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Shasta County, CA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Superior Court of California, County of Shasta — Probate Division |
| Courthouse | Main Courthouse, 1515 Court Street, Redding, CA 96001 |
| Mailing address | 1515 Court Street, Redding, CA 96001 (no separate P.O. box) |
| Probate department | Department 44 (Hon. Monique D. McKee), Main Courthouse |
| Phone | (530) 245-6789 |
| Probate email | [email protected] |
| Fax | (530) 605-2802 — the court accepts fax filings only through a fax filing agent (Cal. Rules of Court 2.303, Local Rule 5.14), not by direct fax |
| Clerk's office hours | Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Probate calendar | Mondays at 2:30 p.m. in Department 44 |
| Filing fee (petition for probate) | $435 — statewide fee, no Shasta County surcharge (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a)) |
| Local probate forms | A small LF-PRB local-form set (mostly conservatorship/investigator forms); a decedent's estate uses the statewide DE-series |
| E-filing | Not available — file in person or by mail |
| Online case search | Free public portal at portal.shasta.courts.ca.gov (probate cases carry PC case numbers) |
| Remote appearance | By WebEx on the Monday probate calendar (CourtCall retired); check the current tentative-ruling posting for the day's dial-in |
| Website | https://www.shasta.courts.ca.gov/divisions/probate-division |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing anything with the Shasta 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. Shasta hears probate on one calendar a week, and because the court decides most uncontested petitions on its tentative ruling, a petition filed on the wrong path or with a defect simply gets continued to a later Monday.
Identify every bank account, retirement plan, brokerage account, life insurance policy, and parcel of real property — including rural acreage and lake or mountain property common in Shasta 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 Shasta hears every probate matter in the county from the Main Courthouse at 1515 Court Street in Redding, covering Redding, Anderson, Shasta Lake, Cottonwood, Palo Cedro, Burney, Fall River Mills, and the rest of the county. Probate is filed here when the decedent was domiciled in Shasta County at death (Cal. Prob. Code § 7051), or owned Shasta County real property as a non-resident (ancillary administration).
All probate matters — decedents' estates, the succession petitions, spousal property petitions, conservatorships, guardianships, and trust matters — are heard in Department 44 on the Monday 2:30 p.m. probate calendar. Shasta does not run a probate examiner note system; instead the assigned judge posts a tentative ruling on each matter before the calendar.
The jurisdiction process
- Prepare the statewide Judicial Council DE-series forms for your path (DE-111 Petition for Probate and its attachments). Shasta requires no mandatory local cover sheet for a decedent's estate.
- File the petition with the clerk in person at 1515 Court Street, Redding, or by mail to the same address. Shasta offers no e-filing; fax filings are accepted only through a fax filing agent under Cal. Rules of Court 2.303.
- Pay the $435 filing fee (statewide fee; no Shasta County surcharge). Fee waivers are available on Judicial Council forms FW-001/FW-003.
- Complete notice: publish in a newspaper of general circulation in Shasta County and mail DE-121 notice to heirs and beneficiaries at least 15 days before the hearing.
- The clerk sets the matter on the Department 44 probate calendar, heard Mondays at 2:30 p.m.
- Read the tentative ruling. The court posts tentative rulings online at least 12 hours before the calendar (Cal. Rules of Court 3.1308(b)(1)) and outside Department 44 on the hearing day. If the court grants the petition and signs your order, it is processed into will-call or mailed after the Monday calendar — no appearance is required.
- Appear only if you need to contest the tentative or argue the matter. Telephonic/WebEx appearance on the Monday probate calendar is available — check the current tentative-ruling posting for the day's WebEx dial-in and access code.
