40+
Years Practicing in the Van Nuys Courts
Certified
CA State Bar — Probate, Trust & Estate Planning
Granada Hills
Office Minutes from Van Nuys Courthouse
Bilingual
Full Spanish-Language Probate Representation
California State Bar Certified Specialist in Probate, Trust and Estate Planning Law
The Certified Specialist designation requires passing a full-day written examination, demonstrating years of concentrated practice, fulfilling ongoing continuing education requirements, and receiving favorable peer review from attorneys and judges. Bonnie Marie Bursk holds this credential. Most San Fernando Valley attorneys who handle probate are general practitioners who include it among a mix of other areas. Bonnie has done almost nothing else for 40 years. That focus is what the State Bar certification formally verifies.
Certified Specialist
CA State Bar · Probate, Trust & Estate Planning Law
Past President
Southern California Council of Elder Law Attorneys
Trial Attorney
Probate & Trust Litigation · LA County Courts
What SFV Families Face LA County Probate Is Slower and More Expensive Than Most Families Realize
The Los Angeles County Superior Court is the largest state trial court in the United States — nearly 600 courtrooms, 2.7 million new cases per year. Probate in LA County is handled through the Northwest District, with cases for San Fernando Valley decedents heard at Van Nuys Courthouse West on Erwin Street Mall.
The volume and complexity of LA County’s probate docket means timelines that regularly run 18 months to three years for straightforward estates — longer than most smaller California counties. Every procedural error adds more time. Every missed deadline can expose the executor to personal liability. Every improperly noticed creditor can invalidate a distribution.
For the SFV’s large population of multi-generational families, long-term homeowners, and Spanish-speaking households navigating this process without prior experience, the gap between what probate should cost and what it ends up costing — in fees, delays, and family conflict — is enormous. That gap is where we work.
Know Your Local Court Van Nuys Probate Is Handled at the Northwest District — Not Downtown LA
A common misconception: many SFV families assume that LA County probate means going downtown to the Stanley Mosk Courthouse on Hill Street. For Van Nuys and most of the San Fernando Valley, that’s wrong. Probate for SFV decedents is heard in the Northwest District at Van Nuys Courthouse West. Our office is in Granada Hills — a few minutes from that courthouse. We appear there regularly and know its current calendar, procedures, and local requirements.
Verified Google Review — Workers’ Compensation Case
Van Nuys Courthouse West
14400 Erwin Street Mall
Van Nuys, CA 91401
Probate / Civil / Family Intake: (818) 374-2208
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
Note: Downtown LA’s Stanley Mosk Courthouse handles probate for Central District cases. Van Nuys decedents are assigned to the Northwest District at Van Nuys Courthouse West. Verify at lacourt.org
Not knowing which courthouse handles your case — and which division, which deadlines apply, and what that specific court’s current local rules require — is one of the most common reasons SFV families run into avoidable delays. This is our home court. We handle it for you.
Why the SFV Has Unique Probate Complexity San Fernando Valley Families Face Estate Issues That Generic Probate Guidance Doesn't Cover
The San Fernando Valley’s demographic profile — multi-generational immigrant families, long-term homeowners who bought decades ago, a large Spanish-speaking community, and significant multi-family real estate holdings — creates probate situations that differ in important ways from the scenarios most generic estate planning content describes. Bonnie Bursk has been navigating exactly these situations in the Van Nuys courts for 40 years.
Multi-Generational Families & Community Property
California is a community property state, meaning assets acquired during marriage are generally owned equally by both spouses. For SFV families with long marriages, inherited property, mixed separate and community property, and assets accumulated across generations, the probate valuation and distribution process is far more complex than a single homeowner's estate — and far more prone to family conflict if handled without experienced guidance.
Spanish-Speaking Families Navigating LA County Probate
Probate through an interpreter — even a professional one — introduces risk. Legal terms don't translate cleanly. The distinction between "executor" and "administrator," how a "pour-over will" works, what "Letters Testamentary" authorize — these concepts have legal weight that matters in the Van Nuys courthouse. Bonnie conducts the entire probate attorney-client relationship in Spanish for clients who prefer it. She is a Certified Specialist who is fully fluent. In the SFV, this combination is rare.
Long-Term Homeowners With Outdated or Missing Plans
Many Van Nuys families own homes purchased in the 1980s or 1990s — now worth $600,000–$1,000,000+ — with no trust in place and, often, no will. When a parent dies, the estate must go through full LA County probate. On a $750,000 estate, combined statutory fees alone reach approximately $36,000. On a $1,000,000 estate, they reach $46,000. These are fees that could have been eliminated entirely with a trust. We handle the probate that results — and we help surviving family members ensure it doesn't happen again.
