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

How probate works in Mendocino County

Last verified: July 20, 2026

The short answer: Mendocino's principal probate clerk is at 100 North State Street, Room 107, Ukiah, with counter and phone hours 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. at (707) 468-2005. The Ten Mile branch in Fort Bragg also has divided morning and afternoon counter hours. E-filing is mandatory for represented parties in most probate matters and optional for self-represented litigants.

Use 100 North State Street, Room 107, Ukiah, CA 95482 as the principal probate filing address; confirm with the clerk before directing a filing to the Ten Mile branch.

Probate filings setting a hearing must arrive by 1:30 p.m. at least four court days before it. Many verified matters may be submitted without appearance. The court posts tentative rulings for selected probate matters by 3:00 p.m. the prior court day.

Mendocino County probate at a glance

E-filing and paper-only documents

Use an approved EFSP when represented. Mendocino excludes original wills and codicils, Probate Code section 2620 lodged records, certified death certificates, bonds, letters, ex parte applications, and several other original or lodged items from e-filing. Proposed orders are accepted electronically only as lodged documents.

The will therefore requires paper delivery. Probate Code section 8200 generally gives the custodian 30 days after learning of death. Preserve the original and confirm whether Ukiah or the assigned branch should receive it.

Hearing preparation and tentative rulings

Local Rule 6.1 allows a legally eligible matter supported by declarations or verified pleadings to be submitted without counsel or witnesses when all papers and the proposed order are timely. A filing that sets a hearing must arrive by 1:30 p.m. at least four court days beforehand; late material is moved to a later calendar unless a signed order authorizes otherwise.

For a posted tentative, a party seeking oral argument must notify the other parties and email the court at [email protected] by 4:00 p.m. the prior court day. If no timely request is made, the tentative becomes the ruling. Not every probate matter receives a tentative, so absence does not excuse attendance.

Remote appearance, forms, and fees

For a probate remote request, file and serve RA-010 and submit RA-020 for the court's order. Most short matters can be remote, but long-cause hearings and court or jury trials require in-person attendance. The court may terminate a poor connection and reset the matter.

No universal Mendocino-specific estate-opening form or surcharge was identified. EFSP charges, remote technology if used, publication, copies, and certifications may add to the statewide filing fee.

Mendocino County's practical checklist:

• Confirm whether Ukiah or Fort Bragg is the correct branch.
• E-file if represented, but lodge excluded originals on paper.
• Meet the 1:30 p.m./four-court-day hearing-setting cutoff.
• Read any probate tentative after 3:00 p.m. and request argument by 4:00 p.m.
• Use RA-010 and RA-020 for remote attendance; appear in person for long-cause proceedings.

Court procedures change; verify branch, filing, and hearing details with Mendocino County Superior Court before acting.