File Probate In Sonoma County

In This Guide:

Introduction to Filing Probate in Sonoma County

Sonoma County stretches from the Pacific Coast and Russian River Valley through the rolling hills of wine country to the urban center of Santa Rosa. As a result, estates here reflect that remarkable range — coastal properties in Bodega Bay and Jenner, vineyard holdings in Healdsburg and Dry Creek Valley, family homes across Petaluma, Santa Rosa, and Windsor, and agricultural land throughout the county. When a Sonoma County resident passes away owning assets in their individual name above California’s current threshold, formal probate is likely required before those assets can transfer to heirs.

Filing probate in Sonoma County means working with the Probate Division of the Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma, based in Santa Rosa. Unlike some larger California counties, Sonoma County operates a single probate filing location — the Civil and Family Law Courthouse at 3055 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa. Therefore, knowing where to file is simpler than in counties with multiple probate courthouses. This guide gives you everything you need to navigate the process correctly from the start.

When Is Probate Required in Sonoma County?

California law requires probate when a decedent owned assets in their individual name — outside of a trust, joint tenancy, or beneficiary designation — with a total gross value above the current statutory threshold of $208,850 (effective April 1, 2025). However, smaller estates may qualify for a simplified affidavit procedure under Probate Code §13100. In addition, property held in a funded living trust, jointly owned real estate, and accounts with named beneficiaries typically transfer outside of probate.

What This Sonoma County Probate Guide Covers

This guide covers the Sonoma County probate court — its location, departments, and key contacts — where to file probate in Sonoma County, e-filing requirements, local rules, publication requirements, probate examiner notes in Sonoma County, the two court-appointed referees, and the full probate timeline in Sonoma County. Probate & More provides professional non-attorney probate document preparation for Sonoma County families at a flat fee — typically saving thousands compared to statutory attorney fees.

Handling an estate in a different California county? Probate procedures vary significantly from county to county. Browse our California Probate by County guide for county-specific filing information.

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Our team has guided Sonoma County families through probate for over 50 years — flat-fee document preparation, no attorney required.

Probate Court in Sonoma County

The Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma handles all probate matters filed in Sonoma County. The Probate Division operates out of a single location — the Civil and Family Law Courthouse at 3055 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa. Accordingly, all probate petitions are filed in person at the Probate Window, opposite Courtroom 18.

Probate hearings for decedents’ estates, trusts, and conservatorships are generally held in Courtroom 23. Meanwhile, Hon. Jennifer V. Dollard presides over probate matters as of 2025. Ex parte matters for probate, guardianship of the estate, and conservatorship are heard by Judge Elaine Rushing, Department 19, on Wednesdays at 3:30 PM.

Probate Examiner

The Probate Examiner reviews all probate filings for compliance with the California Probate Code, state rules, and Sonoma County local rules. After that review, the Probate Attorney publishes notes approximately 45 days before the scheduled hearing. Notes are generally accessible in the court’s online portal approximately 21 days before the hearing. Therefore, use the Smart Search function at the court’s online services portal and enter your case number to view posted notes.

Tentative Rulings

Probate tentative rulings are available online through the court’s Tentative Rulings page, or by phone at (707) 521-6607 after 2:00 PM the day before the hearing. Guardianship tentative rulings: call after 11:00 AM the day before the hearing.

Sonoma County Superior Court — Probate Division →

Where to File Probate in Sonoma County

All probate petitions in Sonoma County are filed at the Civil and Family Law Courthouse, 3055 Cleveland Avenue, Santa Rosa. Self-represented individuals go directly to the Probate Window, located opposite Courtroom 18, during office hours. In other words, all documents must be filed at this single location — there are no satellite probate filing offices in Sonoma County.

E-filing is mandatory for all attorneys under Local Rule 18.22 for civil, probate, and family matters. However, self-represented filers are not required to e-file and may submit documents in person. Approved Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSPs) include One Legal, Odyssey File & Serve, CourtFiling.net, and others. In addition, all e-filed documents must conform to California Rules of Court, Rule 2.256(b). Signatures on electronically filed documents are governed by CRC Rule 2.257.

Documents received in the court drop box after 4:00 PM are filed the following business day.

Fees and Forms

• Local Forms and Fee Schedule
• Sonoma County Local Rules of Court
• E-Filing Information
• Online Services and Case Search

How to Look Up a Probate Case in Sonoma County

Sonoma County provides online tools to check your case status, review probate examiner notes, and access calendar information without visiting the courthouse. As a result, many routine case checks can be handled remotely.

Local Probate Rules in Sonoma County

Sonoma County Superior Court’s local probate rules are found under Rule 6 — Rules Applicable to Probate, Conservatorships and Guardianship Proceedings. In addition, these rules set requirements that go beyond statewide Judicial Council standards and apply specifically to cases filed in Sonoma County Superior Court.

