Probate Lawyer in Los Angeles
When you lose someone you love, the last thing you need is a confusing court process standing between your family and the estate they are meant to receive. At the Law Office of Rodney Gould, we help families across Los Angeles settle estates with clarity and calm. We know this is a hard season, and our goal is to make the legal side of it feel a little lighter.
As a probate lawyer in Los Angeles serving Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Beverly Hills, and the wider county, we bring attentive support, trusted experience, and reliable counsel to every case. We handle the paperwork, the deadlines, and the courtroom, so you can focus on what matters most. Call us at 818-981-1760 for a free consultation today.
What Does a Los Angeles Probate Lawyer Do?
A probate lawyer in Los Angeles guides you through the court process of settling a loved one's estate, from the first petition to the final transfer of assets. Probate is the legal process of proving a will, if one exists, paying the debts of the person who died, and passing what remains to the rightful heirs.
When someone passes away, their property, accounts, and belongings become what the law calls their “estate.” If that estate has to go through court, the process is known as probate. The California Courts Self-Help Guide lays out the basic steps, but the real work often lands on the family during an already painful time.
Our role is to carry that weight for you. Specifically, we prepare and file the required documents, meet each court deadline, and speak for the estate in front of the judge.
Here is how we typically help:
Prepare and file the probate petition with the Superior Court
Give legal notice to heirs, beneficiaries, and creditors
Inventory and value the property in the estate
Handle debts, taxes, and creditor claims
Ask the court to approve the final transfer of assets
Every estate is different, so we shape each step around your family's situation and the questions you bring to us.
We also make a point of explaining things in plain terms, so you always know what is happening and why. You should never feel lost in your own family's case, and we work hard to make sure you do not.
How the Los Angeles County Probate Process Works
Los Angeles County probate begins when you file a petition with the Superior Court, and it ends when a judge approves the distribution of the estate. Most decedent estate cases in the county move through the court's probate division, with many matters heard at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles.
The process follows the California Probate Code, the set of state laws that spell out how estates must be handled. These rules exist to protect heirs and creditors alike, and they set the order in which each step must happen.
A key early step is naming a personal representative, the person the court puts in charge of the estate. If there is a will, this is usually the executor named in it, and if not, the court appoints an administrator, often a close family member. We help that person understand their duties, so they are never left to figure it out alone.
Here is how a case usually unfolds:
Step 1: File the petition and ask the court to appoint a personal representative
Step 2: Notify heirs, beneficiaries, and creditors, and publish a required legal notice
Step 3: Gather, list, and value the estate's assets
Step 4: Pay valid debts, taxes, and approved creditor claims
Step 5: Ask the court to approve the final distribution to the heirs
Each of these steps carries its own forms, deadlines, and rules, and a single missed detail can slow the whole case down. We keep the process on track, so your family is not left guessing about what comes next.
When Do You Need to Go Through Probate in California?
You generally need to go through probate in California when the person who died owned assets in their name alone that add up to more than the state's small-estate limit. For deaths on or after April 1, 2025, the small estate affidavit limit for personal property under Probate Code §§ 13100–13101 is $208,850.
Not every estate has to go through a full court case. In contrast, smaller estates can often pass to loved ones through faster, simplified steps, and some assets skip probate entirely.
The primary reason estates end up in probate is that assets were left in the deceased person's name alone, with no plan to pass them on. This is very common, and it does not mean anyone did anything wrong.
Assets that usually avoid probate include:
Property held in a living trust
Bank or investment accounts with a named beneficiary
Life insurance and retirement accounts with a beneficiary listed
Property owned jointly with the right of survivorship
Real estate is one of the most common reasons a case ends up in court, because a home held in one person's name usually cannot be sold or transferred without probate. We regularly help families handle the family home, so it reaches the right hands with as little friction as possible.
If you are not sure whether your loved one's estate needs to go through court, we can review the details with you and explain your options in plain language. We help families in Los Angeles and neighboring counties understand exactly where they stand.
Common Probate and Estate Matters We Handle
Families across Los Angeles come to us with a wide range of probate and estate questions, and we welcome all of them. We handle both straightforward cases and complex disputes, and we are honest with you about what your situation calls for.
Here are the matters we handle most often:
Full probate administration for estates that must go through court
Simplified transfers for smaller estates that qualify
Estates where the person died without a will
Will contests and disagreements among heirs
Trust administration and trust disputes
Representation for executors and administrators
If your situation is not on this list, reach out anyway, and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right fit for your case. We would rather point you in the right direction than take on a matter that is not truly ours to handle.
Because we focus on probate and estate work, we understand how stressful these matters feel, and how much is riding on getting them right. That focus lets us give your case the attention it deserves from start to finish.
How Long Does Probate Take in Los Angeles?
