ARTICLE 1. Duties and Liabilities of Personal Representative [9600. - 9606.]

Cal. Probate Code - PROB 1.
in effect

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 9600. Section 9600.

(a) The personal representative has the management and control of the estate and, in managing and controlling the estate, shall use ordinary care and diligence. What constitutes ordinary care and diligence is determined by all the circumstances of the particular estate. (b) The personal representative: (1) Shall exercise a power to the extent that ordinary care and diligence require that the power be exercised. (2) Shall not exercise a power to the extent that ordinary care and diligence require that the power not be exercised.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 9601. Section 9601.

(a) If a personal representative breaches a fiduciary duty, the personal representative is chargeable with any of the following that is appropriate under the circumstances: (1) Any loss or depreciation in value of the decedent’s estate resulting from the breach of duty, with interest. (2) Any profit made by the personal representative through the breach of duty, with interest. (3) Any profit that would have accrued to the decedent’s estate if the loss of profit is the result of the breach of duty. (b) If the personal representative has acted reasonably and in good faith under the circumstances as known to the personal representative, the court, in its discretion, may excuse the personal representative in whole or in part from liability under subdivision (a) if it would be equitable to do so.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 9602. Section 9602.

(a) If the personal representative is liable for interest pursuant to Section 9601, the personal representative is liable for the greater of the following amounts: (1) The amount of interest that accrues at the legal rate on judgments. (2) The amount of interest actually received. (b) If the personal representative has acted reasonably and in good faith under the circumstances as known to the personal representative, the court, in its discretion, may excuse the personal representative in whole or in part from liability under subdivision (a) if it would be equitable to do so.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 9603. Section 9603.

The provisions of Sections 9601 and 9602 for liability of a personal representative for breach of a fiduciary duty do not prevent resort to any other remedy available against the personal representative under the statutory or common law.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 9604. Section 9604.

No personal representative is chargeable upon a special promise to answer in damages for a liability of the decedent or to pay a debt of the decedent out of the personal representative’s own estate unless the agreement for that purpose, or some memorandum or note thereof, is in writing and is signed by one of the following: (a) The personal representative. (b) Some other person specifically authorized by the personal representative in writing to sign the agreement or the memorandum or note.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 9606. Section 9606.

Unless otherwise provided in the instrument or in this division, a personal representative is not personally liable on an instrument, including but not limited to a note, mortgage, deed of trust, or other contract, properly entered into in the personal representative’s fiduciary capacity in the course of administration of the estate unless the personal representative fails to reveal the personal representative’s representative capacity or identify the estate in the instrument.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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