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Glenn County, CA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Superior Court of California, County of Glenn |
| Courthouse | 526 West Sycamore Street, Willows, CA 95988 |
| Mailing address | 526 West Sycamore Street, Willows, CA 95988 |
| Phone | (530) 934-6446 (main court line; no separate probate number is published) |
| Fax | (530) 934-6728 |
| Clerk's office hours | Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM (excluding court holidays) |
| Probate calendar | First, second, and third Monday of the month at 11:00 AM at the Willows courthouse; all probate matters are set at least 60 calendar days after filing (Local Rule 4.0(A)) |
| Filing fee (petition for probate) | $435 — statewide fee, no Glenn County surcharge (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a)) |
| Local probate forms | None mandatory — statewide Judicial Council DE-series only (Local Rules Chapter 4 adds procedures, not local cover sheets) |
| E-filing | Mandatory for probate since January 1, 2026 through an Odyssey eFileCA service provider; self-represented filers are exempt and may file on paper (Local Rule 2.5) |
| E-filing transaction fee | $3.50 per envelope charged by the court, plus any separate service-provider fee |
| Online case search | Online Case Index and Register of Actions at portal-caglenn.tylertech.cloud/portal, no registration required |
| Remote appearance | Zoom (video) and CourtCall (telephonic, (888) 882-6878); the court schedules the Zoom session and sends connection details |
| Website | https://www.glenn.courts.ca.gov/divisions/probate |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing anything with the Glenn County clerk, know exactly what is in the estate. The right path — small-estate affidavit, Petition to Determine Succession to Real Property, Spousal Property Petition, or full probate — depends entirely on the value and type of the assets. Glenn sets every probate matter at least 60 calendar days out and hears the calendar only three Mondays a month, so a petition filed on the wrong path or with a gap in notice can cost the family two months before the matter is heard again.
Identify every bank account, retirement plan, brokerage holding, life insurance policy, and parcel of real property — agricultural land and rural acreage are common in Glenn County estates — and every debt, before choosing the path. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Superior Court of California, County of Glenn serves the entire county from one courthouse at 526 West Sycamore Street in Willows, covering Willows, Orland, Hamilton City, Artois, Elk Creek, and the surrounding unincorporated communities. Probate is filed here when the decedent was domiciled in Glenn County at death (Cal. Prob. Code § 7051), or owned Glenn County real property as a non-resident (ancillary administration).
All probate matters — decedents' estates, the succession and spousal property petitions, guardianships, and conservatorships — are heard at the Willows courthouse. The Probate and Guardianship Calendar sits on the first, second, and third Monday of each month at 11:00 AM; there is no separate probate department or outlying probate location.
The jurisdiction process
- Prepare the statewide Judicial Council DE-series forms for your path. Glenn County requires no mandatory local probate cover sheet, but under Local Rule 4.0(C) any notice requiring the clerk's posting must be prepared on a Judicial Council notice-of-hearing form and filed concurrently with the petition.
- File the petition. Attorneys and represented parties must e-file through an Odyssey eFileCA service provider (mandatory for probate since January 1, 2026); self-represented filers are exempt and may e-file voluntarily or file on paper at the Willows courthouse or by mail to 526 West Sycamore Street, Willows, CA 95988.
- Lodge paper-only items in hard copy: original wills, codicils, and testamentary trusts, bonds and undertakings, subpoenaed documents, California vital-records forms, and sealed documents cannot be e-filed (Local Rule 2.5).
- Pay the $435 filing fee (statewide fee; no Glenn County surcharge). E-filers also pay a $3.50 per-envelope court transaction fee plus any service-provider fee. Fee waivers are available on Judicial Council forms FW-001/FW-003.
- Complete notice: publish in a newspaper of general circulation and mail DE-121 notice to heirs and beneficiaries at least 15 days before the hearing (Cal. Prob. Code §§ 8120–8124).
- The clerk sets the matter on the Probate and Guardianship Calendar — the first, second, or third Monday at 11:00 AM — a minimum of 60 calendar days after filing (Local Rule 4.0(A)).
