California Court Forms · Probate

DE-120: Notice of Hearing—Decedent’s Estate or Trust

The notice sent to interested persons when a petition, application, report or account in an estate or trust is set for hearing.

Mandatory form · Revised January 1, 2020 · 2 pages · The petition, report or account being heard

Not legal advice. This page explains what the form asks; it does not tell you what to put in your case.

What it is

Notice of a probate or trust hearing

DE-120 tells people who filed what, and when and where the hearing is. It says recipients do not have to appear but may attend and object or respond, and that the court may act without them. It cites Probate Code sections 1211–1230, 12201, 17100 and 17203.

When it is used

When not to use it

The form says not to use it for notice of a petition to administer an estate (use DE-121), a guardianship or conservatorship hearing (use GC-020), or a petition to determine a claim to property (use DE-115/GC-015).

Section by section

What each part asks

Use the current official form and its instructions. The descriptions below identify the questions without choosing answers for your situation.

Page 1 · The notice

1 · The filing

Who filed, in what capacity, and the complete title and description of the petition, report or account.

Status report box

For a status report under Probate Code section 12200, notice of the right to petition for an accounting under section 10950.

2 · Hearing

Date, time, department, room and court address.

Page 2 · Posting and mailing

Clerk’s certificate of posting

Where and when the clerk posted the notice.

Proof of service by mail

Who mailed it, when and where, whether the petition was served with it, and each person mailed; DE-120(MA)/GC-020(MA) can list more. Personal service uses DE-120(P).

Before you file

Common filing problems to check

These checks come from the official form and instructions. They are not a ranking of rejection reasons; the court decides whether a filing meets its requirements.

  • DE-120 is used for a petition to administer an estate, which uses DE-121.
  • Item 1 does not give the complete title of the filing.
  • Page 2 is used to prove personal service; the form says to use DE-120(P).
  • A copy of the petition or other document is not served with the notice when item 5 of the proof says it was.

E-file it

How to e-file DE-120 with Legal Hub Group

Legal Hub Group is a certified e-filing service provider for California courts. Availability depends on the live court, case type, document type and whether the case is new or existing.

1

Confirm the court

Check the current court and case-type list. A court must support the particular filing; this guide does not make every form available in every county.

2

Upload and check

Upload the finished papers and their attachments. Lexary checks them for common filing problems. