The Superior Court has jurisdiction over the distribution of a person’s estate after they die.  This is known as a Probate case.  When a person dies, it might be necessary to file a case in probate court if their property is not titled in such a way that it is clear who will inherit that property.  A probate case may also be necessary if a decedent has a large estate with multiple heirs who might not agree on who will inherit the property.

Many times a decedent’s property will pass on automatically according to the title or arrangements such as a joint tenancy, community property, or a trust.  In these instances, it is not necessary to file a probate case because there are no issues for the Court to decide.

Most all probate cases are handled as informal probate cases unless there is a large estate, or if the heirs cannot agree on the disposition of the estate.