- Submit the proposed order to the Probate Division at least three court days before the hearing (Local Rule 4.0(D)); a formal order appointing an executor or administrator must be presented at least two judicial days before the hearing (Local Rule 4.1(A)).
- Appear at the hearing in person or remotely — the court uses Zoom for video and CourtCall for telephonic appearances ((888) 882-6878) and sends the Zoom connection details once an appearance is authorized. The judge admits the will, appoints the personal representative, and issues Letters (DE-150).
- Administer and close the estate under the statewide process: creditor notice, the 4-month claim period, Inventory and Appraisal (DE-160), and the petition for final distribution.
Executor duties
The statewide personal-representative duties (creditor notice, the 4-month Inventory and Appraisal, DHCS notice, Notice of Proposed Action under IAEA) apply in Glenn exactly as described on the California page. Glenn adds these local obligations:
| Glenn-specific duty | Detail |
|---|---|
| E-file every document through an Odyssey eFileCA provider if represented by counsel | Mandatory for probate since January 1, 2026; self-represented filers are exempt (Local Rule 2.5) |
| Lodge original wills, codicils, testamentary trusts, and bonds on paper | These items cannot be e-filed and must be delivered or mailed to the clerk |
| File any clerk-posted notice on a Judicial Council form with the petition | Local Rule 4.0(C) |
| Submit the proposed order to the Probate Division at least three court days before the hearing | Local Rule 4.0(D); a formal appointment order at least two judicial days before (Rule 4.1(A)) |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Glenn County
Glenn County has no mandatory local probate forms. Every filing uses the statewide Judicial Council DE-series (DE-111 Petition for Probate, DE-121 Notice, DE-140 Order, DE-147 Duties and Liabilities, DE-150 Letters, DE-160 Inventory and Appraisal, and the rest). Chapter 4 of the Glenn County Local Rules, effective January 1, 2026, sets probate calendar and order-preparation procedures but adds no local cover sheet or county-specific form for a decedent's estate.
Two procedural points are Glenn-specific rather than form-specific: any notice that the clerk must post is prepared on a Judicial Council notice-of-hearing form and filed with the petition (Local Rule 4.0(C)), and proposed orders are submitted at least three court days before the hearing (Local Rule 4.0(D)).
Fees
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Petition for probate (first filing) | $435 | Statewide Civil Fee Schedule; Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a). No Glenn County surcharge |
| Petition to Determine Succession to Real Property | $435 | Cal. Prob. Code § 13151 petitions carry the same first-paper fee |
| E-filing transaction fee | $3.50 per envelope | Charged by the court for each electronically filed envelope; waived for approved fee-waiver and fee-exempt government filers |
| E-filing service-provider fee | Varies by provider | Charged separately by the Odyssey eFileCA service provider, not the court |
Timeline
- File the petition and complete the 15-day mailed notice and newspaper publication; any notice the clerk posts is filed with the petition (Local Rule 4.0(C)).
- By Local Rule 4.0(A), the clerk sets the matter at least 60 calendar days after filing, on the first, second, or third Monday 11:00 AM Probate and Guardianship Calendar.
- Submit the proposed order at least three court days before the hearing; a formal appointment order at least two judicial days before (Local Rules 4.0(D), 4.1(A)).
- Hearing to Letters (DE-150): same day to a few days when the order is submitted on time; orders lodged late are generally processed the morning after the hearing.
- Creditor claim period and Inventory and Appraisal deadline: 4 months from Letters (statewide).
- Petition for final distribution to final hearing: set on the next available Probate calendar consistent with notice.
- Total for a cooperative-family IAEA probate: the court estimates 9 months to 1.5 years, driven by the statutory 4-month creditor period and the 60-day minimum hearing setting.
Local nuance
Glenn County-specific considerations
Mandatory e-filing arrived January 1, 2026. Local Rule 2.5 now requires electronic filing for all civil, probate, family law, and juvenile dependency matters through an authorized Odyssey eFileCA service provider. Self-represented parties are exempt under California Rule of Court 2.253(b)(2) and may keep filing on paper, though the court encourages voluntary e-filing. The court charges $3.50 per electronically filed envelope on top of the provider's fee.
