Chapter 4. Court Order Determining Succession To Property of California Probate Code >> Division 8. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 4.

The procedure provided by this chapter may be used only if one of the following requirements is satisfied:
  (a) No proceeding is being or has been conducted in this state for administration of the decedent's estate.
  (b) The decedent's personal representative consents in writing to use of the procedure provided by this chapter to determine that real property of the decedent is property passing to the petitioners.

Exclusive of the property described in Section 13050, if a decedent dies leaving real property in this state and the gross value of the decedent's real and personal property in this state does not exceed one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) and 40 days have elapsed since the death of the decedent, the successor of the decedent to an interest in a particular item of property that is real property, without procuring letters of administration or awaiting the probate of the will, may file a petition in the superior court of the county in which the estate of the decedent may be administered requesting a court order determining that the petitioner has succeeded to that real property. A petition under this chapter may include an additional request that the court make an order determining that the petitioner has succeeded to personal property described in the petition.

(a) The petition shall be verified by each petitioner, shall contain a request that the court make an order under this chapter determining that the property described in the petition is property passing to the petitioner, and shall state all of the following:
  (1) The facts necessary to determine that the petition is filed in the proper county.
  (2) The gross value of the decedent's real and personal property in this state, excluding the property described in Section 13050, as shown by the inventory and appraisal attached to the petition, does not exceed one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000).
  (3) A description of the particular item of real property in this state which the petitioner alleges is property of the decedent passing to the petitioner, and a description of the personal property which the petitioner alleges is property of the decedent passing to the petitioner if the requested order also is to include a determination that the described personal property is property passing to the petitioner.
  (4) The facts upon which the petitioner bases the allegation that the described property is property passing to the petitioner.
  (5) Either of the following, as appropriate:
  (A) A statement that no proceeding is being or has been conducted in this state for administration of the decedent's estate.
  (B) A statement that the decedent's personal representative has consented in writing to use of the procedure provided by this chapter.
  (6) Whether estate proceedings for the decedent have been commenced in any other jurisdiction and, if so, where those proceedings are pending or were conducted.
  (7) The name, age, address, and relation to the decedent of each heir and devisee of the decedent, the names and addresses of all persons named as executors of the will of the decedent, and, if the petitioner is the trustee of a trust that is a devisee under the will of the decedent, the names and addresses of all persons interested in the trust, as determined in cases of future interests pursuant to paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 15804, so far as known to any petitioner.
  (8) The name and address of each person serving as guardian or conservator of the estate of the decedent at the time of the decedent' s death, so far as known to any petitioner.
  (b) There shall be attached to the petition an inventory and appraisal in the form set forth in Section 8802 of the decedent's real and personal property in this state, excluding the property described in Section 13050. The appraisal shall be made by a probate referee selected by the petitioner from those probate referees appointed by the Controller under Section 400 to appraise property in the county where the real property is located. The appraisal shall be made as provided in Part 3 (commencing with Section 8800) of Division 7. The petitioner may appraise the assets which a personal representative could appraise under Section 8901.
  (c) If the petitioner bases his or her claim to the described property upon the will of the decedent, a copy of the will shall be attached to the petition.
  (d) If the decedent's personal representative has consented to use of the procedure provided by this chapter, a copy of the consent shall be attached to the petition.

Notice of the hearing shall be given as provided in Section 1220 to each of the persons named in the petition pursuant to Section 13152.

(a) If the court makes the determinations required under subdivision (b), the court shall issue an order determining (1) that real property, to be described in the order, of the decedent is property passing to the petitioners and the specific property interest of each petitioner in the described property and (2) if the petition so requests, that personal property, to be described in the order, of the decedent is property passing to the petitioners and the specific property interest of each petitioner in the described property.
  (b) The court may make an order under this section only if the court makes all of the following determinations:
  (1) The gross value of the decedent's real and personal property in this state, excluding the property described in Section 13050, does not exceed one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000).
  (2) Not less than 40 days have elapsed since the death of the decedent.
  (3) Whichever of the following is appropriate:
  (A) No proceeding is being or has been conducted in this state for administration of the decedent's estate.
  (B) The decedent's personal representative has consented in writing to use of the procedure provided by this chapter.
  (4) The property described in the order is property of the decedent passing to the petitioner.
  (c) If the petition has attached an inventory and appraisal that satisfies the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 13152, the determination required by paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of this section shall be made on the basis of the verified petition and the attached inventory and appraisal, unless evidence is offered by a person opposing the petition that the gross value of the decedent's real and personal property in this state, excluding the property described in Section 13050, exceeds one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000).

Upon becoming final, an order under this chapter determining that property is property passing to the petitioner is conclusive on all persons, whether or not they are in being.

(a) Subject to subdivisions (b), (c), and (d), the petitioner who receives the decedent's property pursuant to an order under this chapter is personally liable for the unsecured debts of the decedent.
  (b) The personal liability of any petitioner shall not exceed the fair market value at the date of the decedent's death of the property received by that petitioner pursuant to an order under this chapter, less the amount of any liens and encumbrances on the property.
  (c) In any action or proceeding based upon an unsecured debt of the decedent, the petitioner may assert any defense, cross-complaint, or setoff which would have been available to the decedent if the decedent had not died.
  (d) Nothing in this section permits enforcement of a claim that is barred under Part 4 (commencing with Section 9000) of Division 7.
  (e) Section 366.2 of the Code of Civil Procedure applies in an action under this section.

The attorney's fees for services performed in connection with the filing of a petition and obtaining a court order under this chapter shall be determined by private agreement between the attorney and the client and are not subject to approval by the court. If there is no agreement between the attorney and the client concerning the attorney's fees for services performed in connection with the filing of a petition and obtaining of a court order under this chapter and there is a dispute concerning the reasonableness of the attorney's fees for those services, a petition may be filed with the court in the same proceeding requesting that the court determine the reasonableness of the attorney's fees for those services. If there is an agreement between the attorney and the client concerning the attorney's fees for services performed in connection with the filing of a petition and obtaining a court order under this chapter and there is a dispute concerning the meaning of the agreement, a petition may be filed with the court in the same proceeding requesting that the court determine the dispute.

Nothing in this chapter excuses compliance with Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 13100) by the holder of the decedent's personal property if an affidavit or declaration is furnished as provided in that chapter.