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Probate

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Conservatorship

Conservatorship is a legal proceeding in which the court evaluates the vulnerability of an adult who may be unable to take care of his or her own: needs for shelter, food, medical care, manage personal finances, or may be subject to undue influence.
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Guardianship

Guardianship is a court process by which a person other than a parent is given custody of a child or authority over a child’s property. Appointment as guardian requires the filing of a petition and approval by the court. 
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Probate

The Probate Department of the Court handles decedents’ estates, trusts, and conservatorships. These matters are filed and heard in the San Bernardino Civil/Probate Division only. Find out more here.
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Probate eFiling

Coming Soon: eFiling!
The Probate Division is implementing voluntary electronic filing (eFiling) for attorneys and self-represented litigants.
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Probate Notes

Starting October 28, 2022, Probate Notes will be available through the Court Access Portal (CAP) for hearings scheduled November 15, 2022 and later. Probate Notes for hearings scheduled prior to November 15, 2022 will be found on the Probate Notes page. Notes are available two weeks prior to your hearing and for 7 days after the hearing, so print or save your notes for future references. For help accessing your notes, click here.

California Probate laws are established to protect and manage decedents' estates, trusts, guardianship of minors, and conservatorship of adults who are unable to provide for their personal needs or manage their financial resources.

The Probate Clerk’s Office and Courtrooms are located in the San Bernardino Courthouse. Click here for directions and hours of the court house.

The Probate Business Office is open Monday through Friday to assist customers with filings, purchase of forms/packets, viewing of records and depositing of wills. Some case records can also be purchased online through the Portal.

The Probate Examiners are available to assist with existing cases that note deficiencies that are currently pending before the court. Click here to view Probate Notes.

The Court Investigators interview all persons who are the subject of a petition for conservatorship before the appointment is made, to determine if they understand the proceedings or have any objections. Periodic investigations are also conducted after the appointment to determine if the conservatee’s needs are being met.

The Court Investigators also investigate guardianships of the person and guardianship of the estate. Click here for information regarding Guardianships.

Court forms and rules can be found here.