What Probate Covers in Contra Costa County
The Probate Division of the Superior Court groups three big areas. The first is wills, trusts, and decedent estates. The court oversees the path of a deceased person's assets and the payment of debts. The second area is conservatorship. A judge can find that an adult cannot care for self or finances and may appoint a conservator. The third area is guardianship, which gives a non-parent custody of a child or control of a child's property. All three areas use the Probate Division calendar in Contra Costa County.
For decedent estates, the small-estate path under Probate Code section 13100 currently applies to estates under $184,500. The threshold changes by statute over time, so verify the current amount before relying on it. Routine probate steps include filing the petition, paying the filing fee or seeking a fee waiver, giving notice, attending the hearing, getting letters, inventory and appraisal, paying creditors, accounting, distribution, and closing the case. Contested estates add objections, discovery, and trial.
The Probate Division page on the Superior Court site is the central hub. Read more on the Probate Division page and see the screenshot below.
The page links to local rules, the Probate Facilitator, calendar notes, and the workshop schedule.
Probate Terms Defined
Probate language can trip up first-time filers. The short list below covers the terms most often used in Contra Costa County probate records. Each one ties to a real role or status in the case file.
- Testator
- The person who made the will. The will speaks for the testator after death.
- Executor
- The person named in a will to carry out its terms. The court issues letters testamentary to confirm the role.
- Intestate
- Dying without a valid will. State law sets who inherits when a person dies intestate.
- Guardianship
- A court order that gives a non-parent legal or physical custody of a child, or control of a child's property.
- Conservatorship
- A court order that places an adult's care or finances with a conservator. Limited conservatorship applies to adults with developmental disabilities.
How to Search Contra Costa County Probate Records
Probate case lookup runs through the Court Public Portal. The portal moved to a new Tyler-hosted site as of April 27, 2026. Search by case number when known, by decedent or party name, or by hearing date. Calendar notes from the probate examiner often post six to eight days before the hearing. The portal does not show every document, and some files stay in paper form. For full file access, visit Court Records at Wakefield Taylor Courthouse.
- Open the Court Public Portal at the new Tyler URL and accept the posted terms.
- Pick Smart Search or a hearing/calendar tool. Choose Probate as the case type if the filter is visible.
- Search by case number, by decedent or conservatee or ward name, or by petitioner.
- Open the result. Review case summary, hearings, parties, register of actions, and probate examiner notes.
- Download any available document. For sealed or restricted items, request access through Court Records.
The probate search-field table below mirrors the live portal layout for Contra Costa County. Field labels may shift slightly with portal updates.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Options / Format Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Number | text | Optional | Search by probate case number if known. |
| Party / Decedent Name | text | Optional | Search by decedent, petitioner, conservatee, ward, or other party name. |
| Case Type | dropdown / filter | Optional | Probate, conservatorship, guardianship, trust, or estate. |
| Hearing Date | date | Optional | Probate calendar notes usually post 6 to 8 days before the hearing. |
| Search | button | Yes | Runs the portal search. |
Decedent Estates in Contra Costa County
The decedent-estate page on the Superior Court site walks through the local process. Most files start with a petition for probate, then move to a hearing, then to letters and inventory. Heirs get notice by mail. Creditors get notice by publication and by mail. The court tracks accounting and final distribution. Small estates may avoid full probate under Probate Code section 13100 if the value sits below the statutory threshold.
See the Decedent Estates page for local procedure.
The decedent-estate page also flags which forms are local versus statewide Judicial Council forms.
Probate Facilitator and Local Help
The Probate Facilitator helps self-represented parties in Contra Costa County. The help is limited. The facilitator only assists with limited conservatorship of the person and guardianship of the person. The facilitator does not help with estates or with conservatorship of the estate. Reach the facilitator at probfac@contracosta.courts.ca.gov or leave a voicemail at (925) 608-2066. Guardianship forms can be started using LawHelp Interactive after first contacting the facilitator.
Newly appointed conservators must complete a Conservatorship Workshop unless they are professional fiduciaries. Workshop registration runs through the Contra Costa County Public Law Library at (925) 655-4627 or reference.questionsCCCPLLIB@gmail.com. The Public Law Library also runs broader workshops, has probate books, and gives free reference help.
See the Contra Costa County Public Law Library for the workshop calendar and probate resources.
The library is one of the most useful no-cost stops for any Contra Costa County probate filer.
Probate Division Contacts
Probate hearings and filings in Contra Costa County happen at Wakefield Taylor Courthouse in Martinez. Court Records at the same address handles certified copies and in-person file viewing. The two cards below give the local addresses and phones.
Probate Division — Wakefield Taylor Courthouse
725 Court Street
Martinez, CA 94553
(925) 608-2613 Probate line
(925) 608-2066 Probate Facilitator voicemail
probfac@contracosta.courts.ca.gov
Court Records Unit
Wakefield Taylor Courthouse
725 Court Street, Room 103
Martinez, CA 94553
(925) 608-1000
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
Contra Costa County Probate Filing Fees
Probate filings use the statewide Judicial Council civil fee schedule. The table below lists the most common items. Court Records sets copy and certification fees for probate files. Always verify current amounts with the court before filing.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Probate petition (estates over the small-estate threshold) | $435 |
| Petition for letters (decedent estate) | $435 |
| Conservatorship petition | $435 |
| Guardianship petition | $435 |
| Court Records plain copy per page | $0.50 |
| Certified court copy | $40 plus $0.50 per page |
| Fee waiver | Available with FW-001 and FW-003 for low-income filers |
What Contra Costa County Probate Records Show
A probate file in Contra Costa County usually shows the case number, case type, decedent or conservatee or ward name, filing date, petitioner, attorney, hearing date, department, and probate examiner notes. The file also holds the petitions, proofs of service, orders, letters, inventories, appraisals, accountings, objections, and the final disposition. Probate examiner calendar notes flag missing items before the hearing, which is why filers should check the case six to eight days out.
Sensitive medical or minor-related details may be restricted. Conservatorship medical evidence and guardianship intake information often sit behind access limits. Sealed exhibits stay out of public view under California Rule of Court 2.550.
Restricted Probate Records
Some probate files in Contra Costa County are not open to general public access. Guardianship and conservatorship cases can involve minors or vulnerable adults, and the court limits access to protect medical or financial details. Mental-health holds and LPS conservatorship hearings carry extra confidentiality rules. Adoption records linked through related family-law cases are confidential under Family Code section 9200. Sealed exhibits remain out of public view unless a judge orders otherwise.
Note: full case-file access at Court Records may require ID, a written request, or a court order, depending on the case type.
Filing Steps in Contra Costa County Probate Cases
The local probate path tracks the statewide flow but adds Contra Costa County calendar habits. Most decedent estate cases follow the same order. Each step ties to a filing window and a fee that should be planned in advance. The list below covers the high-level path most filers see in Contra Costa County.
- File the petition with the required Judicial Council and local forms at Wakefield Taylor Courthouse.
- Pay the filing fee or file FW-001 for a fee waiver.
- Give notice to heirs, beneficiaries, and creditors as the law requires.
- Check the probate examiner notes six to eight days before the hearing and fix any flagged issues.
- Attend the hearing. The court issues the order and letters once the petition is in order.
- File the inventory and appraisal, pay valid creditor claims, and report to the court.
- Submit the final accounting and the petition for distribution.
- Distribute the estate and close the case.
Contested cases add objections, discovery, evidentiary hearings, settlement conferences, and trial dates. The Probate Division calendar moves cases on a posted schedule. Filers who miss the examiner notes window often lose a hearing date in Contra Costa County.