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Trinity County, CA Probate Information
Quick facts
| Category | Current rules |
|---|---|
| Court | Superior Court of California, County of Trinity |
| Courthouse | 11 Court Street, Weaverville, CA 96093 |
| Mailing address | Trinity Superior Court, Attn: Administration, P.O. Box 1258, Weaverville, CA 96093 |
| Phone | (530) 623-1208 (Court Services; also handles probate — no separate probate line) |
| Fax | (530) 623-8397 |
| [email protected] (the court's Court Services address) | |
| Clerk's office hours | Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (excluding court holidays) |
| Probate calendar | Department 2 (Judge Eric L. Heryford) at 11:00 AM on the family/probate calendar dates — generally two Mondays a month; contested matters may be specially set |
| Filing fee (petition for probate) | $435 — statewide fee, no Trinity County surcharge (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a)) |
| Local probate forms | None — statewide Judicial Council DE-series only |
| E-filing | Not available in Trinity County — file in person or by mail |
| Online case search | Not available — no public online case portal; case status and copies are handled by court staff |
| Remote appearance | By Zoom for probate; request with Judicial Council forms RA-010 and RA-015 (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.672; Code Civ. Proc. § 367.75) |
| Website | https://www.trinity.courts.ca.gov/divisions/probate |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before filing anything with the Trinity 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. Trinity's probate calendar sits twice a month at a set 11:00 AM time, so a petition filed on the wrong path can cost weeks waiting for the next available date.
Identify every bank account, retirement plan, insurance policy, and parcel of real property — including timberland, cabins, and vacation property, which are common in Trinity 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 Trinity serves the entire county from one courthouse in Weaverville, including Hayfork, Lewiston, Trinity Center, Hyampom, and the communities along the Trinity River. Probate is filed here when the decedent was domiciled in Trinity County at death (Cal. Prob. Code § 7051), or owned Trinity County real property as a non-resident (ancillary administration).
The court operates two departments — Department 1 (Judge Michael B. Harper) and Department 2 (Judge Eric L. Heryford). Probate decedents' estates, along with guardianships, conservatorships, adoptions, and family law, are heard in Department 2 on the family/probate calendar; there is no separate standing probate department.
The jurisdiction process
- Prepare the statewide Judicial Council DE-series forms for your path. Trinity County requires no local probate forms or cover sheets.
- File the petition with the clerk: in person at 11 Court Street, Weaverville (Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM), or by mail to Trinity Superior Court, Attn: Administration, P.O. Box 1258, Weaverville, CA 96093. There is no e-filing in Trinity County.
- Pay the $435 filing fee (statewide fee; no Trinity 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 notice to heirs and beneficiaries at least 15 days before the hearing (DE-121).
- The clerk sets the hearing on the twice-monthly family/probate calendar in Department 2, heard at 11:00 AM (generally on Mondays). Confirm the next available date with Court Services at (530) 623-1208, as the annual calendar sets the specific dates.
- To appear by Zoom, file Judicial Council forms RA-010 and RA-015 (Notice and Request for Remote Appearance) in advance and email [email protected]; the court provides the Zoom connection information.
- Attend the hearing in Department 2. 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 Trinity County
Trinity County has no 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). The court's published list of local forms covers criminal, traffic, unlawful-detainer, and juvenile matters — none apply to decedents' estates.
The only Trinity-specific paperwork is procedural: Judicial Council forms RA-010 and RA-015 to request a remote (Zoom) appearance, which the court requires for non-criminal matters including probate.
Timeline
- File the petition and complete the 15-day mailed notice and newspaper publication.
- The clerk sets the hearing on the next available family/probate calendar date in Department 2 — the court hears these matters at 11:00 AM, generally two Mondays a month, so the wait depends on which calendar date the notice period reaches.
- Hearing to Letters (DE-150): same day to one week for an uncontested petition.
- 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 family/probate calendar date after filing.
- Total for a cooperative-family IAEA probate: commonly under a year in Trinity County, driven mostly by the statutory 4-month creditor period and the twice-monthly hearing cadence.
Local nuance
Trinity County-specific considerations
Probate rides the family/probate calendar. Trinity has no standing probate department. Decedents' estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and adoptions are heard together in Department 2 (Judge Eric L. Heryford) at 11:00 AM on the family/probate calendar dates fixed by the court's annual assignment order under Local Court Rule 1.1(c) — generally two Mondays a month. Contested matters may be specially set.
Paper court. Trinity offers no e-filing for any case type. File in person at 11 Court Street or by mail to P.O. Box 1258, Weaverville. Mailed filings should be addressed to the attention of Administration.
No online case access. There is no public online case portal for Trinity Superior Court; the court's online services cover court calendars, jury duty, and ticket payment only. Case status and copy requests are handled by court staff — call (530) 623-1208 or email [email protected].
Zoom needs two forms. For a remote appearance in probate, Trinity requires both Judicial Council form RA-010 (Notice of Remote Appearance) and RA-015 (Request to Appear Remotely) — not just the notice — filed under Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.672 and Code Civ. Proc. § 367.75. Email [email protected] to arrange the connection.
