Probate
Probate Court
The Probate Department handles the following cases: Decedents’ estates, Trusts, Guardianships of minors, Conservatorships of adults and Minor’s Compromises.
Pleadings filed in these matters may be filed with the Civil Division of the Superior Court located at:
Old Merced Courthouse
627 W 21st Street
Merced, CA 95340
or
The Robert M. Falasco Justice Center
1159 "G" Street
Los Banos, CA 93635
Questions regarding fees, forms or status of orders should be directed to:
Probate Unit of the Clerk’s Office
(209) 725-4111
Office Hours
Office Hours: Please see the latest operational updates at this link.
Court Staff
The Probate Clerk is responsible for handling decedent’s estates, guardianships of minors and conservatorship of adults. Probate cases are heard in the Merced Courthouse.
Court Investigators are responsible for interviewing persons involved in conservatorship and guardianship cases. The Court Investigators explain the court process, legal rights of the protected persons and the duties of those appointed by the Court to protect them. Court Investigators are required to prepare reports summarizing their interviews for the Judge.
The Probate Examiner is responsible for reviewing the filings in probate proceedings and assists the Court in ensuring that filings comply with the Probate Code, State and Local Court Rules. The Probate Examiner’s Notes may be obtained online one to two days before the hearing.