Welcome to www.ocprobatecourt.com, the website dedicated to providing you with information about the Probate Court in Orange County, California.
Probate Courthouse Location
Please note. This is not the official site for the Orange County Probate Court. This website is independently maintained by the law offices of Price, Crooke, Gary & Hammers, Incorporated. Although the information on this website is obtained from sources believed to be reliable, this information should not be considered official and should be double checked against official sources.
The official site for the Orange County Superior Court is www.occourts.org
The Probate Court facilities (clerk’s office and courtrooms) are located at the Lamoreaux Justice Center.
341 The City Drive
7th Floor
Orange, CA 92868
View of the Courthouse from second floor of the parking structure on Dawn Way
(Please note that the courthouse screens all persons entering the building. Do not bring any weapons or cameras into the courthouse - people with cell phones that have built-in cameras will not be allowed into the building.)
(Please note that long lines form from 8:15 to 9:15 most mornings. Please adjust your arrival time accordingly. 15 or 20 minute delays are common.)
Probate Courthouse Hours of Operation
The clerk’s office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Friday, for filing of papers, purchase of forms, and viewing of case files. With recent budget cutbacks, fewer windows are kept open in the clerk's office and long waiting times are not uncommon.
Individual courtroom hours vary. The courtrooms are generally closed during the noon hour.
Judicial Officers
Judge: Mary Fingal Schulte, Supervising Judge
Judge: Randall Sherman
Judge: Caryl A. Lee
(Biographies can be accessed on Links Page)
Probate Attorneys
Leonard I. Baumgarten
Janet M. Christoffersen
Linda C. Martinez
(Probate Attorneys are employed by the court to assist the judicial officers, and frequently serve as temporary judges in Department L73 on master calendar matters. Ex-parte requests are also usually reviewed by probate attorneys.)
Important Telephone Numbers
Filing Clerks - 657-622-5500
General Information - 657-622-5500
Appeals - 657-622-5500
Probate Attorneys - 622-622-5500
Probate Court Services - 657-622-5500
Probate Checkers - 657-622-5500
Order Checker (between 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.) - 657-622-5500
Probate Investigations - 657-622-5500
Department L53 Clerk (Debbie Gilgren) - 657-622-5553
Department L72 Clerk (Alma Gutierrez) - 657-622-5572
Department L73 Clerk (Josid Gamboa) - 657-622-5573
Department L72 Reporter (Lois Pardee) - 657-622-5137
Department L73 Reporter (Andrea Gaunt) - 657-622-5175
General Court Information
Click here for General Court InformationMuch information on this website can also be found on the court’s own website. However, since this website is dedicated exclusively to probate matters, we believe it is easier to navigate through this website and find the answers to questions.
Probate Court Forms
Click here for Probate Court FormsLocate all forms that are used in the Probate Court.
Probate Examiner Notes
Click here for Probate Examiner NotesSeveral weeks before most hearings, an examiner employed by the Probate Court will examine the filed papers and prepare notes that list deficiencies and questions raised by the examiner. By viewing the probate examiner notes, parties are able to cure the deficiencies and answer questions before the hearing by filing verified supplements.
Case Information
Click here for Probate Case InformationCase information about parties, filed papers, and hearing dates are available over the internet. Filed papers are not viewable over the internet at this time. You have to go to the courthouse to view any documents.
Tentative Rulings and Decisions
Click here for Tentative and Announced Probate RulingsJudge Mary Fingal Schulte's law and motion tentative rulings.
Filing Fee Information
Click here for Filing Fee ScheduleEffective October, 2010
Hearing Date Information
Click here for Interactive Hearing CalendarUse this link to locate the probate court cases on calendar for any day.