A 60-day minimum to the first hearing. Under Local Rule 4.0(A), every probate matter is calendared for a hearing at least 60 calendar days after filing. Combined with a calendar that sits only the first three Mondays of the month at 11:00 AM, this makes filing early and filing correctly matter more here than in fast-setting urban counties.
Some documents stay on paper. Even under mandatory e-filing, original wills, codicils, and testamentary trusts, bonds and undertakings, subpoenaed documents, California vital-records forms, and sealed documents must be lodged in hard copy — they cannot be e-filed (Local Rule 2.5).
Submit your order in advance. Local Rule 4.0(D) requires the proposed order to reach the Probate Division at least three court days before the hearing, and Rule 4.1(A) requires a formal appointment order at least two judicial days before. Orders submitted late are generally reviewed after the hearing and available the next morning, delaying Letters.
Case lookup is free and open. The court's Online Case Index and Register of Actions at portal-caglenn.tylertech.cloud/portal lets anyone search cases and hearings with no registration; there is no separate published probate examiner-note system.
Recent updates
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Glenn County Local Rules of Court took effect; Local Rule 2.5 makes e-filing mandatory for civil, probate, family law, and juvenile dependency matters through Odyssey eFileCA (self-represented filers exempt), with a $3.50 per-envelope transaction fee | Glenn County Local Rules of Court (eff. 1/1/2026); glenn.courts.ca.gov e-filing information page |
| 2026 | Statewide Civil Fee Schedule in effect; the probate first-paper fee is $435 and Glenn adds no county surcharge (surcharges apply only in Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Francisco) | Glenn County Superior Court civil fee schedule |
| 2026 | Local Rule 4.0(A) confirms the Probate and Guardianship Calendar is heard the first, second, and third Monday at 11:00 AM, with probate matters set at least 60 calendar days after filing | Glenn County Local Rules of Court, Chapter 4 |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Glenn County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | Spousal/Domestic Partner Property Petition filed with the Glenn court and heard on a first-, second-, or third-Monday 11:00 AM calendar, at least 60 days out. The court signs DE-226; record it with the Glenn County Recorder to complete the title transfer. Represented spouses e-file; self-represented spouses may file on paper. | Asset discovery to confirm community vs. separate property. Packet generation for DE-221, DE-226, MC-025. Title-transfer guidance. |
| Out-of-state adult child, small estate | Small Estate Affidavit under Cal. Prob. Code § 13100 (personal property up to $208,850 for deaths on or after April 1, 2025) needs no Glenn filing at all — it goes directly to the banks. Glenn County real property up to $69,625 can pass by the § 13200 affidavit (DE-305); a primary residence up to $750,000 uses the §§ 13150–13157 succession petition, heard on the Monday calendar with remote appearance available. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate fits the caps. Packet generation. Online notarization so nobody has to travel to Willows. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Full IAEA probate at the Willows courthouse, DE-111 requesting full authority, set at least 60 days out. Lodge the original will and any bond on paper. The personal representative sells the property under IAEA authority with a Notice of Proposed Action (DE-165). | Asset discovery for the child's assets. Packet generation for DE-111 with IAEA full authority requested and the e-filing package. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Glenn County Superior Court Self-Help Center — (530) 934-7114, 526 W. Sycamore St., Willows; Mon, Tue, Thu 9:00 AM–12:00 PM and 12:30–3:30 PM | Free help for self-represented litigants in family law, divorce, custody, paternity, stepparent adoption, and guardianship — it does NOT cover decedent's-estate probate, and Glenn has no probate facilitator |
| California Courts Self-Help Guide — Probate (selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/probate) | The Judicial Council's official plain-language guide to every California probate path |
| Butte County Law Library | The nearest public law library the court region relies on for probate practice guides and legal research |
| LawHelpCA (lawhelpca.org) | Statewide directory of free and low-cost legal aid programs serving Glenn County |
When to hire an attorney
Many cooperative-family Glenn County probates — spousal petitions, small-estate paths, and uncontested IAEA administration — are completed without an attorney, though the mandatory e-filing requirement for represented parties, the 60-day minimum hearing setting, and the absence of a probate self-help facilitator make organized support valuable. Consider counsel when the estate exceeds $1 million, a will contest or heir dispute is likely, the estate holds a farm, business interest, or out-of-state property, or ancillary administration is needed for a non-resident who owned Glenn County real property. Sunset can connect families to a vetted California probate attorney serving Glenn County.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and Glenn County public records to surface bank accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, Glenn County real estate and agricultural land, and unclaimed property.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the statewide Judicial Council DE-series forms for your estate settlement path, the only forms Glenn County requires, formatted as searchable PDFs ready for Odyssey eFileCA or paper filing, and flags the items that must be lodged on paper.
