Alameda County, California Probate Court Records

In Alameda County, the Probate Division of the Superior Court oversees probate adjudications. Probate cases encompass the distribution of a deceased person's estate and the protection of individuals who are unable to manage their own affairs. The Alameda County Superior Court’s Probate Division handles issues that relate to:

• Decedent’s estates
• Trust matters
• Protective proceedings concerning minors or adults who need guardians or conservators
• Mental health-related petitions, such as conservatorships under the Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Act.

The probate court in Alameda County also handles disputes among heirs or beneficiaries. During ruling on probate matters, courts generate records. Alameda County probate court records are documents that detail the processes of probate adjudications in Alameda County, CA. These encompass documents from the initial petition to the final distribution of remaining assets. A typical Alameda County probate record shows:

• What assets are left behind by a deceased person
• Who the heirs or beneficiaries are
• How debts and taxes were handled
• How the court supervised guardianship or conservatorship matters.

Generally, probate records contain documents, such as:

• Petition for Probate, which is a formal request to open a probate case, and includes the:
• Decedent’s name
• Date of death
• Proposed executor/administrator
• List of heirs and beneficiaries
• Will and codicils
• Letters testamentary or letters of administration
• Estate inventory and appraisal
• Creditor claims
• Notices and proof of service
• Court orders
• Accountings (interim and final)
• Distribution documents showing how the estate was divided
• Guardianship or conservatorship records (if applicable)
• Trust documents, such as
• Petitions to modify a trust
• Trustee accountings
• Court orders resolving trust disputes
• Final report and petition for final distribution
• Final order and closing papers.

Public Access to Probate Court Records in Alameda County

Under California law, Alameda County probate court records are public. These documents remain accessible to interested individuals unless a statute or judicial order seals them.

Several laws govern access to Alameda County probate court records, including:

• California Rules of Court, Rules 2.500 through 2.507
• California Rules of Court, Rules 2.550 through 2.551(Sealed Records Rules)
• California Probate Code Confidentiality Provisions(which apply to specific documents only)
• California Constitution, Article I, § 3(b).

Notwithstanding the public accessibility of Alameda County probate court records, California’s legal framework requires some records to stay private for privacy reasons. For instance, the law balances openness with confidentiality to protect minors, incapacitated adults, and sensitive personal information such as medical and financial details.

Methods for Searching Alameda County Probate Court Records

There are several options available to individuals who seek access to Alameda County probate court records. The Superior Court of Alameda County provides online access to probate court records through its Public ePortal. The Alameda County Superior Court also offers online access to case records through Public Access Terminals (PATs) at its Berkeley Courthouse and Hayward Hall of Justice locations, where interested individuals can look up publicly accessible court records.

For offline access to Alameda County probate court records, interested parties can send mail or email requests to the Alameda County Probate Clerk’s Office or visit the office in person and request copies of probate court records.

How to Find an Alameda County Probate Case Online for Free

Record seekers can search for Alameda County probate court records online through the Alameda County Superior Court eCourt Public Portal. Through the Alameda County Superior Court’s ePortal, interested individuals can read about the parties to a probate case and the Register of Actions. They can also view minutes, future hearing dates, and/or print images of case documents, using names and case numbers as search criteria.

Although the Alameda County Superior Court’s ePortal allows users to perform free searches to find probate cases, they must use credits to purchase or name-search for available documents.

Accessing Alameda County Probate Court Records in Person

Accessing Alameda County probate court records in person requires a visit to the Berkeley Courthouse, which houses the Alameda County Probate Clerk's Office and serves as the main location for the Superior Court's Probate Division. For individuals who prefer in-person access to Alameda County probate court records, the procedures are standard court practice throughout California. The following steps outline the process for in-person requests for Alameda County probate court records:

• Visit the Alameda County Probate Clerk's Office at the Berkeley Courthouse between 8.30 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays or 8.30 a.m. through 2.00 p.m. on work days at:

2120 Martin Luther King Junior Way,

Berkeley,

CA 94704

• Perform an index search to locate the case in the court index using case number, party or decedent name, or filing year or date range. Public terminals usually provide access to the court’s electronic index. However, older records may require checking a physical index book or asking the clerk for assistance.
• Provide the case number to the clerk to view the files on-site
• Although most Alameda County probate court records are public, requesters may be required to provide government-issued identification documents to obtain certified copies. Additionally, archive or off-site searches may incur retrieval charges in addition to copy fees.

Requesting Alameda County Probate Court Records by Mail

The Alameda County Probate Clerk's Office permits mail requests for probate records. To request access to the Alameda County probate court through the mail:

• Prepare a written request which should include:
• The full name of the decedent or parties involved in the probate case
• The case number (if known)
• The type of document. For instance, a Will, an inventory, or a letter of administration
• The requester's name and contact information
• Ask for the fee estimate from the Alameda County Probate Clerk's Office
• Include a check or money order (payable to the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda) to cover applicable payments
• Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope with sufficient postage
• Mail the request to:

For archived probate court records, mail the request to:

Alameda County Probate Court Record Access Methods

Applicable Fees for Alameda County Probate Court Record Requests

The Alameda County Probate Clerk's Office charges various fees for copies of probate court records, including copy, certification, and search fees (if applicable). According to the Alameda Clerk-Recorder Office fee schedule, copies of Alameda County documents (including probate court records) cost $0.50 per page in addition to a $40.00 certification fee. Additionally, a $15.00 fee applies for each search that exceeds 10 minutes. Nonetheless, the total costs of obtaining Alameda County's probate records may depend on the request method and the number of copies.