The RegistryCounty Record · California

Estate Planning Attorneys in Humboldt County, California

Looking for a estate planning attorney near you in Humboldt County? Explore the county record for estate planning attorneys on the State Bar of California's official roll and review each profile for yourself.

Venue matters. Estate planning cases from Humboldt County are ordinarily heard at the Superior Court of California, County of Humboldt. The far North Coast's hub county, where a compact bar in Eureka covers the full range of civil, family, and criminal matters for the redwood coast.

The law also keeps time: 120 days to contest a trust after the trustee's statutory notice under Cal. Prob. Code § 16061.8. A trustee's notification under Prob. Code § 16061.7 starts a 120-day contest window. Creditor claims in probate are generally barred one year after death (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 366.2). The plaque below carries the citation; the roster that follows carries the rest.

The clock & the court

Statute of limitations

120 days to contest a trust after the trustee's statutory notice.

Cal. Prob. Code § 16061.8

A trustee's notification under Prob. Code § 16061.7 starts a 120-day contest window. Creditor claims in probate are generally barred one year after death (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 366.2).

Court of record

Superior Court of California, County of Humboldt.

County seat: Eureka

Official court information, locations, and filing rules: humboldt.courts.ca.gov

Estate Planning · Humboldt County roster

James J. Aste

Estate Planning · Ferndale

Bar #223326 · Admitted 2002

Official record

Gary A. Bixler

Estate Planning · Mckinleyville

Bar #130133 · Admitted 1987

Official record

Amelia F. Burroughs

Business Litigation · Ferndale

Bar #221490 · Admitted 2002

Official record

Solen Cashman

Elder Law · Eureka

Bar #303367 · Admitted 2015

Official record

Daniel E. Cooper

Business Litigation · Eureka

Bar #160440 · Admitted 1992

Official record

Cyndy Day-Wilson

Business Litigation · Eureka

Bar #135045 · Admitted 1988

Official record

Estate Planning questions, cited

What makes a will valid in California?

A formal will must be in writing, signed by the testator, and witnessed by two people present at the same time who understand it is a will (Cal. Prob. Code § 6110). A holographic will — with the signature and material terms in the testator's own handwriting — needs no witnesses (Cal. Prob. Code § 6111). California also offers a fill-in statutory will form (Prob. Code § 6240).

Does a living trust avoid probate in California?

Assets properly titled in a revocable living trust pass under the trust's terms without probate administration — the successor trustee distributes them per Cal. Prob. Code §§ 16000 et seq. The trust only works for assets actually transferred into it; property left outside may still require probate unless it fits the small-estate procedures or passes by beneficiary designation.

When is probate required in California, and can a small estate skip it?

Probate is generally required when a decedent's California property exceeds the small-estate threshold of Cal. Prob. Code § 13100 — $184,500 for deaths on or after April 1, 2022, adjusted periodically. Below it, successors can collect assets by affidavit 40 days after death. Real property has separate simplified procedures (Prob. Code §§ 13150, 13200) at lower value limits.

How long do I have to contest a trust or a will in California?

For a trust, 120 days after the trustee serves the notification required by Cal. Prob. Code § 16061.7 (or 60 days after receiving the trust terms on request, if later) — Prob. Code § 16061.8. A will contest is filed before admission to probate or, after admission, within 120 days (Cal. Prob. Code § 8270). Missing these windows usually ends the challenge.

What happens if I die without a will in California?

Your estate passes by intestate succession under Cal. Prob. Code §§ 6400 et seq. Community property goes to the surviving spouse; separate property is divided among spouse, children, parents, or siblings by statutory formula. The court chooses the administrator and heirs are fixed by statute rather than by your wishes — the situation an estate plan exists to prevent.

Legal information, not legal advice.

From the answer files

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