A typical Los Angeles probate case takes about nine months to a year and a half, and more complex estates can run longer. California law builds in several steps that simply take time, including a set period for creditors to come forward with claims.
Several things affect how long a case lasts. The size of the estate, the number of heirs, and whether anyone disputes the will can all add weeks or months to the timeline.
Court schedules also play a role, and busy courthouses can mean longer waits between hearings. This is one reason careful, accurate filings matter so much, because a rejected document can push your next hearing out by weeks.
We work to keep your case moving by preparing each filing correctly the first time, and by staying on top of every deadline. While the timeline is never fixed, steady and organized handling helps your family avoid needless delays.
We also believe you deserve to know where your case stands at every point. Rather than leaving you waiting and wondering, we check in with clear updates as your matter moves forward.
Can You Avoid Probate in California?
Yes, in many cases you can avoid probate in California with a little planning done ahead of time. Tools like a living trust, joint ownership, and beneficiary designations can let your assets pass directly to your loved ones, without a court case at all.
This is where estate planning comes in. An estate plan is simply a set of documents that says who receives your property, and who makes decisions for you, if you cannot.
A few common tools can make a real difference:
A living trust, which holds your assets and passes them on without probate
A will, including the California Statutory Will for simpler estates
A power of attorney, which lets someone you trust manage your affairs if you become unable to
Beneficiary designations on accounts and insurance policies
Putting these pieces in place now can save your family time, cost, and stress later. We help clients across Los Angeles build clear, practical estate plans, and we are glad to talk through what would work for your family.
Even a simple plan is far better than no plan at all, and it is one of the kindest things you can do for the people you love. We take the time to explain each document in everyday terms, so you always understand what you are signing.
Why Families Across Los Angeles Choose the Law Office of Rodney Gould
When you are choosing a probate lawyer in Los Angeles, real courtroom experience matters. Rodney Gould has practiced law since 1991 and has led this firm since 2008, giving families roughly three decades of steady, tested guidance. Experience like this means we have seen the situations that catch families by surprise, and we know how to respond.
That background runs deep, and it shapes how we handle every case:
Courtroom experience: Rodney has litigated probate cases in Superior Courts throughout California, along with appeals in several districts of the California Courts of Appeal.
A strong foundation: he began his career prosecuting mail fraud cases for the U.S. Postal Service, and later served as a special assistant U.S. attorney with the Department of Justice.
Trusted by major organizations: over the years, he has provided legal services to companies such as Starbucks, USAA, MCI, and Bank of America.
Rooted in the community: he has served on boards including Project Angel Food and AIDS Project Los Angeles.
That mix of attentive support, trusted experience, and reliable counsel is what we bring to your family's case. Call 818-981-1760 to schedule your free consultation, and let us show you how we can help.
Los Angeles Probate Lawyer in Los Angeles FAQs
Here are answers to some of the questions we hear most often from families thinking about hiring a Los Angeles probate attorney.
How much does a probate attorney in Los Angeles cost?
In California, fees for ordinary probate services are set by a statutory schedule under state law, rather than by each individual attorney. That means the fee is tied to the value of the estate, and we are happy to walk you through exactly what that looks like for your family during a free consultation.
What happens if someone dies without a will in California?
When there is no will, California's intestate succession laws decide who inherits, starting with the closest family members. Probate Code § 6401 sets the share a surviving spouse or partner receives, and we can explain how those rules would apply to your loved one's estate.
Do I have to go to court myself during probate?
In most cases, your attorney handles the filings and court appearances for you, so you rarely need to appear in person. We keep you informed at every stage, while carrying the courtroom work ourselves.
Which courthouse handles probate cases in Los Angeles?
Many Los Angeles County probate matters are heard at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, though other courthouses serve different parts of the county. We file your case in the right location, and handle the logistics for you.
Can you help if I live outside California?
Yes, we regularly assist executors and heirs who live outside California but need to settle an estate here. We manage the local filings and court appearances, so distance does not have to slow things down.
What is the difference between probate and estate planning?
Probate happens after someone passes away, while estate planning happens beforehand to make things easier for the people you love. We help with both, whether you are settling an estate today or planning ahead to protect your family for tomorrow.
Can more than one person be in charge of an estate?
Yes, California allows more than one person to serve as a co-representative of an estate, though it is not always the right choice. We can help you weigh whether shared responsibility or a single representative makes more sense for your family.
Talk With a Los Angeles Probate Lawyer Today
You do not have to face the probate process on your own. At the Law Office of Rodney Gould, we bring attentive support, trusted experience, and reliable counsel to families across Los Angeles, from Sherman Oaks and Studio City to Beverly Hills and beyond.
Call us today at 818-981-1760, or reach out through our contact page to schedule your free consultation. Let us handle the court process, so you can focus on your family, and on honoring your loved one's memory.