Estates & Other Probate

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 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

July 31, 2026 at 9:30 a.m.

  1. Estate of Daniel Manzoni
    24PR00480
    Waiver of Account & Report

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED.  This matter is CONTINUED to October 30, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Department 63.  Please refer to the Probate Examiner Notes.  The extended continuance is a result of the need to give the Franchise Tax Board a reasonable amount of time to respond to the notice, if necessary.  The Court notes the notice should have been provided not later than 90 days after the issuance of letters.  Probate Code section 9202.  If notice was in fact timely served, petitioner should file a verified supplement to this effect with proof and request to appear for the purpose of presenting it to the Court and potentially avoiding the continuance.

 

  1. Estate of Roderick J. Buchignani
    24PR00535
    Waiver of Account & Report

Tentative Ruling: APPROVED. NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED.

 

  1. Estate of Lindel Lee Douglas
    25PR00016
    Account & Report

Tentative Ruling: APPROVED. NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. Any future court dates are DROPPED from calendar.

 

  1. Estate of Sheryl Ann Ragle
    25PR00016
    Waiver of Account & Report

Tentative Ruling: APPROVED. NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. Any future court dates are DROPPED from calendar.

 

  1. Estate of Richard Andrew Humphrey
    25PR00388
    Status Report

Tentative Ruling: APPROVED.  NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED.  The matter is SET on the case management conference calendar on June 24, 2027 at 3:00 p.m. in Dept. 63.  The Court will correct the proposed order to reflect the future hearing date.  The Court notes the proposed order references June 31, and June only has 30 days.

 

  1. Estate of Melanie Lou Wood
    25PR00764
    Waiver of Account & Report

Tentative Ruling:  NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED.  This matter is CONTINUED to September 11, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Department 63 to allow petitioner to file and serve an amended petition addressing distribution of the deceased beneficiary’s share.  When a beneficiary dies during administration of an estate, the Petition for Distribution must request distribution pursuant to Probate Code sections 11801 and 11802.  The present proposed distribution does not comply with the law.

 

  1. Estate of Brian Thomas Mitchell
    25PR00881
    Waiver of Account & Report

Tentative Ruling: APPROVED.  NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED.  Petitioner to submit a revised proposed order with the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) for the vehicle subject to distribution.

 

  1. Estate of Kendall K. Kagan
    25PR01035
    Waiver of Account & Report

Tentative Ruling: APPROVED. NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. Any future court dates are DROPPED from calendar. 

Petitioner is to submit a revised proposed order that distributes the assets to Jeffrey Kirk, Trustee of the 2023 Jeffrey Walton Kirk Revocable Trust as requested in the Petition.

 

  1. Estate of Gloria Faye Robinson
    25PR01103
    Waiver of Account & Report

Tentative Ruling: APPROVED. NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. Any future court dates are DROPPED from calendar. 

 

  1. Estate of James Robert Dracopoulos
    25PR01338
    Account & Report

Tentative Ruling: APPROVED. NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. Any future court dates are DROPPED from calendar.

 

  1. Estate of Vincent Troy Helper
    26PR00271
    Letters of Administration

Tentative Ruling: APPROVED as stated below. NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED.

At the 6/18/26 hearing, attorney Reid Harada appeared on behalf of Tasina Helper to raise oral objections. The Court ordered that any objections must be filed and served no later than 7/17/26 or objections would be deemed waived. As no objections were filed by 7/17/26, any objections by Tasina Helper are deemed waived.

 The Court notes that the Affidavit of Publication filed 4/26/26 does not include a request for Administration with authority under the Independent Administration of Estates Act (IAEA). The Petition for Administration is therefore APPROVED but without any authority under the IAEA. No bond is required as all heirs waive bond. Petitioner is to file an Inventory and Appraisal within four months of issuance of letters (Prob. Code section 8800(b)) and either a petition for an order for final distribution of the estate or a report of status of administration within the timeframe set out in Probate Code section 12200.

The matter is SET on the September 30, 2027, probate case management conference calendar at 3:00 p.m. in Department 63 for status of estate or final account and distribution. No appearances at the hearing will be required if the court determines that administration of the estate is timely proceeding, or good cause is shown why more time is required.

 

  1. Estate of Freda Davis
    26PR00571
    Probate of Will

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED.  This matter is CONTINUED to September 11, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Department 63.  Please refer to the Probate Examiner Notes.  The Court is aware of the numerous documents filed July 27, 2026, however issues remain.  Updated Probate Examiner Notes will be posted.

 

  1. Estate of Nellice Gillespie
    26PR00628
    Probate of Will

Tentative Ruling: APPROVED. NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED. No bond is required as the will waives bond. Petitioner is to file an Inventory and Appraisal within four months of issuance of letters (Prob. Code section 8800(b)) and either a petition for an order for final distribution of the estate or a report of status of administration within the timeframe set out in Probate Code section 12200.

The matter is SET on the September 30, 2027, probate case management conference calendar at 3:00 p.m. in Department 63 for status of estate or final account and distribution. No appearances at the hearing will be required if the court determines that administration of the estate is timely proceeding, or good cause is shown why more time is required.

Petitioner is to submit a proposed order.

 

  1. Estate of Bentura O. Andrade
    26PR00739
    Probate of Will

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED.  This matter is CONTINUED to September 11, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Department 63.  Please refer to the Probate Examiner Notes.

 

  1. Estate of Eleuterio Juarez Garcia
    26PR00749
    Letters of Administration

Tentative Ruling:   NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED.  The Court has received and reviewed the declaration of counsel filed July 17, 2026.  The Court treats the declaration as a supplement to the petition.  CRC Rule 7.3(5).  However, such a supplement “…must be signed and verified by one of the persons who were required to sign and verify the pleading that is supplemented.”  CRC Rule 7.104(b)(1).  The Court does not find that the exception in that section applies as there is no basis to conclude the attorney has personal knowledge of the facts stated.  (Evidence Code section 702).  If counsel can obtain Petitioner’s signature on a supplement prior to the hearing, they should request to appear for the purpose of presenting it to the Court.  The Court is then inclined to grant the petition.  Otherwise, this matter is CONTINUED to September 11, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. in Department 63 to allow Petitioner time to cure the deficiencies.

 

  1. Estate of Gregory Scott Gould
    26PR00760
    Letters of Administration

Tentative Ruling: NO APPEARANCES REQUIRED.  This matter is CONTINUED to September 11, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. in Department 63.  Please refer to the Probate Examiner Notes.

 

***End of Tentative Rulings***