Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California

Re: probate

If the will is valid it determines how the estate will be distributed. A will is like a letter to the judge that says, "I'd like to distribute my estate this way." But, is has no effect until it is proved up in a probate proceeding, which is essentially a lawsuit. Therefore it is NOT the way to avoid probate. You can learn more at my websites, MWRoth.com and IWant2CreateMyLegacy.com.