- Once appointed, 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.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Shasta County
A decedent's-estate probate in Shasta County 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). There is no mandatory Shasta local cover sheet for a decedent's estate. The court does publish a small set of local probate forms (the LF-PRB series), most of which apply to conservatorships, guardianships, and court investigations rather than to settling a decedent's estate:
| Form | Name | When used |
|---|---|---|
| LF-PRB-101 | Order Appointing Court Investigator | Conservatorship/guardianship matters requiring a court investigator |
| LF-PRB-102 | Affidavit Under California Probate Code Section 13101 | Small-estate collection affidavit for personal property (§ 13100 path) |
| LF-PRB-103 | Information Sheet — Confidential | Confidential filer information in conservatorship/guardianship cases |
| LF-PRB-105 | Objection to Petition for Conservatorship — Probate | Objecting to a conservatorship petition |
| LF-PRB-106 | Parent Information Form (Confidential) | Guardianship of a minor |
| LF-PRB-107 | Petition to Transfer Proceedings to Another County | Moving a probate proceeding to another California county |
Local forms are downloadable from the court's Local Forms page. The statewide DE-series applies in addition.
Timeline
- File the petition and complete the 15-day mailed notice and newspaper publication.
- The clerk sets the hearing on the next available Department 44 Monday 2:30 p.m. probate calendar consistent with the notice period — typically a few weeks out.
- The tentative ruling posts online at least 12 hours before the calendar. A granted, signed order is mailed or placed in will-call after Monday's calendar with no appearance needed.
- Hearing to Letters (DE-150): same week for an uncontested petition; a defect flagged in the tentative ruling pushes the matter to a later Monday.
- Creditor claim period and Inventory and Appraisal deadline: 4 months from Letters (statewide).
- Petition for final distribution to final hearing: set on the same Monday probate calendar after filing.
- Total for a cooperative-family IAEA probate: commonly under a year in Shasta County, driven mostly by the statutory 4-month creditor period.
Local nuance
Shasta County-specific considerations
One probate department, one calendar. Probate is heard in Department 44 (Hon. Monique D. McKee) Mondays at 2:30 p.m. There is no separate probate business office or examiner counter — probate matters are processed through the court's Civil Division and heard on the single Monday calendar.
Tentative rulings, not examiner notes. Shasta does not publish probate examiner notes. Instead the judge posts a tentative ruling on each matter online at least 12 hours before the calendar (Cal. Rules of Court 3.1308(b)(1)) and outside Department 44 on the hearing day. Read it before deciding whether to appear.
Many petitions need no appearance. If the court grants your petition and signs the order on the tentative, the signed order is processed into will-call or deposited in the mail after Monday's calendar. You do not need to appear to obtain a routine, unopposed order.
WebEx replaced CourtCall. The court no longer uses CourtCall. Remote appearances on the probate calendar are made through WebEx by phone — dial in during the window shown on the current tentative-ruling posting with the day's access code. Because that code changes, confirm it on the posting for your hearing date. Recording the proceedings is prohibited.
Paper court. Shasta offers no e-filing. File in person or by mail at 1515 Court Street, Redding; fax filings are accepted only through a fax filing agent (Cal. Rules of Court 2.303, Local Rule 5.14).
Free online case lookup. The court's public portal at portal.shasta.courts.ca.gov shows case registers; probate cases carry PC case numbers. Remote display of documents is restricted for certain case types under Cal. Rules of Court 2.503, so some records must be viewed at the courthouse Records Department.