A Risk Many SFV Families Don't Know Exists Medi-Cal Estate Recovery — California Can Make a Claim Against Your Loved One's Estate
If a deceased person received Medi-Cal benefits after age 55 — for nursing home care, in-home supportive services, or other long-term care — California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has a right to seek reimbursement from the estate. This is called Medi-Cal estate recovery, and it is a claim against the deceased person’s probate estate that must be formally noticed, evaluated, and either paid or contested during probate.
For Van Nuys families with elderly parents who received Medi-Cal — a common scenario in the SFV — this is a probate issue that can substantially affect what beneficiaries ultimately receive. It is also a topic that generic probate guides rarely address with any depth, because the rules are specific to California and the claim process is procedurally distinct from ordinary creditor claims.
There are legitimate defenses and hardship exceptions. There are time limits within which the state must assert its claim. There are assets that are treated differently depending on how title was held. Handling a Medi-Cal estate recovery claim correctly requires an attorney who knows this area — not one encountering it for the first time on your case. Talk to us if Medi-Cal is part of your family’s probate situation.
The LA County Probate Process What Happens at Each Stage in Van Nuysand Why Each Step Requires Care
California probate follows a court-supervised sequence with mandatory waiting periods at every stage. In LA County’s high-volume Northwest District, procedural accuracy at each step is what keeps cases on the shortest defensible timeline. Here’s what you’re navigating.
What Probate Costs in the San Fernando Valley Statutory Fees Are Fixed by Lawand Calculated on Gross Estate Value
California Probate Code §10810 sets attorney and executor fees as a percentage of the gross estate value — not net. For an SFV homeowner with a $750,000 house and a $400,000 mortgage, the fee calculation is based on $750,000. The mortgage doesn’t reduce it. Combined statutory attorney and executor fees on that estate total approximately $36,000 — before filing fees, publication costs, probate referee fees, and any extraordinary fees the court may award.
Statutory Attorney + Executor Fees (Combined) — California Probate Code §10810
$3,875,000
Neck & Shoulder
$3,580,000
Neck, Back & Wrist
$3,250,000
Work Injury
$3,250,000
Work Injury
Courts may award extraordinary fees above these minimums on complex estates. Additional costs include court filing fees, publication fees, probate referee fees, and bond premiums. All fees are paid from estate assets and reduce what beneficiaries ultimately receive.
For families currently in probate, understanding this fee structure helps set realistic expectations for distribution. For surviving family members who have not yet lost another loved one, this is the direct financial argument for putting a properly funded revocable living trust in place. A trust avoids probate entirely — its cost is a fraction of a single probate proceeding. Learn about estate planning to avoid probate
Probate Services — Van Nuys & San Fernando Valley What We Handle at the LA CountyNorthwest District
Full Probate Administration
From the initial petition at Van Nuys Courthouse West through final distribution — we prepare and file every document, coordinate with the probate referee, manage all creditor and beneficiary notices, handle accountings, and appear at all required hearings. One attorney handles your entire case, not a rotating support staff.
Probate & Trust Litigation
When a will is contested, a trustee is accused of breach of fiduciary duty, undue influence is alleged, or elder abuse surfaces in an estate, Bonnie Bursk handles the case through litigation in LA County Superior Court. She drafts estate plans and tries cases — your family doesn't start over with a new attorney when probate becomes a dispute.
Trust Administration
When the deceased had a living trust, a full probate court proceeding is typically not required — but trust administration still carries formal legal obligations. The successor trustee must notify beneficiaries, manage and distribute assets, pay debts and taxes, and file required returns. Errors expose trustees to personal liability. We guide successor trustees through every step correctly.
Small Estate & Simplified Procedures
Not all Van Nuys estates require full probate. The Affidavit Procedure applies to estates under $208,850 (updated April 1, 2025). The Spousal Property Petition simplifies transfers to a surviving spouse. We determine which procedure applies, complete it efficiently, and explain exactly what it means for your family's timeline and costs.
Medi-Cal Estate Recovery Defense
California's Department of Health Care Services can file a recovery claim against estates of Medi-Cal recipients who received benefits after age 55. For Van Nuys families with parents who received Medi-Cal long-term care, this is a real and often unexpected part of probate. We evaluate every recovery claim, identify applicable hardship exemptions, and contest invalid or overstated claims formally.
Are you the executor of a Van Nuys estate and don't know where to start?
