What do I have to do to get copy of a Will from Berkeley, Calif

[Guest Cricklewood]

I would like to get a copy of the Last Will and Testament of Bernard Maybeck who passed away on Oct 3, 1957. He is buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland, Calif. PLOT: Main Mausoleum Urn Garden, Plot 359.

I don't know where to start. Can someone please help me. Thanks.

[R W Burgess]

George,

Gloria, the wife, tells me that you need to contact the courthouse in that gentleman's area, as there will be the Last Will and Testament on file there. That means that you will need to have someone in California willing to help you. The courthouse itself may even have someone that can do this research for you for a fee.

Hope this helps,

Wayne

[Rusty_OToole]

If there was real estate involved the will has to be registered at the courthouse. It is part of the probate.

In some parts of the country records are kept at the hall of records or registry office.

An estate where no real estate is involved, will not necessarily be on file at the courthouse.

In some places the records are available online. You might try an internet search, otherwise your best bet might be a title company. They have title searchers in the courthouse all day long. One of them could find your will and probate records in a jiffy.

[Reatta Man]

Contact an attorney who is licensed to practice law in California.

[Guest John Chapman]

Crick,

Start by contacting the Alameda County Clerk/Recorders office:

Link: http://www.acgov.org/auditor/clerk/index.htm

If the decedent died intestate, there may be no record, depending on the size of the estate and how it was probated. As mentioned above, you might have to hire a local attorney to act as your California agent. According to the web site, the records you're looking for would be available only from microfilm and will require a personal visit to the office.

Good luck!

JMC

[Rusty_OToole]

If all you need is a copy of the will, and it is on record at the courthouse, a title company can find it cheaper than a lawyer. The lawyer will probably call a title company and have them look it up anyway,

[JohnD1956]

According to their website, you can send an e mail request to : clerk@ci.berkeley.ca.us <clerk@ci.berkeley.ca.us>

Here in NY those records are kept by the County Clerks office, not the individual city clerk, and I do not know if California is the same. And if so, what County Berkley would be in either?