File Probate in Tulare County
Last Updated: September 7, 2026
IN THIS GUIDE:
Introduction to Filing Probate in Tulare County
Tulare County is the heart of California’s San Joaquin Valley. In fact, it is one of the most agriculturally productive counties in the world. The county stretches from the flat valley floor through the Sierra Nevada foothills to the peaks of Sequoia and Kings Canyon.
Agriculture shapes many estates here. For example, estates may include dairy operations, citrus and avocado orchards, grape vineyards, stone fruit farms, nut groves, and cotton fields. They may also include farm parcels, ranch acreage, equipment, family homes, and rural land held across generations. In addition, some estates include business interests tied to agriculture and the region’s growing economy.
When a Tulare County resident passes away with assets in their individual name, formal probate is typically required before those assets can transfer to heirs. However, assets in a trust, joint tenancy, or with a beneficiary designation may avoid probate. Learning how to file probate in Tulare County means working with the Probate Department of the Superior Court of California, County of Tulare. Notably, Tulare County offers two filing locations: the main Visalia courthouse and the South County Justice Center in Porterville. Therefore, families have filing access across this geographically large county.
When Is Probate Required in Tulare County?
California law requires probate when a decedent owned assets in their individual name above the current gross-value threshold of $208,850 (effective April 1, 2025). However, smaller estates may qualify for a simplified affidavit procedure under Probate Code §13100. Also, property held in a funded living trust may transfer outside probate. The same may apply to jointly owned real estate and accounts with named beneficiaries.
What This Tulare County Probate Guide Covers
This guide covers the Tulare County probate court — its locations and key contacts — where to file probate in Tulare County, e-filing information, local rules, publication requirements, probate examiner notes in Tulare County, the court-appointed probate referee, and the full probate timeline in Tulare County. Probate & More provides professional non-attorney probate document preparation for Tulare County families at a flat fee — typically saving thousands compared to statutory attorney fees.
Probate procedures, examiner processes, and local rules vary across California’s 58 counties. If you are settling an estate in a different part of the state, our California Probate by County guide has county-specific details for all 58 counties.
Tulare County Probate Court Overview
The Superior Court of California, County of Tulare, handles all probate matters in Tulare County. Its Probate Department handles decedents’ estates, trusts, guardianships of minors, and conservatorships of adults. To begin the probate proceeding, you file a petition with the Legal Filings Department. In addition, Tulare County provides two full courthouse filing locations for probate: Visalia and Porterville. As a result, the process is more accessible for families across this large county.
The primary filing location is the Visalia County Civic Center, Civil Legal Filings, 221 S. Mooney Blvd, Room 201, Visalia, CA 93291. Its phone number is (559) 730-5000. Alternatively, families may file at the South County Justice Center, Civil Legal Filings, 300 E. Olive, Porterville, CA 93257. Its phone number is (559) 782-3700. Both locations are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, excluding court holidays.
Where to File Probate in Tulare County
Where to file probate in Tulare County depends on which courthouse is most convenient for your family. Specifically, Tulare County provides two filing locations: the primary Visalia courthouse and the Porterville South County Justice Center. Both locations accept probate petitions through the Civil Legal Filings Department.
Visalia — Primary Probate Filing Location
The main probate filing location is the Tulare County Superior Court, Civil Legal Filings, 221 S. Mooney Blvd, Room 201, Visalia, CA 93291 — (559) 730-5000. This is the primary courthouse and the location where the Probate Calendar Clerk and Probate Document Examiner are accessible. If you are uncertain which location to use, file in Visalia.
Porterville — South County Justice Center
The South County Justice Center, 300 E. Olive, Porterville, CA 93257 — (559) 782-3700 — also accepts probate filings. In particular, this location serves southern Tulare County communities including Porterville, Lindsay, Strathmore, and Springville. However, Probate Examiner Recommendations for cases filed here appear in a separate PDF from the Visalia Division. Therefore, always download the correct PDF for your courthouse from the Tentative Rulings page.
E-Filing in Tulare County
Tulare County accepts e-filed documents 24/7 through approved Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSPs). E-filing is available for Civil, Family, Probate, Small Claims, and Adoption cases. Both attorneys and self-represented parties may e-file. Register at online.tulare.courts.ca.gov to access e-filing and the case search feature.
