Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California

Two deaths in two days and I'm confused

My mother died of cancer, two days later my sister killed herself. There's no will or trust. They left behind personal items, some furniture, a storage unit with books, and a very used, damaged car(1 est. less than 900.00). I paid for all needed arrangements, etc. (approx 7k). Do I sell the stuff and if there's any left over money, file some kind of paperwork, or is this too little to do anything with, or??? I'm not sure how to proceed.

Thank you.


Asked on 3/13/06, 7:18 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Donald Field Donald L. Field, Jr., Attorney at Law

Re: Two deaths in two days and I'm confused

in the absence of wills the estates pass by intestacy.

see PROBATE CODE SECTION 245 to 247 at:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/calawquery?codesection=prob&codebody=&hits=20

the estates may be small enough to avoid probate.

see PROBATE CODE SECTION 13000 to 13210 at:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/calawquery?codesection=prob&codebody=&hits=20

see also:

http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/forms/fillable/de305.pdf

http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/probate/pdf/TransferForm.pdf

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Answered on 3/17/06, 1:18 pm


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