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San Joaquin County, CA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin — Probate Department |
| Probate courthouse | Lodi Courthouse, Department L2, 315 W. Elm Street, Lodi, CA 95240 (relocated from the Stockton Courthouse February 3, 2025) |
| Mailing address | Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin, Lodi Courthouse, 315 W. Elm Street, Lodi, CA 95240 |
| Phone | (209) 992-5696 (probate line) |
| Fax | Not published for probate filings |
| Clerk's office / drop box hours | Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, excluding holidays (documents received after 4:00 PM are filed the next business day, CRC 2.210). Summer hours June 15 – August 14, 2026: counter and phones 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Probate hearings | Heard in Department L2 at the Lodi Courthouse |
| Filing fee (petition for probate) | $435 — statewide fee, no San Joaquin County surcharge (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a)) |
| Local probate forms | Yes — the SJPR-series local forms (e.g., SJPR-001, SJPR-201 through SJPR-207); statewide DE-series applies in addition |
| E-filing | Available and encouraged via the court's portal at appfile.sjcourts.org; optional for all filers including attorneys. Significant probate backlog — file in person if your hearing is within 30 days |
| Probate examiner notes | "Probate Notes" posted online about 10–15 days before the hearing at sjcourts.org/online-services/tentative-rulings/; tentative rulings posted by 1:30 PM the day before |
| Online case search | Case Management System at cms.sjcourts.org |
| Remote appearance | Zoom for Department L2 (local form SJPR-001, Notice of Remote Appearance); rules strictly enforced since January 1, 2025 |
| Website | https://www.sjcourts.org/probate |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
San Joaquin's probate examiners review every petition for legal sufficiency before it reaches the judge, and they publish their "Probate Notes" online 10 to 15 days before the hearing. A petition filed before the family understands the estate draws notes, and unresolved notes mean the matter is continued — often weeks. Getting the path and the paperwork right the first time is what keeps a San Joaquin probate on schedule.
Before filing anything at the Lodi Courthouse, identify every bank account, brokerage, retirement plan, life insurance policy, business interest, and parcel of real property, along with every debt. Only then can you choose the right path — small-estate affidavit, succession petition, spousal petition, or full IAEA probate. Sunset's asset-discovery work, searching more than 2,300 financial institutions, exists for this step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Probate Department of the San Joaquin Superior Court hears every probate matter in the county — decedents' estates, succession and spousal petitions, conservatorships, guardianships, and trust matters — from Department L2 at the Lodi Courthouse, 315 W. Elm Street. Since February 3, 2025, probate no longer sits at the Stockton Courthouse; families throughout the county, from Stockton and Manteca to Tracy, Lathrop, and Lodi, file their probate matters with the Lodi probate department.
Venue in San Joaquin is proper when the decedent was domiciled in the county at death (Cal. Prob. Code § 7051), or owned San Joaquin County real property as a non-resident (ancillary administration). Some limited probate matters are still handled at the adjacent Lodi Department L1 (217 W. Elm Street); confirm your assigned department on your petition and hearing notice.
The jurisdiction process
- Prepare the statewide Judicial Council DE-series forms for your path, plus any San Joaquin SJPR local forms your matter requires (for example, SJPR-007 to lodge confidential financial documents, or SJPR-201 for a status report of administration).
- File the petition with the Probate Department at the Lodi Courthouse: e-file through the court's portal at appfile.sjcourts.org, use the drop box, or file in person or by mail at 315 W. Elm Street, Department L2, Lodi, CA 95240 (8:00 AM – 4:00 PM). Because of the probate e-filing backlog, file in person if your hearing is within 30 days.
- Pay the $435 filing fee (statewide fee; no San Joaquin County surcharge). 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.
- Check your Probate Notes online at sjcourts.org/online-services/tentative-rulings/ — they post about 10–15 days before the hearing, searchable by full case number. Respond to every numbered note at least one week before the hearing, typically with a Declaration (MC-030) referencing each note by number, filed by e-file, drop box, or mail (no fee).
- To appear remotely, file local form SJPR-001 (Notice of Remote Appearance) and join the Department L2 Zoom hearing; video appearance is required unless you have no video-capable device.
- Attend the hearing in Department L2 at the Lodi Courthouse. 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. Email any proposed order as a PDF plus an editable Word version to [email protected] (CRC 3.1312(c)).