Fees and Forms →
Local Forms and Fee Schedule →
E-Filing Information →
How to Look Up a Probate Case in Tulare County
Tulare County provides online tools to access case information and Probate Examiner Recommendations. First, the case search portal at online.tulare.courts.ca.gov requires registration. In addition, the court posts Probate Examiner Recommendations on its Tentative Rulings page. There is one downloadable PDF for the Visalia Division and another for the South County Justice Center Division.
Important: Always download the correct Examiner Recommendations PDF for the courthouse where your case is filed. Recommendations are posted by 3:00 PM the day prior to the hearing. Contact the Probate Document Examiner at (559) 730-5000 ext. 1430, or the Probate Calendar Clerk at (559) 730-5000, Option 4, then Option 6.
| Resource | Link / Details |
|---|---|
| Case Search Portal | online.tulare.courts.ca.gov — registration required |
| Examiner Recs — Visalia | tulare.courts.ca.gov — Tentative Rulings — Visalia Division PDF |
| Examiner Recs — Porterville | tulare.courts.ca.gov — Tentative Rulings — South County Justice Center PDF |
| Recommendations Posted By | 3:00 PM the day before the scheduled hearing |
| Probate Examiner | (559) 730-5000 ext. 1430 |
| Probate Calendar Clerk | (559) 730-5000 — Option 4, then Option 6 |
| Remote Hearings | tulare.courts.ca.gov/online-services/request-remote-hearings |
| Court Website | tulare.courts.ca.gov |
Local Probate Rules in Tulare County
The Tulare County Superior Court local rules govern all probate filings. In addition, they set requirements that go beyond statewide Judicial Council standards. These rules apply specifically to cases filed in Tulare County Superior Court. Therefore, review both California state law and all applicable local requirements before submitting any petition.
Download the Tulare County Local Rules of Court →
Key Requirements Under the Tulare County Local Rules
- All court forms and documents must be typed or printed in blue-black or black ink
- E-filing is available 24/7 to both attorneys and self-represented parties through approved EFSPs
- E-filing is available for Civil, Family, Probate, Small Claims, and Adoption cases
- Probate Examiner Recommendations are posted as separate PDFs for the Visalia Division and the South County Justice Center Division — always download the correct PDF for your courthouse
- Recommendations are posted by 3:00 PM the day prior to the hearing to allow time for any needed continuances or travel if an appearance is required
- Family Court Services conducts all court-appointed investigations for relative guardianships and all probate conservatorships
- All e-filed documents must comply with California Rules of Court, Rules 2.250–2.261
- Fee waivers are available — request a fee waiver packet from the clerk at either filing location
Before Your Tulare County Probate Hearing
Filing Reminder: Probate Examiner Recommendations are posted by 3:00 PM the day before your hearing. Check the correct PDF for your division promptly and address all identified deficiencies before the hearing. Contact the Probate Document Examiner at (559) 730-5000 ext. 1430 with questions about specific noted deficiencies.
Probate Notice Publication in Tulare County
California Probate Code §8121 requires publication of the Notice of Petition to Administer Estate in an adjudicated newspaper of general circulation. Specifically, publication must run for three successive weeks. The first publication must appear at least 15 days before the hearing. Then, file your Proof of Publication affidavit with the court before or at the hearing date.
Generally, select the newspaper serving the city where the decedent resided at the time of death. However, if no adjudicated paper serves that city, select a paper with county-wide circulation. The same approach applies if the decedent did not reside in a city. Finally, contact each newspaper directly for current legal notice pricing and copy deadlines.
Adjudicated Newspapers — Tulare County
The following newspapers are verified from the Superior Court of California, County of Tulare, adjudicated newspaper list, effective March 15, 2022. Verify the current list at tulare.courts.ca.gov before publishing.
| Newspaper | Area Served | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| The Mid-Valley Times (fka The Dinuba Sentinel) |
Dinuba / East Tulare County | Contact newspaper directly |
| Foothills Sun-Gazette | Exeter, Lindsay, Visalia | Contact newspaper directly |
| Porterville Recorder | Porterville / South County | Contact newspaper directly |
| Tulare Advance Register & Tulare Times | Tulare / Central County | Contact newspaper directly |
| Visalia Times-Delta | Visalia / County-wide | Contact newspaper directly |
Contact each newspaper directly for current pricing, copy deadlines, and proof of publication procedures. Verify the complete adjudicated newspaper list at tulare.courts.ca.gov before publishing.