Download the Sonoma County Local Rules of Court →

Key Requirements Under Rule 6

• Probate matters requiring notice must be filed by 4:00 PM on Tuesday, three weeks prior to the assigned hearing date
• All documents submitted for e-filing must conform to California Rules of Court, Rule 2.256(b)
• Signatures on electronically filed documents are governed by California Rules of Court, Rule 2.257
• Courtesy copies of documents are required per Local Rules — submit directly to the assigned department
• Sealed cases are not eligible for e-filing; those documents must be filed in person
• An additional $30 fee applies for court reporting services with any law and motion filing
• Fee waivers require Judicial Council forms FW-001 and FW-003, submitted as the lead document in the same transaction

Probate Notice Publication in Sonoma County

California Probate Code §8121 requires publication of the Notice of Petition to Administer Estate in an adjudicated newspaper of general circulation. First, publication must run for three successive weeks. In addition, the first publication must appear at least 15 days before the hearing. Finally, file your Proof of Publication affidavit with the court before the hearing date.

Select the paper serving the city where the decedent resided at the time of death. If no adjudicated paper serves that city, or if the decedent did not reside in a city, select a paper with county-wide circulation in Sonoma County. Then contact the newspaper directly for current legal notice pricing.

Adjudicated Newspapers — Sonoma County

Verified from the Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder. Contact each newspaper directly for current pricing.

Verify the current adjudicated newspaper list at the Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder →

Probate Examiner Notes in Sonoma County

The Sonoma County Probate Examiner reviews every probate filing to verify compliance with the California Probate Code, state rules, and local court rules. After review, the examiner issues Probate Notes identifying any procedural deficiencies or concerns. These issues must be addressed before the judge can rule on the petition.

The Probate Attorney publishes notes approximately 45 days before the scheduled hearing date. Therefore, filers have time to correct notice-related deficiencies and re-serve parties if needed. Notes are generally accessible in the court’s online portal approximately 21 days before the hearing.

How to Access Your Probate Notes

Log in to the court’s online portal at sonoma.courts.ca.gov/online-services. Select Smart Search, enter your case number, and follow the instructions to view posted notes. Tentative rulings are also available online through the Tentative Rulings section of the court website, or by calling (707) 521-6607 after 2:00 PM the day before the hearing.

Common Examiner Notes in Sonoma County

• Missing or incorrect proof of publication
• Missing required attachments to the Inventory and Appraisal
• Incorrect notice language or missing notice to creditors
• Unsigned or undated verification pages
• Inconsistent information across filings
• Missing DHCS notice documentation
• Incomplete property characterization

Probate examiner notes signal filing issues that must be corrected before the court hearing. If you do not correct the notes properly, the court usually continues the hearing. Our Probate Notes and Supplements in California guide walks through how to address those issues correctly.

Probate Referees in Sonoma County

California probate referees are appointed by the State Controller’s Office to appraise all non-cash assets in a decedent’s estate. Sonoma County has two court-appointed referees. Meanwhile, the personal representative appraises cash items, while the assigned referee appraises all other assets including real property, vineyard holdings, business interests, vehicles, and personal property.

In Sonoma County — where estates frequently include wine country vineyard parcels, Russian River Valley properties, coastal real estate, and agricultural land — the referee’s appraisal carries significant weight. As a result, the appraised values establish the basis for statutory fees, accountings, and final distribution calculations.

Referee assignments can change. Always confirm the current roster of Sonoma County probate referees at the California State Controller’s Office before initiating contact: sco.ca.gov/eo_probate.html.

Probate Timeline in Sonoma County

Most straightforward probate estates in Sonoma County take 12 to 18 months from filing to final distribution. Because Sonoma County uses a 45-day notes window and a Tuesday filing deadline, careful planning matters at every stage. However, estates involving high-value vineyard parcels, coastal real estate, business interests, or contested matters may take considerably longer.

How Probate & More Helps Families with Sonoma County Probate

Sonoma County’s 45-day examiner notes window, Tuesday filing deadline, and detailed local rule requirements create a process that demands accuracy at every step. For example, a missed deadline, an incorrectly formatted notice, or an incomplete attachment can delay your hearing by weeks. In a county where estates often include valuable vineyard land and coastal real property, those delays can have real financial consequences.

Probate & More provides experienced non-attorney flat-fee probate document preparation for Sonoma County estates. For example, on a $700,000 estate — well within reach for Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, or Bodega Bay real estate — statutory attorney fees can exceed $17,000. By contrast, our flat-fee service delivers the same professionally prepared documents at a fraction of that cost, putting more of the estate where it belongs — in the hands of your family.

Our team coordinates publication with the correct adjudicated Sonoma County newspaper for the decedent’s community, works with whichever of the two county referees is assigned to your estate, prepares supplements in response to examiner notes well before the hearing deadline, handles e-filing through approved EFSPs, and prepares all closing documents. We serve Sonoma County families from Bodega Bay to Healdsburg, and clients throughout all 58 California counties.

FAQs — Sonoma County Probate

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Our team has guided Sonoma County families through probate for over 50 years — flat-fee document preparation, no attorney required. We coordinate publication with the correct adjudicated newspaper, work with both county referees, prepare supplements before examiner deadlines, and e-file through approved EFSPs. From Bodega Bay to Healdsburg, we are here to help.