Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California

Re: Can't find lodged Will

Wills are not lodged. They are proved up to be valid in a probate proceeding. If someone has died, an interested party can file a petition to probate the estate of the decedent in the county in which the decedent last resided, and in any county in which real property exists in the name of the decedent. If a will surfaces, its validity has to be determined. If there is no valid will, the property will be distributed through the probate proceeding according to the applicable laws of intestacy.