One free call clarifies the process, the timeline, and what you're responsible for.
Your Van Nuys Probate Attorney Bonnie Marie Bursk — 40+ Years in the Van Nuys Courts
Bonnie Marie Bursk CA State Bar Certified Specialist · Probate, Trust & Estate Planning Law · Trial Attorney — Probate & Trust Litigation · Se Habla Español · Elder Law & Elder Abuse · Former CA State Controller — Inheritance Tax Division
Bonnie Marie Bursk is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Savin Bursk Law, based in Granada Hills — minutes from the Van Nuys Courthouse West where SFV probate cases are heard. She has been practicing probate, trust, and estate planning law in California since 1982, appearing in the LA County Northwest District courts throughout her career.
Before private practice, Bonnie served as Assistant Inheritance Tax Attorney for the California State Controller’s Inheritance and Gift Tax Division — giving her institutional knowledge of how California taxes estates from the government’s perspective. She is fully fluent in Spanish and handles probate litigation as a trial attorney — the rare combination of drafter and courtroom advocate in a single attorney. When a Van Nuys probate becomes contested, she handles it through trial.
“Bonnie is highly skilled with a warm, friendly and outgoing personality and is an exceptionally good communicator. She has always made herself available to answer my questions in a way that I can understand. I have total confidence in Bonnie.”
Verified Client — Estate Planning & Trust Preparation
Why SFV Families Choose Savin Bursk What a Certified Specialist with aGranada Hills Office Brings to Van Nuys Probate
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She Is a Trial Attorney, Not Just a Document Drafter
Most estate planning and probate attorneys are document practitioners. They draft trusts, file probate petitions, and manage routine administrations. When a probate becomes contested — a challenged will, a disputed inheritance, a trustee accused of misconduct — they refer the case out. Bonnie Bursk handles contested probate and trust litigation herself in LA County Superior Court. Your family doesn’t rebuild their legal team from scratch when the situation escalates. About probate litigation
“At a very difficult crossroad in our lives, you have been very helpful and very kind. I feel our family is in great hands with your family.”
Verified Client — Savin Bursk Law
Contested will, disputed trust, or Medi-Cal recovery claim?
These require an attorney who handles litigation — not just filings. Free consultation.
Where We Serve Serving Van Nuys and the Entire San Fernando Valley
Our office is in Granada Hills, just minutes from Van Nuys Courthouse West where SFV probate matters are heard. We serve clients across the entire San Fernando Valley and handle most consultations by phone or video — appearing at the Van Nuys courthouse on your behalf.
Frequently Asked Questions Van Nuys & SFV Probate — Questions We Answer Every Week
Probate for decedents who lived in Van Nuys and most of the San Fernando Valley is handled by the LA County Superior Court Northwest District at Van Nuys Courthouse West, 14400 Erwin Street Mall, Van Nuys, CA 91401. This is a common source of confusion — many SFV families assume LA County probate means going to the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, which handles probate for central LA decedents. If your family member lived in Van Nuys, Reseda, North Hills, Northridge, Granada Hills, Canoga Park, or surrounding SFV communities, Van Nuys Courthouse West is almost certainly your courthouse. Probate intake for that court is reachable at (818) 374-2208.
LA County probate typically runs 18 months to three years for a straightforward estate — longer than most California counties because of the volume of cases in the court system. The minimum timeline is driven by mandatory statutory waiting periods: at least four months from the date of first publication for the creditor notice period, plus the time required for the probate referee appraisal, accounting preparation, and final distribution hearing. Any procedural error — an incorrect filing, a missed notice, an improperly noticed creditor — resets the clock on that stage. Contested probates involving will disputes, trustee challenges, or Medi-Cal recovery claims can take considerably longer.
No — a will does not avoid probate. This is one of the most widespread misconceptions in estate planning. A will provides instructions the probate court follows during the administration of an estate. If you own real property or personal property exceeding the small estate threshold ($208,850 as of April 1, 2025) in your name alone, your estate will require a full probate court proceeding regardless of whether a will exists. The only instrument that avoids probate is a properly funded revocable living trust — meaning your assets are actually titled in the name of the trust before you die. If you’re currently in probate over an estate that had only a will, that is exactly what we handle. If you’re a surviving family member who wants to avoid the same outcome, contact us about trust-based estate planning.
