Glendale Probate Court Records
Probate cases for Glendale are filed at Los Angeles County Superior Court. Glendale does not have a probate court. State law gives counties exclusive control over probate matters. When a Glendale resident passes away, their estate goes through the LA County system. The probate division sits at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse located at 111 North Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles. This courthouse handles all probate for the county's 88 cities. Glendale residents must travel downtown for probate services. You file petitions, attend hearings, and access records at this location. The probate clerk office is in Room 112 on the first floor. Call 213-830-0850 for information. Hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Glendale Probate Information
LA County Probate Division
Glendale cases go to Los Angeles County Superior Court. The probate division operates from the Stanley Mosk Courthouse at 111 North Hill Street. The probate clerk office is in Room 112. Call 213-830-0850 with questions. The court handles probate, guardianships, and conservatorships.
Office hours run Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The clerk window accepts filings all day. Walk-in service is available. No appointment needed. Bring your documents and payment. Staff review papers at the window.
Los Angeles County maintains an online case portal at lacourt.org. Search by name or case number. The system displays case information, filed documents, and hearing schedules. Access is free but some features require account creation.
The county also provides case access at lacourt.ca.gov. This portal shows case status and documents. Both systems cover the same information but have different interfaces.
How to File Estate Cases
Download form DE-111 from the California Courts website. This is the Petition for Probate. Fill it out completely. List the decedent's name, address, and date of death. Name all heirs and beneficiaries. Describe what property the estate includes.
Attach a certified death certificate. If a will exists, include the original. Make copies for yourself before filing. The court keeps original wills. You cannot retrieve them later. Take everything to 111 North Hill Street in Los Angeles.
Pay the $435 filing fee at the probate clerk window in Room 112. Bring cash, check, money order, or credit card. The clerk reviews your documents and assigns a case number. They set your hearing date. Expect it six to eight weeks out. Write down your date and time.
After filing, publish notice in a legal newspaper. The Los Angeles Daily Journal qualifies. So do other approved papers. The newspaper files proof with the court. Mail notice to all heirs, beneficiaries, and creditors. Keep copies. File proof of service before your hearing or the judge will continue the case.
Simplified Small Estate Procedures
California allows shortcuts for estates worth less than $208,850. This threshold applies to deaths on or after April 1, 2025. Small estate procedures avoid full probate. They save time and money.
Use form DE-310 for personal property. This includes bank accounts, vehicles, and securities. Wait 40 days after death. Fill out the form and present it to whoever holds the assets. They transfer property to you. No court hearing happens. No filing fee applies.
Real property worth less than $67,425 uses form DE-305. File this with the LA County Recorder. The recorder charges about $15. This works only for California real estate. Out of state property follows different procedures.
Assets with named beneficiaries skip probate. This includes life insurance and retirement accounts. Joint tenancy property transfers automatically. Living trusts also avoid probate if properly established and funded.
Note: The small estate threshold adjusts every three years based on inflation.
Getting Legal Help
Los Angeles County Superior Court runs a self-help center at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. Staff help with forms and explain procedures. They cannot give legal advice about your case. The center is free and open during court hours. No appointment needed.
Glendale residents can get help from several organizations. Bet Tzedek Legal Services provides free help with probate and estate planning. Call 323-939-0506. Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles helps low-income people. Call 800-399-4529. Neighborhood Legal Services provides civil legal aid. Call 800-433-6251.
The LA County Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service. Call 213-243-1525. They match you with private attorneys. Probate lawyers charge $300 to $600 per hour in LA County. Some work on flat fees. Get written fee agreements before hiring.
The Glendale Public Library has legal reference materials. The Central Library is at 222 East Harvard Street. Librarians help you find forms and guides. Free computer access is available for research.
Death Certificate Orders
You need certified death certificates for probate. Order from the LA County Registrar-Recorder or the state office. The county office handles recent deaths. The state has older records.
The LA County Registrar-Recorder is at 12400 East Imperial Highway in Norwalk. Order online at lavote.gov or go in person. Certified copies cost about $28 each. Get several for banks, insurance, and court. Processing takes one to two weeks.
The California Department of Public Health is in Sacramento. Mail orders to P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento CA 95899-7410. Call 916-445-2684 for information. State processing takes three to four weeks. Online ordering is available.
Only authorized people can order death certificates. This includes family members and legal representatives. Bring valid ID. You may need to prove your relationship or authority.
Other LA County Cities
These cities near Glendale also use Los Angeles County Superior Court for probate: Burbank, Pasadena, Los Angeles, Alhambra, South Pasadena, and La Canada Flintridge. All cases file at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse downtown.
For adjacent counties, visit: Orange County, Ventura County, and San Bernardino County.
Tips for Finding Cases
Use the LA County online portal to search probate cases. Enter the last name first. Try different spellings. Try with and without middle initials. People use nicknames but court records show legal names. Women may have cases under maiden or married names. Try both.
If you have a case number, enter it exactly as shown. LA County probate cases follow a standard format. Include all letters and zeros. This gives you direct access to the case file. You can view documents and hearing dates.
The online system covers cases from recent decades. Older cases may exist only on paper. For estates from the 1980s or earlier, contact the clerk office. They can search archived files. This takes time so call ahead.
Not every death creates a probate case. Small estates use forms that do not create court files. Assets with beneficiaries transfer outside probate. Living trusts avoid probate. If no case exists, the estate may have used an alternative method.