Find a local probate attorney. When the situation calls for counsel, Sunset connects families to a vetted California probate attorney serving Glenn County.
Sunset is free for families. Revenue comes from bank partners that pay Sunset while estate funds sit in an FDIC-insured estate account ($3M coverage).
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file a probate case in Glenn County?
With the Superior Court of California, County of Glenn, at 526 West Sycamore Street, Willows, CA 95988. Attorneys and represented parties must e-file through an Odyssey eFileCA service provider; self-represented filers are exempt and may file on paper at the Willows courthouse or by mail.
Do I have to e-file probate documents in Glenn County?
It depends who you are. Since January 1, 2026, e-filing is mandatory for probate if you are represented by an attorney (Local Rule 2.5), through an Odyssey eFileCA service provider. Self-represented filers are exempt under California Rule of Court 2.253(b)(2) and may still file on paper, though the court encourages voluntary e-filing. Original wills, codicils, testamentary trusts, bonds, and sealed documents are always filed on paper.
When are probate hearings held in Glenn County?
The Probate and Guardianship Calendar is heard the first, second, and third Monday of each month at 11:00 AM at the Willows courthouse. By Local Rule 4.0(A), probate matters are set at least 60 calendar days after filing.
How long does it take to get a probate hearing in Glenn County?
At least 60 calendar days from filing under Local Rule 4.0(A), and the calendar sits only the first three Mondays of the month, so filing early and correctly matters. A complete petition with proper notice is typically heard on the first available Monday past the 60-day mark.
Can I appear at a Glenn County probate hearing remotely?
Yes. The court uses Zoom for video appearances and CourtCall for telephonic appearances ((888) 882-6878). Once a remote appearance is authorized, the court schedules the Zoom session and sends the connection details. Confirm the current procedure for probate with the Probate Division when you file, since the court's published remote-appearance forms address civil and juvenile matters specifically.
Can I look up my Glenn County probate case online?
Yes. The court's Online Case Index and Register of Actions at portal-caglenn.tylertech.cloud/portal lets you search cases and hearings with no registration.
Does Glenn County have local probate forms?
No mandatory ones. Glenn requires only the statewide Judicial Council DE-series. Chapter 4 of the local rules sets calendar and order-submission procedures — for example, any clerk-posted notice is filed with the petition and proposed orders are due three court days before the hearing — but adds no county-specific probate cover sheet.
How much does it cost to file for probate in Glenn County?
$435 for the first petition (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a), statewide Civil Fee Schedule). Glenn adds no county surcharge. E-filers also pay a $3.50 per-envelope court transaction fee plus the service provider's own fee. Fee waivers are available on Judicial Council forms FW-001/FW-003.
Is there a probate self-help center in Glenn County?
The Glenn County Self-Help Center ((530) 934-7114) assists with family law, divorce, custody, paternity, stepparent adoption, and guardianship — it does not cover decedent's-estate probate, and the county has no probate facilitator. Use the California Courts probate self-help guide at selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/probate, or have Sunset assemble the packet.
Do I have to travel to Willows to settle an estate in Glenn County?
Often not. Represented parties e-file, self-represented filers can file by mail, hearings can be attended by Zoom or CourtCall, and the small-estate affidavit under Cal. Prob. Code § 13100 never touches the court at all — it is presented directly to banks and asset holders.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.