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Notice of Court closure Martin Luther King Day:

The Court will be closed Monday, January 19th in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

Conservatorships

If the tentative ruling does not require appearances, and is accepted, no appearance is necessary. 

Any party who wishes to be heard in response or opposition to the Court’s tentative ruling MUST NOTIFY the Court’s Judicial Assistant by telephone at (707) 521-6893 and MUST NOTIFY all other parties of the intent to appear, and whether they will appear in person or by Zoom.  Both notifications must be completed no later than 4:00 p.m. on the court (business) day immediately before the day of the hearing.

Unless notification of an appearance has been given as provided above, the tentative ruling shall become the ruling of the court the day of the hearing at the beginning of the calendar, absent an objection from an interested party per Probate Code section 1043.    

To Access the Probate Examiner Notes:

  • Access the Portal
  • Accept the Terms
  • Choose Smart Search, insert your case number, and follow all instructions.

To Join Department 12 “Zoom” Online

To Join Department 12 “Zoom” By Phone:

  • Call: +1 669-254-5252 US (San Jose) and enter the same meeting ID and password as listed above.

Guide for Participating in Court Proceedings via Zoom for Dept 12:

  • After joining the meeting and checking in with the clerk, please mute your audio when not speaking. This helps keep background noise to a minimum.
  • Be mindful of background noise when your microphone is not muted. Avoid activities that could create additional noise, such as shuffling papers.
  • Position your camera properly if you choose to use a web camera. Be sure it is in a stable position and focused at eye level, if possible. Make sure everything visible in the frame is appropriate for an appearance in court.
  • If a confidential session becomes necessary it is incumbent on you to ensure you are able to participate from a private location so that unauthorized people cannot overhear or see the proceedings.
  • Chat is enabled for the sharing of documents among participants and the court and to allow attorneys to communicate individually with each other or their clients only. No chat messages should be sent privately to the court as it would amount to an unauthorized ex parte communication. Neither should chat messages be sent to all participants unless directed by the court.
  • The recording function has been disabled. Remember, the prohibition against recording court proceedings, even remote ones, remains.
  • Be patient. Check in will take more time and the experience from those who have tried this before is that proceedings are a little slower generally.

Tentative Rulings

January 16, 2026 at 9:30 a.m.

  1. Conservatorship of Barbara Anne Hextrum
    25PR01163
    Appointment of Conservator

Tentative Ruling: APPEARANCES REQUIRED.  The Court requests an update from the proposed conservatee’s counsel on her position.

 

  1. Conservatorship of Gerald L. Somer
    25PR01347
    Appointment of Conservator

Tentative Ruling: APPEARANCES REQUIRED.

 

  1. Conservatorship of Gregory Thomas French
    25PR01376
    Review

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. The matter is CONTINUED to March 20, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Department 12. Conservator is directed to file an updated Order and new proposed Letters Appointing Conservator for issuance by Sonoma County.

If both documents are filed at least seven (7) days prior to the hearing, no appearances will be required and the matter will be set for the biennial review and report of the court investigator.

 

  1. & 5 Conservatorship of James L. Patton
            SPR88906
            Account & Report of Trustee
            Petition for Successor Trustee

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. Absent objection and a request to continue the matter, the Court waives time for service of notice of the Report of the Court Investigator, filed on January 13, 2026 and proceeds to the merits of the petitions on calendar.

The Request and Order for Waiver of Accounting for the period of November 8, 2024 through September 30, 2025, for the conservatorship estate, is APPROVED.

The Amended Fifth Account and Report of the current Conservator of the Estate, and Trustee of the James L. Patton, is APPROVED.

The fee request of the current Conservator of the Estate and Trustee are approved in the amount of $15,459.40 (less periodic compensation already paid). In making this determination, the Court has considered the nature and difficulty of the tasks performed, the time spent, the results achieved, and the compensation customarily allowed by the Court in the community where the court is located.  In particular, there appears to be an inadvertent duplication of fees in October 2025 that has caused an increase in the fee request of $5,419.95, and this amount has been deducted from the total amount of fees requested.  The Court has made additional slight reductions based on charges for “setting up billing forms,” some of the scanning charges, and what appears duplicative charges for entering billing (see for examples, March 5, March 8 and March 27 entries for entering 3 months of billing, 4 months of billing and one year of billing).  The Court’s adjustments are as follows:

$21,937.35 total amount requested
($5,419.95) less billed in error for October 2025
$16,517.40
($1,058.00) less additional deductions
$15,459.40  total compensation approved
($2,000.00) less periodic comp already paid
$13,459.40 total payable

The court will edit and sign the revised proposed order submitted on December 12, 2025.

The fees requested by Attorney for the current Conservator and Trustee are approved as prayed. The request for post-trust administration is approved in an amount not to exceed $1,275.00.

Bond for Heidi Darling for the James L. Patton Revocable Trust is terminated.

---------------------------

The Petition of Linsey Patton Dunn as Successor Trustee of the James L. Patton Revocable Trust is APPROVED.

Bond is SET in the amount of $100,000.00.

The Court approved the Petition of Linsey Patton Dunn as Successor Conservator of the Estate on November 21, 2025. The Court now accepts the resignation of the prior conservator.  The Successor Conservator is directed to submit an amended Order that includes Attachment 24, specifying Probate Code §2590 powers, as requested in the Third Amended Petition, along with amended Letters of Conservatorship for the person and estate.

The Successor Trustee is directed to pay the court investigator assessment of $600.00, within 30 days, payable to the Sonoma County Superior Court. Please include the case number and name of the conservatorship and send payment to the Probate Clerk’s office. 

Matter is SET on the January 28, 2027, case management conference calendar, at 3:00 p.m. in Department 12, for status of accounting. If the First Account and Report of the Successor Trustee is filed at least seven (7) days prior to the hearing, no appearances shall be required.

 

  1. Conservatorship of James Cotton
    SPR096492
    Account & Report

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. The conservatorship shall continue without modification.

The Second Account and Report of Conservator is APPROVED.

Conservator is directed to pay the court investigator assessment of $600.00, within 30 days, payable to the Sonoma County Superior Court. Please include the case number and name of the conservatorship and send payment to the Probate Clerk’s office. 

Matter is SET on the October 21, 2027, case management conference calendar, at 3:00 p.m. in Department 12, for status of accounting. If the Third Account and Report of Conservator is filed at least seven (7) days prior to the hearing, no appearances shall be required.

 

***End of Tentative Rulings***

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