Quick Answer: Calaveras County has a single courthouse, the Calaveras Superior Court at 400 Government Center Drive, San Andreas, CA 95249, phone (209) 754-9800, that handles all case types including probate. The court’s online “Probate Division” section is specifically organized around conservatorships, guardianships, and minors’ matters (emancipation, marriage permission, step-parent adoptions); decedent’s estate filings go through the same courthouse and clerk’s office. Filing a probate case costs $435 statewide, and estates may qualify for a simplified process if they fall under the current statewide small estate threshold.
One Courthouse for Every Case Type
Calaveras is a small county, and its Superior Court operates from a single location rather than splitting case types across multiple buildings the way larger counties do. The Calaveras Superior Court at 400 Government Center Drive, San Andreas, CA 95249, phone (209) 754-9800, handles civil, family, criminal, probate, and every other case type. Courthouse hours are 8:00am to 4:00pm Monday through Friday; the Clerk’s Office window keeps slightly narrower hours, 8:15am to 3:00pm, with phone lines open until 4:00pm, confirmed on the court’s location and contact page.
What “Probate Division” Actually Covers Here
Worth flagging directly: Calaveras’s own website organizes its “Probate Division” section specifically around investigation-based matters, conservatorships, guardianships and guardianship investigations, emancipation of a minor, freedom from parental custody and control, marriage permission for minors, and step-parent adoptions, verified directly on the court’s Probate Division page. Decedent’s estate administration (settling a deceased person’s will and assets) isn’t separately called out on that page, but it’s filed and heard at the same single courthouse, since Calaveras doesn’t operate a separate estates-only division the way some larger counties do.
Filing Fee and Basic Requirements
Opening a probate case costs $435 statewide (Government Code Section 70650), the same fee that applies everywhere in California. Whoever holds the decedent’s original will is required to lodge it with the court within 30 days of learning of the death, unless a petition for probate is filed first (Probate Code Section 8200). For guardianship and conservatorship investigations specifically, the court’s Probate Division charges separate investigation fees, worth checking directly with the clerk’s office since these are case-type specific rather than the standard filing fee.
Calaveras County Probate Advance
ProbateLend offers a Calaveras County probate advance that gives qualifying heirs a portion of their expected inheritance now, without waiting for the estate to formally close. There’s no credit check and no monthly payments; repayment comes out of the estate at final distribution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a separate probate courthouse in Calaveras County?
No. The Calaveras Superior Court in San Andreas is the county’s only courthouse, and it handles probate along with every other case type.
Does the “Probate Division” on the court’s website only handle conservatorships and guardianships?
That’s what its own web section is organized around, yes, but decedent’s estate probate filings still go through the same courthouse and clerk’s office; it’s not a separate physical division you’d need to locate elsewhere.
What are investigation fees, and do they apply to a standard decedent’s estate case?
Investigation fees apply specifically to conservatorship and guardianship cases, where the court requires an independent investigation before ruling. They’re separate from the standard $435 filing fee and generally don’t apply to a typical decedent’s estate probate case.
Can I file probate documents by mail or do I need to appear in person?
Check the court’s current filing options directly, since procedures can vary by case type and the court periodically updates its accepted filing methods.
Does Calaveras County have a small estate process?
Yes, in line with the current statewide small estate affidavit threshold, though eligibility depends on the estate’s specific composition, worth confirming with a probate attorney rather than relying on outdated figures.
For more on the documents you’ll need to open a case, see our guide to California Letters of Administration. If you’re waiting on an estate to close, learn more about how probate advances work. For more on California probate, visit ProbateLend.