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 San Joaquin exactly as described on the California page. San Joaquin adds these local obligations:
| San Joaquin-specific duty | Timing |
|---|---|
| Check the Probate Notes online for each hearing | Notes post about 10–15 days before the hearing |
| File a written response clearing every numbered Probate Note | At least one week before the hearing (no filing fee) |
| Submit proposed orders as PDF plus editable Word to [email protected] | With each order to be signed (CRC 3.1312(c)) |
| Use SJPR-007 to lodge confidential financial documents | When filing financial statements the court keeps confidential |
| File SJPR-001 to appear remotely by Zoom | Before any hearing you plan to attend remotely |
| File SJPR-201 status report if administration runs long | As directed by the court when administration exceeds the statutory period |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in San Joaquin County
San Joaquin uses the statewide Judicial Council DE-series plus a substantial set of local SJPR forms. The local forms most relevant to a decedent's estate:
| Form | Name | When used |
|---|---|---|
| SJPR-001 / SJPR-001A | Notice of Remote Appearance / Proof of Service Attachment | To appear at a probate hearing by Zoom |
| SJPR-002 | Meet and Confer Statement | As required for contested probate matters |
| SJPR-003 / SJPR-003A | Request to Continue or Request for Hearing / Order | To continue a hearing or set a hearing date |
| SJPR-007 | Confidential Financial Documents Cover Sheet | To lodge financial statements the court keeps confidential |
| SJPR-201 | Status Report of Administration | When estate administration exceeds the statutory period |
| SJPR-202 | Notice of Refusal (Will) | When declining to act on a lodged will |
| SJPR-203 / SJPR-204 / SJPR-205 | Lineal Charts A / B / C | To document heirship in intestate estates |
| SJPR-206 | Declaration of Affidavit | Supporting declaration for probate matters |
| SJPR-207 | Waiver of Accounting | When beneficiaries waive a formal accounting |
Local SJPR forms are downloadable from the court's local-forms page at sjcourts.org/local-forms. The statewide DE-series applies in addition. To clear Probate Notes, the court points self-represented filers to the Declaration (MC-030) or its 28-line pleading paper.
Timeline
- File the petition and complete newspaper publication and the 15-day mailed DE-121 notice.
- Probate Notes post online about 10–15 days before the hearing; file your written response clearing each note at least one week before the hearing.
- Tentative rulings post by 1:30 PM the day before the hearing; to argue a tentative, email [email protected] by 4:00 PM the day before with your case name, the matter, your name and email, the hearing date and time, and the issues you intend to argue.
- Hearing to Letters (DE-150): same day to about a week once the notes are cleared; unresolved notes push a continuance.
- Creditor claim period and Inventory and Appraisal deadline: 4 months from Letters (statewide).
- Petition for final distribution to final hearing: subject to the same Probate Notes cycle. A cooperative-family IAEA probate commonly runs roughly 9 months to 1.5 years, driven mostly by the statutory creditor period.
Local nuance
San Joaquin County-specific considerations
Probate moved to Lodi. As of February 3, 2025, the Probate Department sits in Department L2 at the Lodi Courthouse, 315 W. Elm Street — not the Stockton Courthouse. Older guides and forms that still reference the "Probate Counter on the 4th Floor at the Stockton Courthouse" are out of date; file in Lodi.
Probate Notes are the gatekeeper. Examiners post numbered Probate Notes online about 10–15 days before each hearing at sjcourts.org/online-services/tentative-rulings/. Respond to every note at least one week before the hearing (an MC-030 declaration referencing each note number is the common vehicle); unresolved notes mean a continuance.
Tentative rulings, then a phone-in to argue. Tentative rulings post by 1:30 PM the day before the hearing. To contest one, email [email protected] by 4:00 PM the day before stating your intent to appear and the issues; otherwise the tentative may stand.
E-filing backlog. The court warns of a significant probate e-filing backlog and asks filers with a hearing within 30 days to file in person instead. E-filing is available and encouraged but optional for everyone, including attorneys.
Proposed orders go by email. Submit each proposed order as a PDF through the filing channel plus an editable Word version emailed to [email protected], per CRC 3.1312(c).
Summer counter hours. From June 15 to August 14, 2026, the clerk's counter and phones close at 2:00 PM instead of 4:00 PM. The drop box still accepts documents until 4:00 PM.
