ARTICLE 3. Publication [8120. - 8125.]

Cal. Probate Code - PROB 3.

in effect

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 8120. Section 8120.

In addition to service of the notice of hearing as provided in Article 2 (commencing with Section 8110), notice of hearing of a petition for administration of a decedent’s estate shall also be published before the hearing in the manner provided in this article.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 8121. Section 8121.

(a) The first publication date of the notice shall be at least 15 days before the hearing. Three publications in a newspaper published once a week or more often, with at least five days intervening between the first and last publication dates, not counting the publication dates, are sufficient. (b) Notice shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the city where the decedent resided at the time of death, or where the decedent’s property is located if the court has jurisdiction under Section 7052. If there is no such newspaper, or if the decedent did not reside in a city, or if the property is not located in a city, then notice shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the county which is circulated within the area of the county in which the decedent resided or the property is located. If there is no such newspaper, notice shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation published in this state nearest to the county seat of the county in which the decedent resided or the property is located, and which is circulated within the area of the county in which the decedent resided or the property is located. (c) For purposes of this section, “city” means a charter city as defined in Section 34101 of the Government Code or a general law city as defined in Section 34102 of the Government Code.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 8122. Section 8122.

The Legislature finds and declares that, to be most effective, notice of hearing should be published in compliance with Section 8121. However, the Legislature recognizes the possibility that in unusual cases due to confusion over jurisdictional boundaries or oversight such notice may inadvertently be published in a newspaper that does not satisfy Section 8121. Therefore, to prevent a minor error in publication from invalidating what would otherwise be a proper proceeding, the Legislature further finds and declares that notice published in a good faith attempt to comply with Section 8121 is sufficient to provide notice of hearing and to establish jurisdiction if the court expressly finds that the notice was published in a newspaper of general circulation published within the county and widely circulated within a true cross-section of the area of the county in which the decedent resided or the property was located in substantial compliance with Section 8121.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 8123. Section 8123.

The caption of a notice under this article shall be in 8-point type or larger and the text shall be in 7-point type or larger.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 8124. Section 8124.

A petition for administration of a decedent’s estate shall not be heard by the court unless an affidavit showing due publication of the notice of hearing has been filed with the court. The affidavit shall contain a copy of the notice and state the date of its publication.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 8125. Section 8125.

Notwithstanding Section 8100, after the notice of hearing is published and an affidavit filed, any subsequent publication of the notice ordered by the court may omit the information for creditors and contingent creditors.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026