Alhambra Probate Court Records

Probate matters for Alhambra residents go through Los Angeles County Superior Court. California does not let cities run their own probate divisions. The county court handles everything. If an Alhambra resident passes away, you file their case downtown at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, located at 111 North Hill Street in Los Angeles. This same courthouse processes probate for the entire county, including all 88 incorporated cities. The probate clerk office sits in Room 112 on the first floor. Court hours run Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

LA County Probate Division

Los Angeles County Superior Court has exclusive jurisdiction over probate cases. Drive to 111 North Hill Street in downtown LA. Parking is available in nearby lots and garages. The Stanley Mosk Courthouse is a large building across from the criminal courthouse. Enter through security on the Hill Street side.

Take the elevator to the first floor. Room 112 houses the probate clerk. Lines can be long during morning hours. Afternoon visits after 2 PM often have shorter waits. The clerk window closes at 4:30 sharp, so arrive early if you need help.

Call 213-830-0850 for general probate information. Phone lines get busy. You may wait on hold. The best time to call is right at 8:30 when the office opens.

LA County requires electronic filing for all attorneys. This rule took effect in June 2017. People representing themselves can still file paper documents. Bring two copies of everything. The clerk stamps one and returns it as your receipt.

Search cases online at lacourt.org. You can look up cases by name or case number. The portal shows filed documents and upcoming hearings. Some older cases may not appear online.

Filing for Probate

Get certified death certificates first. You need the original will if one exists. Fill out form DE-111, the Petition for Probate. You can download this from courts.ca.gov. The form asks for information about the deceased, their heirs, and their property.

Take your petition, death certificate, and will to Room 112 at the courthouse. The filing fee is $435. Pay with cash, money order, credit card, or debit card. Personal checks are not accepted. The clerk reviews your papers and assigns a case number.

The court schedules a hearing six to eight weeks out. You must publish notice in a newspaper. You also must mail notice to all heirs and people named in the will. File proof of these notices before the hearing date. If you skip this step, the judge continues your case to another date.

Appear at your hearing. The judge asks questions about the estate. If satisfied, the judge signs an Order for Probate and issues Letters of Administration. These letters give you authority to manage estate assets. You can now access bank accounts, sell property, and pay creditors.

File an Inventory and Appraisal within four months. This lists all estate assets and their values. When ready to close the estate, file a final petition. Pay another $435 fee. Attend a final hearing. The judge approves your accounting and authorizes distribution to heirs.

Small Estate Procedures

Estates worth less than $208,850 may avoid full probate. This threshold applies to estates where someone died on or after April 1, 2025. Use form DE-310 for personal property or DE-305 for real estate.

Wait 40 days after the death. Fill out the small estate affidavit. Take it to banks, stock brokers, and other institutions. They must release assets to you. No court filing is needed for personal property under the limit.

For real estate valued under $80,925, file form DE-305 with the court. The filing fee is $50. The court issues an order in about four weeks. Use this order to transfer property at the county recorder office.

Legal Resources for Alhambra Residents

The LA County Superior Court self-help center operates on the first floor of the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. Staff help with forms and basic procedures. They cannot give legal advice about your specific situation. Walk-in service is available during court hours.

Bet Tzedek Legal Services offers free help with estate planning and probate. Call 323-939-0506. They serve low-income seniors and people with disabilities. Services include will preparation, power of attorney documents, and probate assistance.

The Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles helps people who qualify based on income. Call 800-399-4529. They handle various civil matters including probate. Intake specialists determine if you qualify for free representation.

The Los Angeles County Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service at 213-243-1525. For a small fee you get a consultation with a private attorney. This helps you understand your options and what legal help might cost.

Note: Court staff cannot recommend specific attorneys or tell you what forms to file. They can only explain general procedures.

Searching Probate Cases

Use the LA County case portal to search by name. Type the last name first. Try different spellings if you do not get results. People with common names may have multiple entries, so check dates of birth or death to identify the right person.

Case numbers provide more precise searches. Enter the full number including letters and dashes. The format is specific, so copy it exactly from any paperwork you have.

Records from before the 1990s may not be online. Call the probate clerk at 213-830-0850 to ask about archived cases. Staff can search old records, but retrieval takes days or weeks. Visit in person if possible, as that speeds things up.

Remember that not all deaths result in probate. Joint accounts transfer automatically. Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance avoid probate. Living trusts keep assets out of court. Some estates are too small to require formal proceedings.

Nearby Cities and Counties

Other LA County cities using the same probate court include Los Angeles, Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, Torrance, and Pomona. All go to the Stanley Mosk Courthouse.

Adjacent counties with their own probate courts: Orange County, San Bernardino County, and Ventura County.