Probate Examiner Notes in Tulare County
The Tulare County Probate Department uses a Probate Examiner to review every probate filing. The examiner checks compliance with the California Probate Code, state rules, and local court requirements. After review, the examiner issues Probate Examiner Recommendations. Tulare County uses this term for examiner notes that identify procedural deficiencies. You must correct those deficiencies before the judge can rule on the petition.
Importantly, Tulare County posts separate Probate Examiner Recommendations PDFs for each courthouse division. Therefore, you must download the correct PDF for your filing location: Visalia or the South County Justice Center. Both PDFs are available on the court’s Tentative Rulings page. The court posts them by 3:00 PM the day before the hearing.
How to Access Your Probate Examiner Recommendations
First, visit the Tentative Rulings page at tulare.courts.ca.gov/general-information/tentative-rulings. Then, download the PDF for your courthouse division: Visalia Division or South County Justice Center Division. Check regularly after filing, especially as your hearing approaches. If you have questions about specific recommendations, contact the Probate Document Examiner at (559) 730-5000 ext. 1430. You can also reach the Probate Calendar Clerk at (559) 730-5000, Option 4, then Option 6.
Common Examiner Notes in Tulare County Probate
- 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
- Missing Duties and Liabilities statement (DE-147)
- Incomplete property characterization — especially for agricultural land, dairy operations, and farm equipment
Probate examiner notes in Tulare County signal filing issues that must be corrected before the court hearing. In an agricultural county where estates frequently include farm parcels, dairy facilities, and equipment, property characterization is a common area for deficiencies. If you do not correct the recommendations properly, the court typically continues the hearing to a new date. Our Probate Notes and Supplements in California guide walks through how to address those issues correctly.
Probate Referee in Tulare County
California probate referees are appointed by the State Controller’s Office to appraise non-cash assets in a decedent’s estate. By contrast, the personal representative appraises cash items. The assigned referee appraises other assets, including real property, agricultural parcels, farm equipment, dairy operations, business interests, vehicles, and personal property. These appraised values establish the basis for statutory fees, accountings, and final distribution calculations.
In Tulare County, estates frequently include farm acreage, orchards, dairy operations, and rural residential properties. As a result, agricultural valuations may require additional expertise and time. For example, farmland, equipment, and livestock appraisals can require specialized knowledge of commodity markets and regional land values.
| Referee | Address | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIMON, Timothy J. | 1306 N Irwin St., Hanford, CA 93230 | (559) 836-1057 | tsimonprobatereferee@gmail.com |
Referee assignments can change. Always confirm the current Tulare County probate referee at the California State Controller’s Office before initiating contact: sco.ca.gov/eo_probate.html.
Probate Timeline in Tulare County
Most straightforward probate estates in Tulare County take 12 to 18 months from filing to final distribution. However, the timeline requires careful attention to two-location filing logistics and division-specific Examiner Recommendations PDFs. Proper characterization of agricultural and rural assets also matters. As a result, estates involving farm parcels, dairy operations, business interests, or contested matters may take considerably longer.
