Throughout California
Serving California families beyond Santa Clara County.
Bob’s primary practice is in San Jose and Santa Clara County. For trust petitions and California real estate matters, his reach extends throughout California. Heggstad petitions and irrevocable trust modification petitions are filed in the county where the trustee lives or the property is located, and Bob has filed in counties across California. Out-of-state heirs of California decedents are served remotely.
Three services offered throughout California.
Heggstad Petitions
California Probate Code Section 850 petitions to confirm trust ownership of assets that were never formally transferred during life. Filed in any California county.
Read moreTrust Modification Petitions
Petitions to modify, reform, or terminate an irrevocable trust under Probate Code Sections 15403, 15404, and 15409. Filed throughout California.
Read moreOut-of-State Property Matters
For families who live outside California and own California real estate, or are trustees or beneficiaries of California trusts.
Read moreSan Jose primary, California-wide for petitions.
For full estate planning engagements (the trust, will, powers of attorney, and health care directive package), Bob primarily serves San Jose and the eight cities of Santa Clara County: San Jose, Campbell, Sunnyvale, Los Gatos, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Los Altos, and Saratoga. Local proximity helps with the in-person signing appointment and the funding step.
For trust petitions and California real estate matters, distance is not the constraint. The petition is filed where the asset or the trustee is located, not where the attorney’s office is. Bob has filed Heggstad and trust modification petitions in Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, Contra Costa County, and other California counties.
Out-of-state families with California real estate or California trust interests regularly engage Bob remotely. Plan Design Meetings happen by Zoom, document signing happens by e-signature or mobile notary, and Bob attends the California court hearings on your behalf.
California FAQ
Common questions from out-of-area families.
Yes. For trust petitions (Heggstad, irrevocable trust modification, Probate Code Section 850 work generally), Bob serves families anywhere in California. The petition is filed in the county where the trustee lives or where the trust property is located. Bob has filed in Santa Clara County, San Mateo County, Contra Costa County, and other California counties.
Yes. Many out-of-state families own California real estate or are trustees or beneficiaries of California trusts. The California rules apply because the property and the trust are governed by California law, not by the state where you live. Bob handles the engagement remotely, with meetings by Zoom and document signing coordinated through e-signature or mobile notary as needed.
California property triggers California rules: probate (or trust administration), Prop 19 reassessment if the property transferred from a parent, and recording requirements at the local county recorder. Bob represents out-of-state heirs through this process. The first step is a review of the trust, the will, the deed, and the parent’s assessed value to map out the path.
Plan Design Meetings and draft reviews happen by Zoom for clients outside the immediate San Jose area. Document signing happens by e-signature where California law permits, or by mobile notary when in-person witnessing is required. Court hearings are handled by Bob; the client does not need to travel to the relevant California county.
Wherever the trust is, Bob can probably help.
Schedule a Plan Design Meeting. The first step is a review of the trust and the asset records; Bob will tell you whether a petition fits, what the evidentiary case looks like, and what it costs.