19040-19041
PROBATE CODE
SECTION 19040-19041
19040. (a) Publication of notice pursuant to this section shall be for at least 15 days. Three publications in a newspaper published once a week or more often, with at least five days intervening between the first and last publication dates, not counting the first and last publication dates as part of the five-day period, are sufficient. Notice shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the city, county, or city and county in this state where the deceased settlor resided at the time of death, or if none, in the city, county, or city and county in this state wherein trust property was located at the time of the settlor's death, or if none, in the city, county, or city and county in this state wherein the principal place of administration of the trust was located at the time of the settlor's death. If there is no newspaper of general circulation published in the applicable city, county, or city and county, notice shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation published in this state nearest to the applicable city, county, or city and county seat, and which is circulated within the applicable city, county, or city and county. If there is no such newspaper, notice shall be given in written or printed form, posted at three of the most public places within the community. For purposes of this section, "city" means a charter city as defined in Section 34101 of the Government Code or a general law city as defined in Section 34102 of the Government Code. (b) The caption of the notice, the deceased settlor's name, and the name of the trustee shall be in at least 8-point type, the text of the notice shall be in at least 7-point type, and the notice shall state substantially as follows: NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF _____________ # ____________ SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF _________ Notice is hereby given to the creditors and contingent creditors of the above-named decedent, that all persons having claims against the decedent are required to file them with the Superior Court, at _______, and mail a copy to _____, as trustee of the trust dated ____ wherein the decedent was the settlor, at _____, within the later of four months after ____ (the date of the first publication of notice to creditors) or, if notice is mailed or personally delivered to you, 60 days after the date this notice is mailed or personally delivered to you. A claim form may be obtained from the court clerk. For your protection, you are encouraged to file your claim by certified mail, with return receipt requested. (name and address of trustee or attorney) (c) An affidavit showing due publication of notice shall be filed with the clerk upon completion of the publication. The affidavit shall contain a copy of the notice, and state the date of its first publication. 19041. The Legislature finds and declares that to be most effective, notice to creditors should be published in compliance with the procedures specified in Section 19040. However, the Legislature recognizes the possibility that in unusual cases due to confusion over jurisdictional boundaries or oversights the notice may inadvertently be published in a newspaper which does not meet these requirements. Therefore, to prevent a minor error in publication from invalidating what would otherwise be a proper proceeding, the Legislature further finds and declares that notice published in a good faith attempt to comply with Section 19040 shall be sufficient to provide notice to creditors and establish jurisdiction if the court expressly finds that the notice was published in a newspaper of general circulation published within the city, county, or city and county and widely circulated within a true cross section of the community in which the deceased settlor resided or wherein the principal place of administration of the trust was located or the property was located in substantial compliance with Section 19040.