Do I have to go to the Berkeley Courthouse myself?

Almost never. We make the appearances; most uncontested cases proceed without the family attending a single hearing.

My mother's Berkeley house is worth more than $750,000. Does AB 2016 still help?

The primary-residence petition caps at $750,000, so above that, full probate usually applies, but the statutory fee is predictable and we will calculate it in your consultation before you decide anything.

Bay Area Probate Attorney | Probate-Only Law Firm

Bay Area Probate Attorney — One Probate-Only Firm for All Nine Counties

California probate runs on court filings and attorney appearances, not on where the lawyer's office sits. From our offices in Dublin and Berkeley, we handle uncontested probate in every Bay Area county — Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Marin, Sonoma, Napa, and Solano — and most cases finish without the family ever visiting a courthouse.

A focused practice, not a sideline

Since 2012, this firm has done probate only — no estate-planning sideline, no litigation practice with probate on the menu. That focus is why we can quote statutory or flat fees before we begin and tell you in a free 15-minute call whether your case needs full probate or qualifies for a faster petition, such as the AB 2016 primary-residence petition ($750,000 limit, deaths on or after April 1, 2025). Run the numbers yourself with our probate fee calculator.

Where your case will actually be filed

Probate is filed in the county where the decedent lived. Our county and city guides cover the courts Bay Area families use most: San Francisco, Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, and the East Bay (Alameda and Contra Costa). For the rest of the state, see all California service areas.

Families far from the Bay

Many Bay Area estates are settled by children who live elsewhere. Licensed in California and New York, we run a fully remote probate process — the family stays home, we handle the court.

The house is in one county and the executor lives in another. Where is probate filed?

In the county where the decedent resided — the executor's location doesn't matter, and neither does ours. We appear in every Bay Area probate court.

Do you handle contested cases?

Our practice is uncontested probate. If a dispute erupts, we will tell you promptly and help you find the right litigation counsel rather than learn on your case.

Call (925) 336-3632 for a free 15-minute consultation, or book a meeting at our Dublin or Berkeley office.

Related guides: probate when no one in the family lives in California, handling a probate from New York or from Texas, ancillary probate in California, and what to do when an executor can't get a bond.