| Step | Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Filing | File the Petition for Probate (DE-111) at the Civil Legal Filings Department. Use the Visalia courthouse — 221 S. Mooney Blvd, Room 201, (559) 730-5000 — or the South County Justice Center in Porterville — 300 E. Olive, (559) 782-3700. All documents must be typed or printed in blue-black or black ink. E-filing is available 24/7 through approved EFSPs at online.tulare.courts.ca.gov. |
| 2 | Publication | Publish the Notice of Petition to Administer Estate in an adjudicated Tulare County newspaper three times over three successive weeks. Select the paper serving the city where the decedent resided — Tulare County has five adjudicated newspapers. The first publication must appear at least 15 days before the hearing. File the Proof of Publication affidavit before or at the hearing. |
| 3 | Examiner Review | The Probate Examiner reviews all filings and posts Probate Examiner Recommendations on the Tentative Rulings page at tulare.courts.ca.gov/general-information/tentative-rulings. Download the correct PDF for your division — Visalia or South County Justice Center. Recommendations are posted by 3:00 PM the day before the hearing. |
| 4 | Respond to Notes | Address all deficiencies identified in the Examiner Recommendations before the hearing date. File all supplements and corrections. Contact the Probate Document Examiner at (559) 730-5000 ext. 1430 with questions. The Probate Calendar Clerk is at (559) 730-5000, Option 4, then Option 6. Failure to correct recommendations results in a continuance. |
| 5 | Initial Hearing | Probate hearings are held at the Tulare County Superior Court. Verify your hearing location and department — Visalia or Porterville — by checking the court calendar at tulare.courts.ca.gov/general-information/court-calendars and the Tentative Rulings page. Remote hearings may be available at tulare.courts.ca.gov/online-services/request-remote-hearings. |
| 6 | Letters Issued | After the court grants the petition, Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration are issued. These authorize the personal representative to act on behalf of the estate — opening accounts, collecting assets, and paying debts. |
| 7 | Inventory & Appraisal | File the Inventory and Appraisal (DE-160) within the statutory period. Probate Referee Timothy J. Simon appraises all non-cash assets. Agricultural parcels, dairy operations, farm equipment, orchards, and rural land may require additional time and expertise for the referee to complete valuations. Contact Referee Simon at (559) 836-1057 or tsimonprobatereferee@gmail.com. |
| 8 | Creditor Period | Creditors have four months from the date of first publication OR 60 days from actual notice, whichever is later, to file claims against the estate. No petition for final distribution may be filed until this period has passed. |
| 9 | Final Distribution | File the Petition for Final Distribution with a complete accounting. The Probate Examiner reviews the petition and posts recommendations if needed — download the correct division PDF. At the final hearing, the judge approves distribution to heirs and the estate is closed. |
How Probate & More Helps Tulare County Families
Tulare County’s two-location court system makes probate more nuanced than in many California counties. In addition, families must use division-specific Examiner Recommendations PDFs and choose among five adjudicated newspapers. Agricultural asset characterization can add another layer of complexity.
For example, a notice published in the wrong newspaper can delay a hearing. An improperly characterized farm parcel can also create problems. Likewise, checking the wrong division PDF can cause you to miss an Examiner Recommendation. Furthermore, estates here often include dairy operations, orchards, vineyard acreage, and multigenerational family farms. Therefore, delays can carry real financial consequences.
Probate & More provides experienced non-attorney flat-fee probate document preparation for Tulare County estates. For example, statutory attorney fees can exceed $14,000 on a $600,000 estate. Tulare County farmland or residential real estate can easily reach that value. By comparison, our flat-fee service provides professionally prepared documents at a fraction of that cost. As a result, more of the estate stays where it belongs: with your family.
What Our Tulare County Service Includes
Our team coordinates publication with the correct adjudicated newspaper for the decedent’s community. That includes Visalia, Porterville, Tulare, Exeter, Lindsay, and Dinuba. In addition, we monitor both division PDFs for Examiner Recommendations and work with Probate Referee Timothy J. Simon. We also prepare supplements before hearing dates, handle e-filing through approved EFSPs, and prepare closing documents. Finally, we serve families throughout Tulare County and all 58 California counties. Many clients work with us entirely by phone, email, and secure document delivery.
FAQs — Tulare County Probate
Start Your Probate Filing in Tulare County
Smart. Simple. Affordable. Non-Attorney Probate Help for Tulare County Families.
Ready to file probate in Tulare County? Our team has guided California families through probate for over 50 years — flat-fee document preparation, no attorney required. We coordinate publication with the correct adjudicated newspaper for your community, monitor Examiner Recommendations for your courthouse division, work with Probate Referee Timothy J. Simon, and handle e-filing through approved EFSPs. Whether your estate is in Visalia or Porterville, Tulare or Dinuba, we are here to help.
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
We are a California Registered Legal Document Assistant (LDA). We prepare legal documents — we do not practice law.
For legal advice specific to your situation, please consult a licensed California probate attorney.
Please Share it!
