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Sutter County, CA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Superior Court of California, County of Sutter |
| Courthouse | 1175 Civic Center Blvd, Yuba City, CA 95993 |
| Mailing address | 1175 Civic Center Blvd, Yuba City, CA 95993 |
| Phone | (530) 822-3304 |
| Clerk's office hours | Mon–Fri 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM (excluding court holidays) |
| Probate calendar | Mondays at 9:00 AM; when Monday is a court holiday the calendar moves to Tuesday |
| Filing fee (petition for probate) | $435 — statewide fee, no Sutter County surcharge (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a)) |
| Local probate forms | PR-02 (Order Appointing Probate Referee) and PR-03 (Conservatorship Information Sheet), both optional; no mandatory local cover sheet |
| E-filing | Mandatory for all civil, probate, and family law cases since July 1, 2017, through an Odyssey eFileCA service provider (odysseyefileca.com) |
| Paper-only items | Wills and codicils, bonds, undertakings, and Letters issued by the probate court are filed in hard copy, not e-filed |
| Online case search | Online Case Access portal at portal-casutter.tylertech.cloud/Portal — cases from 2008 forward, no registration required |
| Tentative rulings | None — the court does not issue tentative rulings; an appearance is required |
| Remote appearance | Telephonic via CourtCall or video via LifeSize; self-represented filers email [email protected] or file form RA-010 |
| Website | https://www.sutter.courts.ca.gov/divisions/probate |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing anything with the Sutter 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. Because Sutter's probate calendar sits once a week on Monday mornings and the court issues no tentative rulings, a petition filed on the wrong path or with a gap in notice means an appearance where the matter is simply continued to a later Monday.
Identify every bank account, retirement plan, brokerage holding, life insurance policy, and parcel of real property — agricultural land and rural acreage are common in Sutter 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 Sutter serves the entire county from one courthouse at 1175 Civic Center Boulevard in Yuba City, covering Yuba City, Live Oak, Sutter, Meridian, Nicolaus, Rio Oso, Robbins, and the surrounding unincorporated communities. Probate is filed here when the decedent was domiciled in Sutter County at death (Cal. Prob. Code § 7051), or owned Sutter County real property as a non-resident (ancillary administration).
All probate matters — decedents' estates, the succession and spousal property petitions, conservatorships, and guardianships — are heard at the Yuba City courthouse on the Monday morning calendar. There is no separate outlying probate location; the single courthouse handles every case type.
The jurisdiction process
- Prepare the statewide Judicial Council DE-series forms for your path. Sutter County requires no mandatory local probate cover sheet; PR-02 (Order Appointing Probate Referee) and PR-03 are optional local forms.
- E-file the petition. E-filing is mandatory for probate in Sutter County (since July 1, 2017); register with an Odyssey eFileCA service provider at odysseyefileca.com and submit documents as searchable PDFs.
- Lodge paper-only items in hard copy: original wills and codicils, bonds, undertakings, and any Letters issued by the probate court cannot be e-filed.
- Pay the $435 filing fee (statewide fee; no Sutter 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.
- The matter is set on the Monday 9:00 AM probate calendar (moved to Tuesday when Monday is a court holiday). Because the court issues no tentative rulings, plan to appear.
- Appear at the hearing in person or remotely — telephonic through CourtCall (arrange no later than the Thursday before), or video by LifeSize after emailing [email protected]; self-represented filers may also file form RA-010 at least 3 court days before the hearing. 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 Sutter exactly as described on the California page. Sutter adds these local obligations:
| Sutter-specific duty | Detail |
|---|---|
| E-file every document through an Odyssey eFileCA provider | Mandatory for probate since July 1, 2017; submit searchable PDFs |
| Lodge original wills, codicils, and bonds in hard copy | These items cannot be e-filed; deliver or mail them to the clerk |
| Plan to appear at every hearing | The court issues no tentative rulings, so an appearance (in person or remote) is required |
| Arrange remote appearance in advance | CourtCall by the Thursday before, or LifeSize video via [email protected]; RA-010 at least 3 court days before for self-represented filers |
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Sutter County
Sutter County probate filings use 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). The court publishes only two probate-related local forms, both optional:
| Form | Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Sutter PR-02 | Order Appointing Probate Referee | Optional (rev. 05/25/2018) |
| Sutter PR-03 | Conservatorship Information Sheet for Court Investigator | Optional; conservatorship matters only (rev. 04/12/2017) |
There is no mandatory Sutter County probate cover sheet. The only other county-specific paperwork is procedural: form RA-010 (Notice of Remote Appearance) if a self-represented filer will appear remotely, filed at least 3 court days before the hearing.
Fees
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Petition for probate (first filing) | $435 | Statewide Civil Fee Schedule; Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a). No Sutter County surcharge |
| Petition to Determine Succession to Real Property | $435 | Cal. Prob. Code § 13151 petitions carry the same first-paper fee |
| E-filing service-provider fee | Varies by provider | Charged by the Odyssey eFileCA service provider, not the court; e-filing is mandatory for Sutter probate |
Local nuance
Sutter County-specific considerations
E-filing is mandatory. Since July 1, 2017, all civil, probate, and family law filings in Sutter County must be submitted electronically through an Odyssey eFileCA service provider. Documents must be searchable PDFs (PDF/A preferred). Only small claims are exempt and criminal filings optional.
One weekly probate calendar. Probate, along with civil and conservatorship matters, is heard on Mondays at 9:00 AM. When Monday is a court holiday, the calendar moves to Tuesday. Plan filing and notice dates around the once-a-week setting.