Call before you drive. Weaverville is remote, and a probate clerk or judge is not at the counter every day. Before making the trip, confirm with Court Services at (530) 623-1208 that your matter can be handled on the day you plan to come in.
Recent updates
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Statewide Civil Fee Schedule reissued; the probate first-paper fee is unchanged at $435 and Trinity adds no county surcharge | Judicial Council Statewide Civil Fee Schedule (eff. 1/1/2026); Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a) |
| 2026 | Court's annual assignment order (Local Court Rule 1.1(c)) sets the family/probate calendar in Department 2 (Judge Eric L. Heryford) at 11:00 AM on designated dates, generally two Mondays a month | Trinity County Superior Court 2026 Calendar |
Page last reviewed: July 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely path in Trinity County | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse, co-owned home | Spousal/Domestic Partner Property Petition heard on the Department 2 family/probate calendar, often by Zoom. The court signs DE-226; record it with the Trinity 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 Trinity filing at all — it goes directly to the banks. Trinity real property up to $69,625 can pass by the § 13200 affidavit (DE-305) filed with the clerk by mail; a primary residence up to $750,000 uses the §§ 13150–13157 succession petition, heard in Department 2 and available by Zoom. | Asset discovery to confirm the estate fits the caps. Packet generation. Online notarization so nobody has to travel to Weaverville. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | Full IAEA probate on the Department 2 family/probate calendar. With no e-filing, file by mail and appear by Zoom. 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. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Trinity County Access to Justice / Self-Help Center — (530) 623-1208 | The court's self-help center on the main floor of the courthouse; open first-come, first-served (call Court Services for current hours). Staff assist self-represented filers but are not attorneys; the center offers no dedicated 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 |
| LawHelpCA (lawhelpca.org) | Statewide directory of free and low-cost legal aid programs serving Trinity County |
When to hire an attorney
Most cooperative-family Trinity County probates — spousal petitions, small-estate paths, and uncontested IAEA administration — are completed without an attorney, and the court's Zoom option makes that practical even for out-of-area families. Because the court has no probate facilitator, self-represented filers rely on the statewide self-help guide and the DE-series forms. Consider counsel when the estate exceeds $1 million, a will contest or heir dispute is likely, the estate holds business interests, timberland, or out-of-state property, or ancillary administration is needed for a non-resident who owned Trinity County real property. Sunset can connect families to a vetted California probate attorney serving Trinity County.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches more than 2,300 financial institutions and California public records to surface bank accounts, retirement plans, brokerage holdings, life insurance, Trinity County real estate and timberland, and unclaimed property.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset assembles the statewide Judicial Council DE-series forms for your estate settlement path, the only forms Trinity County requires, ready for signature and filing by mail.
Find a local probate attorney. When the situation calls for counsel, Sunset connects families to a vetted California probate attorney serving Trinity 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 Trinity County?
At the Superior Court of California, County of Trinity: in person at 11 Court Street, Weaverville (Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM), or by mail to Trinity Superior Court, Attn: Administration, P.O. Box 1258, Weaverville, CA 96093. There is no e-filing.
When are probate hearings held in Trinity County?
On the family/probate calendar in Department 2 (Judge Eric L. Heryford), heard at 11:00 AM, generally two Mondays a month. The specific dates are fixed by the court's annual assignment order under Local Court Rule 1.1(c); confirm the next available date with Court Services at (530) 623-1208.
Can I appear at a Trinity County probate hearing by Zoom?
Yes. Trinity permits remote appearance by Zoom for probate. File Judicial Council forms RA-010 (Notice of Remote Appearance) and RA-015 (Request to Appear Remotely) in advance and email [email protected]; the court provides the connection information.
Can I e-file probate documents in Trinity County?
No. Trinity Superior Court offers no e-filing for any case type. File in person at the Weaverville courthouse or by mail.
Can I check my Trinity County probate case status online?
No. The court has no public online case portal; its online services cover court calendars, jury duty, and ticket payment only. Call Court Services at (530) 623-1208 or email [email protected] for case status and copies.
Does Trinity County have local probate forms?
No. Trinity requires only the statewide Judicial Council DE-series forms. The court's local forms cover criminal, traffic, unlawful-detainer, and juvenile matters — none apply to decedents' estates.
How much does it cost to file for probate in Trinity County?
$435 for the first petition (Cal. Gov. Code § 70650(a), Statewide Civil Fee Schedule effective January 1, 2026). Trinity adds no county surcharge. Fee waivers are available on Judicial Council forms FW-001/FW-003.
Do I have to travel to Weaverville to settle an estate in Trinity County?
Usually not. Petitions can be filed by mail, probate hearings can be attended by Zoom with forms RA-010 and RA-015, 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. Because a probate clerk or judge is not at the counter every day, call (530) 623-1208 before making the trip if you do need to appear in person.
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.