list of all the decedent's life insurance policies. We should also know about any beneficial interest they had in anyone else's life insurance policies. After we have examined those policies, we will be available to help you or any beneficiary complete and file the forms.

Insuring You and the Estate

Riders should be issued on policies of insurance on the decedent's property, adding your name, as executor, as an insured. After the estate assets have been appraised, we will review the policies to be sure that the coverage is adequate. Full insurance protection is extremely important to you, because your personal funds may be at stake. For a free initial consultation please contact attorney John Palley.

Serving the probate needs of clients in northern California, including Sacramento, Carmichael, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova and the counties of Yolo, Solano, Sutter, Sacramento, Placer, Yuba, and El Dorado.

For a FREE Initial Probate Consultation
Call Probate Lawyer John Palley at 888-920-5983 / 916-920-5983