Tracy California Probate Court Records

Tracy probate court records are filed at San Joaquin County Superior Court. The city does not operate its own probate division. California places probate jurisdiction exclusively with county courts. When a Tracy resident passes away, their estate case goes to San Joaquin County Superior Court. The probate division moved to a new location in February 2025. It now operates from 315 West Elm Street in Lodi. This facility handles all probate filings, hearings, and records for San Joaquin County, including Tracy and all other cities in the county. Call 209-992-5696 for probate questions.

San Joaquin County Probate Court

Tracy is in San Joaquin County. All probate cases go to San Joaquin County Superior Court. The probate division recently moved to 315 West Elm Street in Lodi. This is about 30 miles northwest of Tracy via Interstate 205 and Highway 99. The court phone is 209-992-5696. Email probate questions to probateorders@sjcourts.org.

San Joaquin County operates an online case portal at cms.sjcourts.org. Search by name or case number to find probate records. The system shows filed documents, hearing dates, and case status. Most records are public unless the court sealed them for privacy reasons.

The new Lodi facility opened in February 2025. Before that, probate was handled at the Stockton courthouse. Make sure you go to the correct address if filing or appearing for a hearing. The old Stockton location no longer handles probate matters.

How to File Probate in Tracy

Start a probate case by going to the Lodi courthouse. Bring form DE-111, the Petition for Probate. Attach a certified death certificate. If there is a will, bring the original. The filing fee is $435. Pay with cash, check, or credit card at the clerk window.

The clerk reviews your paperwork for completeness. They check that all forms are signed and all required documents are attached. Once accepted, they assign a case number and set a hearing date. Hearings are typically scheduled six to eight weeks out.

Before your hearing, you must publish legal notice in a newspaper. The Tracy Press serves the local area. You also mail notice to all heirs named in the will or entitled to inherit under California law. File proof of publication and mailing with the court before the hearing date.

At the hearing, a judge reviews your petition and asks questions. Most hearings last just a few minutes if everything is proper. The judge signs an Order for Probate and issues Letters of Administration. These letters give you legal authority to manage estate assets. Banks and title companies require these letters before working with you.

Within four months of appointment, file an Inventory and Appraisal. List all estate assets and their values. A court-appointed probate referee appraises non-cash items like real estate and vehicles. When ready to close the estate, file a final accounting and petition for distribution. This requires another $435 fee and another hearing.

Small Estate Affidavits

Many Tracy estates avoid full probate. California lets you use a simple affidavit if the estate is worth less than $208,850. This limit applies to deaths on or after April 1, 2025. The threshold adjusts every three years based on inflation.

For personal property, use form DE-310. This covers bank accounts, stocks, vehicles, and household goods. Wait 40 days after death, then present the affidavit to whoever holds the assets. They must release the property without a court order. For real estate under the limit, use form DE-305 and record it at the county recorder office.

Assets with named beneficiaries skip probate. Life insurance goes directly to listed people. Retirement accounts transfer to named beneficiaries. Bank accounts with payable-on-death designations transfer automatically. Real estate in a living trust or held as joint tenants avoids probate court.

Note: Always use the threshold amount in effect on the date of death, not the current amount.

Legal Help in Tracy

San Joaquin County Superior Court has a self-help center. Staff can help with basic form questions and court procedures. They cannot give legal advice for your specific situation. The center is available during regular court hours at the Lodi facility.

Legal Services of Northern California serves low-income residents. Their San Joaquin County office is in Stockton. Call 209-946-0555 for intake information. They handle some probate and estate matters if you meet income limits.

The San Joaquin County Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service. Call 209-948-0125 to get connected with a probate attorney. Most probate lawyers charge based on a percentage of estate value set by California statute. For a $500,000 estate, the fee is $13,000. For a $1 million estate, it is $23,000.

Tracy Public Library has computers with internet access and legal reference materials. Download probate forms at courts.ca.gov/forms.htm. The California Courts Self-Help website at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/probate explains probate procedures in plain language.

Getting Death Certificates

You need certified death certificates to file probate. Get them from San Joaquin County Clerk-Recorder or the California Department of Public Health. The county office is at 44 North San Joaquin Street in Stockton. Their phone is 209-468-2350. Certified copies cost about $28 each.

Order online through the county website. Processing takes about one week for recent deaths. Older records may take longer to locate. The state vital records office in Sacramento has all California death certificates. Mail orders to P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento CA 95899-7410. Call 916-445-2684 for information. State processing takes three to four weeks.

Order several certified copies. Banks, insurance companies, and government agencies each need their own copy. Most estates need at least three to five certified death certificates.

Other San Joaquin County Cities

The only other city in San Joaquin County with a population over 100,000 is Stockton. Adjacent counties include Alameda County, Contra Costa County, and Stanislaus County.

Searching for Cases

Try different name spellings when using the online portal. Search by last name only. Try with and without middle initials. People sometimes use nicknames but legal documents show full legal names. Women may have cases under maiden or married names.

San Joaquin County probate case numbers have a specific format. If you have a case number from documents, enter it exactly as shown. Include all letters and numbers. The search system requires precise matches.

Older probate cases may not appear online. The county digitized recent records but older files may only exist in paper form. For estates from many years ago, contact the clerk office directly. Retrieving archived records takes extra time.

Not every death creates a probate case. Small estates use affidavits instead of court filings. Assets with beneficiaries transfer outside probate. People with living trusts avoid probate entirely. If you cannot find a case, it may not exist. Call the clerk to verify.