Probate in Orange County moves through Lamoreaux Justice Center in the City of Orange. Higher median home values mean the AB 2016 $750,000 carve-out is the line a lot of cases sit just on the wrong side of — worth understanding before you file.
Probate petitions filed in OC in a typical year. Lower volume than LA, faster calendars, more predictable hearing dates.
Figures are 2026 estimates drawn from county recorder data, MLS aggregates, and California Judicial Council filings. Specific cases vary.
I’ve attended hearings at Lamoreaux Justice Center regularly. The probate clerks are professional and helpful. The local rules differ in small but important ways from neighboring counties — the notes below cover what matters in practice.
Probate at Lamoreaux Justice Center is heard primarily in Departments L73, L74, and L75 — the L-suite. Tentative rulings (called “probate notes” locally) are posted by the court the day before each hearing. Calendars run Monday through Thursday mornings; uncontested matters move quickly.
AB 2016’s $750,000 primary-residence carve-out has had a different effect in Orange County than in LA. Many primary residences in Anaheim, Santa Ana, Garden Grove, and Westminster still fall under $750K — meaning a Petition to Determine Succession to Real Property under §13150 may avoid formal probate entirely. Newport, Irvine, and most of the coastal cities, no.
All probate matters in Orange County are filed at Lamoreaux Justice Center, not the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana. This trips up people once. The probate clerk’s window is on the first floor; the Self-Help Center is also on-site if you need a procedural question answered before filing.
Median home value across OC sits around $1.24M in early 2026. The county is split functionally between north OC (more accessible, higher inventory, $700K–$1.1M range) and the coast (Newport, Laguna, Dana Point, where probate sales routinely exceed $2M). Both call for different listing strategies. We’ll know which after one conversation.
If your case is in a city not listed here, the rule is still simple: the case files where the decedent resided. We work within that.
Assembly Bill 2016 took effect April 1, 2025. Small-estate threshold rose to $208,850. A new $750,000 simplified procedure was created specifically for the decedent’s primary residence. Worth checking whether your situation qualifies.
Read what changedOrange County is the second-largest market I work in and the most predictable. Lamoreaux calendars run on time, the local Bar is responsive, and most probate sales close on a standard 30–45 day escrow once the court math is sorted out.