Recent updates
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| June 15 – August 14, 2026 | Summer schedule: clerk's counter and phone service open 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM | sjcourts.org court locations & contact |
| February 3, 2025 | The Probate Department relocated from the Stockton Courthouse to the Lodi Courthouse, Department L2, 315 W. Elm Street, Lodi, CA 95240 | sjcourts.org probate page and Lodi Courthouse page |
| January 1, 2025 | Remote-appearance rules strictly enforced; probate remote appearances use local form SJPR-001 and the Department L2 Zoom hearing | sjcourts.org probate remote appearance page |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in San Joaquin County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | Spousal/Domestic Partner Property Petition filed with the Lodi probate department and heard in Department L2, often by Zoom (SJPR-001). Clear any Probate Notes at least a week before the hearing. The court signs DE-226; record it with the San Joaquin County Recorder to complete the title transfer. | 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) goes directly to the banks — no San Joaquin filing. A primary residence up to $750,000 uses the §§ 13150–13157 succession petition at the Lodi courthouse, with remote appearance by Zoom. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate fits the caps. Packet generation. Online notarization so the child never has to travel to Lodi. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Full IAEA probate at the Lodi probate department with DE-111 requesting full authority. Clear the Probate Notes before the hearing. The personal representative sells the home 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. Help responding to Probate Notes. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| San Joaquin County Public Law Library — 20 N. Sutter Street, Stockton; (209) 468-9968; sjclawlibrary.org (Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM) | General information and basic assistance to self-represented litigants, including help responding to Probate Notes |
| San Joaquin Superior Court Pro Per Clinic — 180 E. Weber Ave., Ste 105, Stockton (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM; Wed 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM) | In-person help for self-represented litigants at the Stockton courthouse |
| Pro Per Clinic — Lodi Court Department L1 Lobby, 217 W. Elm Street, Lodi (Thu 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM) | Self-help clinic hours at the Lodi courthouse |
| California Courts Self-Help Guide — Probate (selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/probate) | The Judicial Council's official plain-language guide to every California probate path |
| LawHelpCA (lawhelpca.org) | Directory of free and low-cost legal aid programs serving San Joaquin County |
When to hire an attorney
Many cooperative-family San Joaquin probates — spousal petitions, small-estate paths, and uncontested IAEA administration — are completed without an attorney, and the court's Pro Per Clinics and law library help self-represented filers respond to Probate Notes. Consider counsel when the estate exceeds $1 million, a will contest or heir dispute is likely, the estate holds business interests or out-of-state property, ancillary administration is needed for a non-resident who owned San Joaquin County real property, or Probate Notes recur and the family cannot clear them. Sunset can connect families to a vetted California probate attorney serving San Joaquin County.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and San Joaquin County public records to surface bank accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, real estate (with community-property characterization), business interests, and unclaimed property.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the full San Joaquin filing packet for estate settlement: the Judicial Council DE-series forms for your path plus the local SJPR forms the case needs, ready for e-filing or filing at the Lodi probate department.
Find a local probate attorney. When the situation calls for counsel, Sunset connects families to a vetted California probate attorney serving San Joaquin 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 San Joaquin County?
At the Probate Department in Department L2 of the Lodi Courthouse, 315 W. Elm Street, Lodi, CA 95240. Probate moved here from the Stockton Courthouse on February 3, 2025. You can e-file at appfile.sjcourts.org, use the drop box, or file in person or by mail (8:00 AM – 4:00 PM).
Did San Joaquin County probate really move to Lodi?
Yes. Effective February 3, 2025, the Probate Department relocated from the Stockton Courthouse to Department L2 at the Lodi Courthouse, 315 W. Elm Street. Guides and forms that still say to file at the "4th Floor of the Stockton Courthouse" are out of date.
What are Probate Notes in San Joaquin County?
Probate examiners review each petition for legal sufficiency and post numbered "Probate Notes" online about 10 to 15 days before the hearing at sjcourts.org/online-services/tentative-rulings/. You must file a written response clearing each note at least one week before the hearing, or the matter is continued. There is no fee to file the response.
Do I have to e-file probate documents in San Joaquin County?
No. E-filing is available and encouraged through the court's portal at appfile.sjcourts.org, but it is optional for all filers, including attorneys. The court has warned of a significant probate e-filing backlog and asks anyone with a hearing within 30 days to file in person instead.
Can I appear at a San Joaquin County probate hearing by Zoom?
Yes. File the local form SJPR-001 (Notice of Remote Appearance) and join the Department L2 Zoom hearing. Video appearance is required unless you have no video-capable device, and the court's remote-appearance rules have been strictly enforced since January 1, 2025.
How do I check my San Joaquin County probate case online?
Use the court's Case Management System at cms.sjcourts.org. Probate Notes and tentative rulings are posted separately at sjcourts.org/online-services/tentative-rulings/ — search by your full case number, including letters and leading zeros.
How much does it cost to file for probate in San Joaquin County?
$435 for the first petition (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a)). San Joaquin adds no county surcharge. Fee waivers are available on Judicial Council forms FW-001/FW-003.
Does San Joaquin County have local probate forms?
Yes. San Joaquin uses local SJPR-series forms in addition to the statewide DE-series — for example, SJPR-001 for remote appearance, SJPR-007 to lodge confidential financial documents, and SJPR-201 through SJPR-207 for administration, heirship, and accounting matters. They are on the court's local-forms page at sjcourts.org/local-forms.
How do I contest a tentative ruling in San Joaquin probate?
Tentative rulings post by 1:30 PM the day before the hearing. To argue, email [email protected] no later than 4:00 PM the day before, stating your intent to appear and the issues you plan to raise, along with the case name, the matter, your name and email, and the hearing date and time.
Do I have to travel to Lodi to settle an estate in San Joaquin County?
Usually not. Petitions can be e-filed or mailed to the Lodi probate department, hearings can be attended by Zoom with form SJPR-001, 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.