ARTICLE 2. Appointment as Personal Representative [7620. - 7624.]

Cal. Probate Code - PROB 2.

in effect

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 7620. Section 7620.

The public administrator of the county in which the estate of a decedent may be administered shall promptly: (a) Petition for appointment as personal representative of the estate if no person having higher priority has petitioned for appointment and the total value of the property in the decedent’s estate exceeds one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000). (b) Petition for appointment as personal representative of any other estate the public administrator determines is proper. (c) Accept appointment as personal representative of an estate when so ordered by the court, whether or not on petition of the public administrator, after notice to the public administrator as provided in Section 7621. (d) Proceed with summary disposition of the estate as authorized by Article 4 (commencing with Section 7660), if the total value of the property in the decedent’s estate does not exceed the amount prescribed in Section 13100 and a person having higher priority has not assumed responsibility for administration of the estate.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 7621. Section 7621.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, appointment of the public administrator as personal representative shall be made, and letters issued, in the same manner and pursuant to the same procedure as for appointment of and issuance of letters to personal representatives generally. (b) Appointment of the public administrator may be made on the court’s own motion, after notice to the public administrator as provided in Section 1220. (c) Letters may be issued to “the public administrator” of the county without naming the public administrator. (d) The public administrator’s oath and official bond are in lieu of the personal representative’s oath and bond. Every estate administered under this chapter shall be charged an annual bond fee in the amount of twenty-five dollars ($25) plus one-fourth of one percent of the amount of an estate greater than ten thousand dollars ($10,000). The amount charged is an expense of administration and that amount shall be deposited in the county treasury. If a successor personal representative is appointed, the amount of the bond fee shall be prorated over the period of months during which the public administrator acted as personal representative. Upon final distribution by the public administrator, any amount of bond charges in excess of one year shall be a prorated charge to the estate.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 7622. Section 7622.

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter: (a) The public administrator shall administer the estate in the same manner as a personal representative generally, and the provisions of this code concerning the administration of the decedent’s estate apply to administration by the public administrator. (b) The public administrator is entitled to receive the same compensation as is granted by this division to a personal representative generally. The attorney for the public administrator is entitled to receive the same compensation as is granted by this division to an attorney for a personal representative generally. However, the compensation of the public administrator and the public administrator’s attorney may not be less than the compensation in effect at the time of appointment of the public administrator or the minimum amount provided in subdivision (b) of Section 7666, whichever is greater.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 7623. Section 7623.

(a) As used in this section, “additional compensation” means the difference between the reasonable compensation of the public administrator in administering the estate and the compensation awarded the public administrator under Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 10800) of Part 7. (b) The public administrator may be awarded additional compensation if any of the following conditions are satisfied: (1) A person having priority for appointment as personal representative has been given notice under Section 8110 of the public administrator’s petition for appointment, and the person has not petitioned for appointment in preference to the public administrator. (2) The public administrator has been appointed after the resignation or removal of a personal representative.

Cal. Probate Code - PROB § 7624. Section 7624.

(a) If after final distribution of an estate any money remains in the possession of the public administrator that should be paid over to the county treasurer pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11850) of Part 10, the court shall order payment to be made within 60 days. (b) Upon failure of the public administrator to comply with an order made pursuant to subdivision (a), the district attorney of the county shall promptly institute proceedings against the public administrator and the sureties on the official bond for the amount ordered to be paid, plus costs.

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