Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California
Are wills public records in California?
If yes, how do I find a copy of one is San Diego County.
Eddie S.
Asked on 9/23/10, 6:44 pm
2 Answers from Attorneys
George Shers
Law Offices of Georges H. Shers
If the estate has been opened for a probate court filing then the entire file, including the Will, is available for public viewing. Some courts allow you to see parts of the file by internet.
Answered on 9/28/10, 8:17 pm
What Mr. Shers means is that they are only public records if they have been submitted to the court as part of a probate case. If the person who made the will is dead, you can search the court records to see if a case has been opened by using the name index and looking for probate cases titled "In re: Estate of [dead person's name]"
Answered on 9/28/10, 10:23 pm