Recent updates
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Probate is heard on the Department 44 calendar Mondays at 2:30 p.m. (Hon. Monique D. McKee), with tentative rulings posted online before each calendar | Shasta Superior Court probate tentative rulings |
| 2026 | The court no longer uses CourtCall; remote appearances on the probate calendar are made through WebEx | Shasta Superior Court probate tentative-ruling posting |
| 2026 | Statewide civil fee schedule in effect; the probate first-paper fee is $435 and Shasta adds no county surcharge | Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a); statewide civil fee schedule |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Shasta County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | Spousal/Domestic Partner Property Petition set on the Department 44 Monday probate calendar. Read the tentative ruling; if granted, the court signs DE-226 and mails it out. Record DE-226 with the Shasta 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 Shasta filing at all. A primary residence up to $750,000 uses the §§ 13150–13157 succession petition on the Monday calendar; the § 13200 affidavit (DE-305) covers Shasta real property up to $69,625 and is filed by mail. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate fits the caps. Packet generation. Online notarization so the child never has to travel to Redding. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Full IAEA probate in Department 44. With no e-filing, file by mail and clear any defect flagged in the tentative ruling before the Monday calendar. 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. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Shasta Superior Court Self-Help / Family Law Facilitator — (530) 245-6789 | General help completing court forms for self-represented litigants; note Shasta has no dedicated probate facilitator, so estate filers rely on the statewide guide and forms below |
| Shasta County Law Library — 1880 Shasta Street, Redding, (530) 245-6243 | Practice guides, form sets, and legal research for self-represented probate filers (Mon–Thu 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Fri 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM) |
| 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) | Statewide directory of free and low-cost legal aid programs serving Shasta County |
When to hire an attorney
Most cooperative-family Shasta County probates — spousal petitions, small-estate paths, and uncontested IAEA administration — are completed without an attorney, and the court's tentative-ruling practice means a clean, unopposed petition is often granted without an appearance. 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, or ancillary administration is needed for a non-resident who owned Shasta County real property. Because Shasta has no probate facilitator, self-represented families lean on the statewide self-help guide and the county law library. Sunset can connect families to a vetted California probate attorney serving Shasta County.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and Shasta County public records to surface bank accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, Shasta County real estate, and unclaimed property.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the statewide Judicial Council DE-series forms for your estate settlement path, the forms Shasta County requires for a decedent's estate, ready for signature and filing in person or by mail.
Find a local probate attorney. When the situation calls for counsel, Sunset connects families to a vetted California probate attorney serving Shasta 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 Shasta County?
At the Main Courthouse, 1515 Court Street, Redding, CA 96001 — in person or by mail. Shasta has no e-filing. The probate calendar is heard in Department 44.
When are probate hearings held in Shasta County?
On the Department 44 probate calendar, Mondays at 2:30 p.m., before the Hon. Monique D. McKee. The clerk sets your matter on the next available Monday consistent with the notice period.
Do I have to appear at my Shasta County probate hearing?
Often not. The court posts a tentative ruling online at least 12 hours before the calendar. If it grants your petition and signs the order, the signed order is placed in will-call or mailed after Monday's calendar. You appear only to contest the tentative or argue the matter.
Can I appear at a Shasta County probate hearing remotely?
Yes, by WebEx. The court retired CourtCall; remote appearances on the Monday probate calendar are made by dialing in during the window and with the access code shown on the current tentative-ruling posting for your hearing date.
Can I e-file probate documents in Shasta County?
No. Shasta Superior Court has no e-filing for probate. File in person or by mail at 1515 Court Street, Redding. Fax filings are accepted only through a fax filing agent under Cal. Rules of Court 2.303.
Can I check my Shasta County probate case online?
Yes. The court's free public portal at portal.shasta.courts.ca.gov shows case registers; probate cases carry PC case numbers. Remote display of some documents is restricted (Cal. Rules of Court 2.503), so certain records must be viewed at the courthouse Records Department.
Does Shasta County have local probate forms?
Shasta publishes a small LF-PRB local-form set, but it is mostly for conservatorships, guardianships, and court investigations. A decedent's estate uses the statewide Judicial Council DE-series; there is no mandatory Shasta cover sheet for a decedent's estate.
How much does it cost to file for probate in Shasta County?
$435 for the first petition (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a), statewide civil fee schedule). Shasta adds no county surcharge. Fee waivers are available on Judicial Council forms FW-001/FW-003.
Do I have to travel to Redding to settle an estate in Shasta County?
Usually not. Petitions can be filed by mail, most uncontested matters are granted on the tentative ruling without an appearance, and the small-estate affidavit under Cal. Prob. Code § 13100 never touches the court — 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.