The probate clerk’s office for Fresno County Superior Court is broken. We submitted an Ex Parte Petition for Final Discharge and Order for filing on February 11, 2026. This is a standard Judicial Council form. There were two beneficiaries. Both signed a receipt of distributee, and the receipts were attached to the petition.
We told the clerk that time was of the essence. The probate bond was coming up for renewal, and we needed the order entered promptly to avoid the renewal charge for the probate bond.
The Order was signed and entered on March 26, 2026. It’s not the judge’s fault – we know that he is a hard worker. Someone in the clerk’s office failed to timely process the filing, which cost the estate hundreds of dollars in additional bond costs.
Other counties (Madera, Kings, and Tulare) return these orders in seven days or less. It’s time for a leadership change in the probate department in Fresno County, because this delay is unacceptable.