San Diego Estate Planning Lawyer Blog
The San Diego Superior Court has a probate timeline on their website. The administration of probate can be very complicated and time consuming. The timeline guidelines below are not necessarily what will happen in your case and is used for a general outline of the process and probate timeline.
The first step is to file a probate petition. A hearing will be set and will be from 4-6 weeks after the petition is filed. During this time, you will need to publish the notice of the petition to administer the estate and mail notice of the petition to administer the estate to all persons who are entitled to receive notice. There are very strict time periods and an attorney can assist.
The second step is to check the probate notes, before the hearing, to make sure that there are no defects in the petition and that all necessary documents have been filed.
After the Probate petition is approved, you must submit your Probate Orders, letters and a bond if required. After a minimum of four months from the date of the hearing, you may prepare your inventory and appraisal and file with the San Diego Superior Court, Probate Division and send to the San Diego County Probate Referee. In addition, there must be notice given to all known creditors and you will either accept or reject these creditor claims. Debts will be paid and tax returns filed and, again, there are strict deadlines. Usually 12-18 months from the date of appointment, there will be a final accounting and distribution.
The process is time consuming and can be confusing. Forms change as do local rules. Our law office in Rancho Bernardo can help with the entire probate process. Please contact us for a complimentary and confidential consultation.