Top probate Lawyers in Monterey | 4 available

4 probate lawyers are available in Monterey, california, including John D. Laughton, John Rich Coniglio, Ralph W. Thompson III, and Thomas J. Espinoza. These lawyers are rated between 4.8/5 to 5.0/5 and 61% provide free consultation.

John D. Laught

John Rich Coni

Ralph W. Thomp

Thomas J. Espi

probate Lawyers Nearby Monterey (by distance)

Within 50 miles near you

Santa Cruz, California ZIP 95060 41.2 mi away 5 lawyers

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John D. Laughton

Firm: John D. Laughton A Professional Law Corporation

West Franklin Street , Monterey , California 93940

Practice Areas: Business Organizations,Estate Planning,Probate ,Real Estate ,Trusts,Wills

Avvo Review

“We were going through foreclosures and bankruptcy which was very scary and nerve wrecking. John walked through all the steps and was extremely helpful...JulieHelp us greatly throug…”

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Yelp Review

“in 2015, John re-wrote my Trust of 2007 and converted it into a Trust for my Pets. I was extremely impressed with the organization, professionalism, and...”

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Google Review

“Ten years ago I worked with John Laughton to create a Living Trust and a Pet Trust for my animals. I worked with him again recently for some changes needed in the Trust. Through al…”

— Teresa Wagner

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John Rich Coniglio

Firm: John R. Coniglio

490 Calle Principal PO Box 112 93 , Monterey , California 93940

Practice Areas: Criminal Defense , Family , Land Use & Zoning, Landlord & Tenant, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Personal Injury, Probate , Real Estate , Traffic Violations, Wrongful Death, DUI & DWI, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury

Avvo Review

“John Coniglio was a huge help when my sister got in trouble and received 2 felony charges. She was facing a year in jail but ended up receiving probat...”

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Google Review

“John took the time to speak to me about my case and gave me excellent advice I would never had thought of. His level of experience and professionalism is to be commended. He really…”

— S H

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Ralph W. Thompson III

Firm: The Thompson Law Office

580 Calle Principal First Floor 93 , Monterey , California 93940

Practice Areas: Animal Bites,Business & Commercial,Civil Rights,Construction ,Elder ,Employment & Labor ,Estate Planning,Ethics & Professional Responsibility,Health Care & Hospitalization,Housing & Construction Defects,Insurance ,Legal Malpractice,Medical Malpractice,Motor Vehicle Accidents,Motor Vehicle Defects,Nursing Home Negligence,Personal Injury,Premises Liability,Probate ,Products Liability,Professional Malpractice,Sexual Harassment,Toxic Substances,Trusts,Wills,Wrongful Death

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Thomas J. Espinoza

Firm: Law Office of Thomas J. Espinoza

444 Pearl Street A3 , Monterey , California 93940

Practice Areas: Civil ,Probate

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“Mr. Espinoza and his partner Lori Espinoza have a small firm. That in no way comprises the representation they give to their client. The case they a...”

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Recent Q&As in California (probate)

California probate — minor child denied family allowance despite Estate of Jameson; looking for insight on whether ruling is legally supportable | Aug 22, 2026 | Sourced from Reddit
Location: California I’m involved in a contested probate matter involving a minor child of the decedent. I was appointed Guardian ad Litem for the minor. I am not an attorney, but the probate court allowed me to appear in pro per as GAL, file pleadings, and argue the minor’s family allowance request. I have since learned there may be a separate issue about whether a non-attorney GAL can properly represent a minor in litigation without counsel, so that is now something we are also trying to sort out. The immediate issue is a family allowance under California Probate Code § 6540. Before the father’s death, the household had approximately $13,790/month in resources from both parents’ employment income plus $1,000/month rental income. When he died, his income and the rental income stopped being available to the household, which was a loss of more than 52% of the household’s pre-death resources. The child remained in the same home with substantially the same housing and maintenance expenses. She later began receiving approximately $1,693/month in Social Security survivor benefits. I recommended a $2,750/month family allowance after considering the child’s circumstances, the surviving parent’s continuing income, Social Security, the estate’s solvency, pre- and post-death household resources, and recurring expenses. I expressly did not claim that there was a mathematical formula for arriving at $2,750. The estate administrator opposed the amount and argued, among other things, that the minor’s directly attributable expenses were less than her Social Security benefit. Their calculation assigned no meaningful amount to…

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California Statutes — Probate

Probate Code: governs wills, trusts, estates, and conservatorships.

Browse the full California Probate Code →

Official government statute text, reproduced for reference — not legal advice. For your situation, consult a licensed attorney.

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