Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California

Generally, 30 days:

� 8200.

(a) Unless a petition for probate of the will is earlier filed, the custodian of a will shall, within 30 days after having knowledge of the death of the testator, do both of the following:

(1) Deliver the will to the clerk of the superior court of the county in which the estate of the decedent may be administered. No fee shall be charged for compliance with the requirement of this paragraph.

(2) Mail a copy of the will to the person named in the will as executor, if the person's whereabouts is known to the custodian, or if not, to a person named in the will as a beneficiary, if the person' s whereabouts is known to the custodian.

(b) A custodian of a will who fails to comply with the requirements of this section is liable for all damages sustained by any person injured by the failure.

(c) The clerk shall release a copy of a will delivered under this section for attachment to a petition for probate of the will or otherwise on receipt of payment of the required fee and either a court order for production of the will or a certified copy of a death certificate of the decedent.

Generally 30 days after death, as explained by Eliz. C. A. Johnson above. I suggest that you contact an attorney in either your county or in the county where the decedent lived in order to assist you with the probate proceeedings.

Good luck and my condolences.

Sincerely,

Kai H. Wessels, Esq.