West Covina Probate Court Records

West Covina probate court records are handled by Los Angeles County Superior Court. The city does not operate its own probate division. California state law places all probate jurisdiction at the county level through Superior Courts. When a West Covina resident passes away, their estate case is filed with Los Angeles County Superior Court downtown at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. This is the central probate location for all of Los Angeles County. The courthouse is at 111 North Hill Street in Los Angeles, Room 112. From West Covina, this is about 20 miles west via Interstate 10. Call 213-830-0850 for probate information. The clerk office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

Los Angeles County Probate Court

West Covina is in Los Angeles County. All probate cases go to Los Angeles County Superior Court. The probate division operates from the Stanley Mosk Courthouse downtown. Take Interstate 10 west from West Covina to reach downtown Los Angeles. The clerk office is in Room 112 on the first floor. Phone is 213-830-0850.

Los Angeles County has an online case portal. Search probate cases at lacourt.org. Enter a name or case number to find case information. The system shows filed documents, hearing dates, and case status. You can also access records at lacourt.ca.gov.

Attorneys must file electronically in Los Angeles County probate cases. This rule started in June 2017. People representing themselves can still file paper documents in person or by mail. Bring paperwork to the clerk window during business hours.

How to File Probate

Start a probate case by going to the Stanley Mosk Courthouse downtown. Bring form DE-111, the Petition for Probate. Attach a certified death certificate. If there is a will, bring the original document. The filing fee is $435. Pay with cash, check, money order, 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 stamp your petition and assign a case number. The court sets a hearing date six to eight weeks out.

Before your hearing, publish notice in a newspaper. The San Gabriel Valley Tribune serves the West Covina area. You must also mail notice to all heirs and beneficiaries named in the will or entitled to inherit under state law. File proof of publication and mailing before the hearing date.

At the hearing, the judge reviews your petition and asks questions. Most hearings last only a few minutes if everything is in order. The judge signs an Order for Probate and issues Letters of Administration. These letters give you legal authority to manage estate assets.

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

Small Estate Affidavits

Many West Covina estates skip full probate. If the total value is under $208,850, you can use a small estate affidavit. This limit went up on April 1, 2025. It adjusts every three years based on inflation.

For personal property, use form DE-310. This covers bank accounts, stocks, cars, and household items. 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 Los Angeles County Recorder office.

Assets with named beneficiaries avoid probate entirely. 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 skips probate court.

Note: Always use the threshold amount in effect on the date of death.

Legal Help in West Covina

Los Angeles County Superior Court runs a self-help center at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse on the first floor. Staff help with forms and basic procedures. They do not give legal advice for specific cases. The center is open during regular court hours.

Legal aid organizations serve West Covina residents. Bet Tzedek Legal Services offers help with wills, powers of attorney, and probate at 323-939-0506. Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles helps low-income people at 800-399-4529. Neighborhood Legal Services can be reached at 800-433-6251.

The Los Angeles County Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service at 213-243-1525. They connect you with probate attorneys. Most probate lawyers charge a percentage of estate value based on California statute. For a $500,000 estate, the fee is $13,000. For a $1 million estate, it is $23,000.

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

Getting Death Records

You need certified death certificates to file probate. Get them from Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder or the California Department of Public Health. The county office is at 12400 East Imperial Highway in Norwalk. Call 562-462-2137 for information. Certified copies cost about $28 each.

Order online through the county website. Processing takes one to two weeks for recent deaths. The state vital records office in Sacramento has all California death records. Mail requests to P.O. Box 997410, Sacramento CA 95899-7410. Call 916-445-2684 for questions. State processing takes three to four weeks.

Order several certified copies. Each bank, insurance company, and government agency needs its own certified copy. Most estates need at least three to five copies.

Other LA County Cities

These nearby cities also use Los Angeles County probate court: Los Angeles, Pomona, El Monte, Downey, Norwalk, Alhambra, and Glendale.

For adjacent Orange County, see Orange County. For San Bernardino County, see San Bernardino County.

Searching for Cases

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

Los Angeles County case numbers follow a specific format. If you have a case number from paperwork, enter it exactly as shown. Include all letters, dashes, and numbers. The system requires exact matches.

Older probate cases may not appear online. The county digitized recent decades but very old files may only exist in paper form. For estates from the 1980s or earlier, contact the clerk office directly. Archived record retrieval takes time.

Not every death creates a probate case. Small estates use affidavits instead of court filings. Assets with beneficiaries transfer outside probate. Living trusts avoid court. Some estates have no assets requiring probate. If you cannot find a case, call the clerk to verify.