For California families who haven't filed probate yet
The estate can't settle itself. Probate starts with paperwork — filed right the first time.
Frozen bank accounts. A house in limbo. Family members asking when things will be resolved. You don't need a $7,500 attorney retainer to get probate started — you need the right documents, prepared correctly, at your direction.
- Bonded & Registered Legal Document Assistant
- CALDA Member
- No-cost, no-obligation consultation
Get Your Free Probate Consultation
Tell us where to reach you. We'll talk through your situation and explain exactly what filing probate involves — no cost, no pressure.
If you're stuck before the starting line
Nobody hands you a manual when a loved one passes away
One day you're grieving. The next, the bank won't talk to you, the house can't be sold, and everyone assumes you know what a "Petition for Probate" is. You Google it and get buried in legal jargon. You call an attorney and the retainer quote starts at $3,000 — sometimes $8,000 or more — before a single form is filed.
So weeks pass. Then months. And the estate just sits there.
Here's what most families don't realize: California law does not require an attorney to complete probate. What the court requires are the right documents, prepared completely and accurately, filed in the right order. That's exactly what a Legal Document Assistant does — at your direction, for a fraction of attorney fees.
The road ahead, in plain English
What California probate actually looks like — and where you are right now
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You are here
Before filing
Gathering the death certificate, locating the will (if there is one), and figuring out who should serve as the estate's personal representative. This is where most families stall — and where we start.
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Petition for Probate is filed
The petition packet opens the case with the court and requests appointment of the personal representative. Errors here are the number-one cause of delayed or continued hearings.
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Notice and publication
Heirs and beneficiaries receive formal notice, and the case is published in an approved newspaper. Strict timing rules apply.
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Letters are issued
After the hearing, the court issues Letters — the document banks, title companies, and buyers need before the estate can act.
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Inventory, creditors, and administration
Estate assets are inventoried and appraised, creditors are notified, and the estate is administered according to the will or California law.
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Final petition and distribution
The final accounting and petition for distribution close the case, and assets pass to the heirs. The estate is settled.
Two ways to get probate filed
Why families choose a Legal Document Assistant
Hiring a probate attorney
- Statutory fees set by California law — often tens of thousands of dollars on a typical estate
- Retainers commonly $3,000–$8,000 just to begin
- The attorney represents the estate and gives legal advice
- Appropriate when the estate is contested or genuinely complex
Working with Ashlar LDA
- Flat, transparent document-preparation fees — a fraction of attorney costs
- Every form, petition, and notice prepared at your direction
- You remain in control of your own case as a self-represented party
- Bonded and registered with the State of California, as required by law
Simple by design
How it works
Book your free consultation
A no-cost, no-obligation conversation about your situation. We explain what filing probate involves and what documents your case will need.
We prepare your documents
At your direction, we prepare your complete probate filing packet — petition, notices, and supporting forms — accurately and completely.
Your case gets moving
You file with confidence and move through the process step by step, with your paperwork handled at every stage you direct.
Common questions
Before you book, you might be wondering
Do I really not need an attorney for California probate?
California law allows you to represent yourself in probate. Many estates are administered successfully by self-represented personal representatives. A Legal Document Assistant prepares the documents you need, at your direction. If your case involves disputes or genuine legal complexity, an attorney may be appropriate — and we'll tell you honestly if that's what we see.
What exactly is a Legal Document Assistant?
A Legal Document Assistant is a professional authorized under California law to prepare legal documents for self-represented individuals, at their direction. LDAs must be bonded and registered with the county. We are not attorneys, we cannot give legal advice, and we cannot represent you in court — we prepare your paperwork accurately and completely.
How much does this cost compared to an attorney?
Attorney fees in probate are set by statute and scale with the estate's value — often reaching tens of thousands of dollars. Our document preparation services are flat-fee and transparent. We'll quote your exact cost during your free consultation, before you commit to anything.
What if I don't even know whether probate is required?
That's a perfect reason to book the free consultation. Some estates qualify for simplified procedures. We'll walk through what you're dealing with so you understand your options before spending a dollar.
What do I need to have ready?
Nothing is required for the first conversation. If you have them handy, a death certificate, the will (if one exists), and a rough list of the estate's assets are helpful — but we'll tell you exactly what to gather as a next step.
No cost. No obligation. No pressure.
The longer the estate sits, the harder it gets. Start today.
Book a free consultation and find out exactly what it takes to get probate filed — correctly, completely, and without an attorney's retainer.