California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has a statutory right to seek reimbursement from the probate estate of any Medi-Cal recipient who received benefits after age 55 — particularly for nursing facility care, in-home supportive services, and related long-term care. This is called Medi-Cal estate recovery. The state must be formally noticed during probate; it then has a statutory period to file a recovery claim. The claim is treated as a creditor claim against the estate, which means it must be evaluated, and either paid or formally contested, before final distribution to beneficiaries. California provides hardship exemptions and surviving spouse protections, but these must be formally invoked. For Van Nuys families whose parents received Medi-Cal long-term care — a common scenario in the SFV — this is a material probate issue that can significantly affect what beneficiaries ultimately receive. Contact us to discuss how Medi-Cal recovery applies to your family’s situation.
California attorney and executor fees are set by statute under Probate Code §10810 and calculated on gross estate value — not net. A Van Nuys homeowner with a $750,000 house and $400,000 remaining mortgage has a $750,000 gross estate; combined statutory attorney and executor fees total approximately $36,000. On a $1,000,000 estate, fees reach $46,000. These are minimums — courts can award extraordinary fees on complex estates. Additional costs include court filing fees, publication costs, probate referee appraisal fees, bond premiums, and any Medi-Cal recovery obligations. All fees are paid from estate assets and reduce what beneficiaries receive. These costs are entirely avoidable for future planning through a properly funded revocable living trust, whose cost is a fraction of a single probate proceeding.
The estate passes under California’s intestate succession laws — a statutory formula based on family relationship, not the decedent’s wishes. In California, which is a community property state, the distribution rules differ significantly between community property and separate property, and between married and unmarried decedents. The Van Nuys Courthouse West probate court appoints an administrator (rather than an executor named in a will) to manage the estate, typically the surviving spouse, adult child, or another close relative. The full probate process still applies. Unmarried partners, stepchildren, close friends, and anyone else outside the statutory formula receive nothing regardless of the decedent’s actual intentions. For SFV families with blended households, long-term partners, or stepchildren, intestate succession can produce outcomes that bear no resemblance to what the deceased would have wanted.
Probate is court-supervised — the LA County Superior Court oversees the administration, reviews accountings, and authorizes distributions. It is public, takes 18 months to three years in LA County, and involves fixed statutory fees calculated on gross estate value. Trust administration is private — the successor trustee manages and distributes the estate according to the trust document, without court involvement in most cases. Trust administration is significantly faster (typically 6–12 months), less expensive, and private — the trust and its terms are not public record. However, trust administration still carries formal legal obligations with real consequences for errors. The successor trustee must notify beneficiaries, account for all assets, pay valid debts and taxes, and distribute correctly. Failing to do this properly — including late distributions and improper accounting — exposes trustees to personal liability. We guide successor trustees through every required step.
Yes. A will can be contested on grounds including lack of testamentary capacity (the decedent lacked the mental ability to sign the document), undue influence (someone manipulated the decedent into changing their estate plan), fraud, or improper execution (the document wasn’t signed and witnessed correctly under California law). A trust can be challenged on similar grounds, and trustees can be removed for breach of fiduciary duty — self-dealing, mismanagement, failure to account, or favoring one beneficiary over others. Will and trust contests in Van Nuys are heard in LA County Superior Court. Bonnie Bursk handles both sides of probate and trust litigation as a trial attorney. If you believe a document doesn’t reflect the decedent’s true wishes, or if you are a trustee or executor facing a formal challenge, contact us before taking any action.
California’s small estate threshold was updated to $208,850 on April 1, 2025. If the total value of the deceased person’s probate assets — meaning assets that were solely in their name and not held in a trust, joint tenancy, or with a beneficiary designation — is $208,850 or less, a simplified procedure may be available instead of full probate. The most common simplified procedure is the Affidavit Procedure, which allows heirs to claim eligible assets without a court proceeding. However, several conditions must be met: the small estate threshold applies to the total value of all probate assets combined, not to individual items. Real property in the SFV almost universally exceeds this threshold on its own, which means most Van Nuys homeowners’ estates do not qualify. If you’re unsure whether your family’s estate qualifies for a simplified procedure, a free consultation can answer that question directly.
Free Consultation for Van Nuys & San Fernando Valley Families
Whether you are just beginning to understand what probate involves, you are already named as executor and need guidance, or you are navigating a Medi-Cal recovery claim or contested will — Bonnie Bursk is the Certified Specialist at the courthouse nearest you. One call clarifies the process.
Certified Specialist · Se Habla Español · Granada Hills Office — Minutes from Van Nuys Courthouse West
Savin Bursk Law · 10663 Yarmouth Ave, Granada Hills, CA 91344 (818) 368-8646 · connect@savinbursklaw.com