No tentative rulings. The court does not issue tentative rulings, so you cannot preview the outcome the night before and waive appearance. Someone must appear — in person or remotely — at every probate hearing.
Remote appearance runs on CourtCall and LifeSize. For Monday-morning appearances in Courtrooms 1 or 2, arrange telephonic appearance through CourtCall at (888) 882-6878 no later than the Thursday before. Video appearances use LifeSize; email [email protected] for connection details. Recording a remote appearance is prohibited.
Some documents stay on paper. Even under mandatory e-filing, original wills and codicils, bonds, undertakings, and Letters issued by the probate court must be lodged in hard copy — they cannot be e-filed.
Case lookup is free and open. The Online Case Access portal at portal-casutter.tylertech.cloud/Portal lets anyone search cases and hearings back to 2008 with no registration; there is no separate published probate examiner-note system.
Recent updates
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Statewide Civil Fee Schedule in effect; the probate first-paper fee is $435 and Sutter adds no county surcharge | Judicial Council Statewide Civil Fee Schedule |
| 2026 | Court confirms it issues no tentative rulings; appearances are required, with civil, probate, and conservatorship matters set on the Monday 9:00 AM calendar | sutter.courts.ca.gov (Tentative Rulings; Remote Appearances) |
| July 1, 2018 | Sutter County Local Rules amended (current edition), including electronic filing procedures | Sutter Superior Court Local Rules (amended 7-1-2018) |
| July 1, 2017 | E-filing became mandatory for all civil, probate, and family law cases through Odyssey eFileCA | sutter.courts.ca.gov e-File page |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Sutter County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | Spousal/Domestic Partner Property Petition e-filed with the Sutter court and heard on the Monday 9:00 AM calendar, often by CourtCall or LifeSize. The court signs DE-226; record it with the Sutter 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) needs no Sutter filing at all — it goes directly to the banks. A primary residence up to $750,000 uses the §§ 13150–13157 succession petition, e-filed and heard on the Monday calendar with remote appearance. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate fits the caps. Packet generation. Online notarization so nobody has to travel to Yuba City. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Full IAEA probate e-filed with the Sutter court, DE-111 requesting full authority. 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 |
|---|---|
| Sutter County Superior Court Self-Help Center | Free help for self-represented litigants in family law, child support, guardianship, and small claims — it does NOT cover decedent's-estate probate, and Sutter 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 |
| Sutter County Superior Courthouse guide (selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/sutter-county-superior-courthouse) | The statewide self-help portal's page for the Sutter courthouse, with location and contact details |
| LawHelpCA (lawhelpca.org) | Statewide directory of free and low-cost legal aid programs serving Sutter County |
When to hire an attorney
Many cooperative-family Sutter County probates — spousal petitions, small-estate paths, and uncontested IAEA administration — are completed without an attorney, though the mandatory e-filing requirement 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 Sutter County real property. Sunset can connect families to a vetted California probate attorney serving Sutter County.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and Sutter County public records to surface bank accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, Sutter 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, formatted as searchable PDFs ready for Sutter's mandatory e-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 Sutter 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 Sutter County?
With the Superior Court of California, County of Sutter, at 1175 Civic Center Blvd, Yuba City, CA 95993. Probate filings must be submitted electronically through an Odyssey eFileCA service provider — e-filing has been mandatory for probate in Sutter County since July 1, 2017.
Do I have to e-file probate documents in Sutter County?
Yes. E-filing is mandatory for all civil, probate, and family law cases in Sutter County (since July 1, 2017). Register with an Odyssey eFileCA service provider at odysseyefileca.com and submit searchable PDFs. Original wills and codicils, bonds, undertakings, and Letters issued by the court are the exceptions — those are lodged on paper.
When are probate hearings held in Sutter County?
On the Monday 9:00 AM calendar (civil, probate, and conservatorship matters). When Monday is a court holiday, the calendar moves to Tuesday.
Does Sutter County post tentative rulings for probate?
No. The Sutter court does not issue tentative rulings, so you cannot check the ruling in advance and waive appearance. Someone must appear — in person or remotely — at every probate hearing.
Can I appear at a Sutter County probate hearing remotely?
Yes. Telephonic appearances for the Monday-morning calendar are arranged through CourtCall at (888) 882-6878 by the Thursday before; video appearances use LifeSize. Self-represented filers email [email protected] or file Judicial Council form RA-010 at least 3 court days before the hearing.
Can I look up my Sutter County probate case online?
Yes. The court's Online Case Access portal at portal-casutter.tylertech.cloud/Portal lets you search cases and hearings back to 2008 with no registration and pay fees or buy copies.
Does Sutter County have local probate forms?
Only two, both optional: PR-02 (Order Appointing Probate Referee) and PR-03 (Conservatorship Information Sheet for the Court Investigator). There is no mandatory Sutter County probate cover sheet; the statewide Judicial Council DE-series does the rest.
How much does it cost to file for probate in Sutter County?
$435 for the first petition (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a), statewide Civil Fee Schedule). Sutter adds no county surcharge. Your Odyssey eFileCA service provider charges its own separate e-filing fee, and fee waivers are available on Judicial Council forms FW-001/FW-003.
Is there a probate self-help center in Sutter County?
The Sutter County Self-Help Center assists with family law, child support, guardianship, and small claims — 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 Yuba City to settle an estate in Sutter County?
Often not. Petitions are e-filed, hearings can be attended by CourtCall or LifeSize, 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.