Last verified 2026-07-20; facts checked against the primary sources below

How probate works in Inyo County

Last verified: July 20, 2026

The short answer: Inyo's Probate Clerk is based at the Bishop courthouse, 301 West Line Street, Bishop, CA 93514, and can be reached at (760) 872-6728. The court has also operated an Independence courthouse, so use the location and department printed on the accepted hearing notice rather than assuming every hearing occurs where the papers were filed.

Inyo began accepting e-filing for probate on July 28, 2025. It is an available filing method, not a stated mandatory requirement. Original wills and codicils, bonds, lodged exhibits, sealed documents, and several other categories remain paper-only. Remote appearances use Zoom and generally require a Judicial Council request at least five court days before the hearing.

Inyo County probate at a glance

Where should the petition be filed?

The current local probate rules direct Probate Referee and Probate Investigator inquiries through the Bishop courthouse and its main phone number. E-filing is the cleanest documented route for an eligible petition because the court's public materials do not clearly state that every probate paper counter transaction must occur at one branch.

For a paper-only item, contact the Probate Clerk before delivery. Inyo's two-courthouse structure makes it important to distinguish the filing location from the assigned hearing location.

Is e-filing mandatory?

No mandatory probate requirement was identified. The court accepts electronic filings around the clock through approved service providers, which may add transaction charges. Provider fees are waived for active fee-waiver cases and government entities.

The court excludes original wills and codicils, bonds and undertakings, conditionally sealed documents, and exhibits lodged for a hearing or trial. It also excludes a new-petition ex parte application and certain family documents. A filer must redact confidential identifiers before upload.

Preserve and separately lodge the original will. Probate Code section 8200 generally requires delivery within 30 days after the custodian learns of the death.

How are hearings and probate review handled?

Inyo posts a daily calendar by 10:00 a.m. for the next day and a weekly calendar by Thursday noon. Calendars can change after publication. The court's public materials do not identify a standing decedent-estate day or a probate tentative-ruling/examiner-note portal, so the hearing notice and current calendar are the authoritative sources for time and department.

The local rules provide direct contacts for the Probate Investigator and Probate Referee but do not publish a general examiner-note workflow for decedent estates. Monitor the e-filing response and case record, then call the Probate Clerk about a suspected defect.

Can you appear remotely?

When remote appearance is authorized, Inyo uses Zoom. File and serve the applicable Judicial Council request—normally RA-010—at least five court days before the hearing unless a statute, statewide rule, or specific order provides otherwise. Remote attendance remains subject to the judge's authority and technical rules.

Do not use a calendar's Zoom information as permission by itself. Confirm approval and connection details for the specific probate hearing.

Are there special local forms or fees?

No generally required Inyo-specific decedent-estate opening form or probate surcharge was identified in the current public local-form and fee materials. The $435 statewide petition fee applies, plus any provider charge for voluntary e-filing. Use the local rules for specialized guardianship, conservatorship, and minor-compromise proceedings rather than carrying those requirements into an ordinary estate petition.

Inyo County's practical checklist

• Contact the Bishop Probate Clerk at (760) 872-6728 about paper delivery and branch assignment.
• Use e-filing for eligible papers if convenient; it is not publicly described as mandatory.
• Lodge the original will or codicil separately on paper.
• Follow the accepted hearing notice and current online calendar for Bishop versus Independence.
• File a remote request at least five court days ahead and confirm approval before relying on Zoom.
• Ask the clerk about defects because no public probate examiner-note or tentative-ruling system was identified.

The Estate Desk handles estate administration for California families. Court logistics change; verify filing location, hearing branch, and remote instructions with Inyo County Superior Court before acting.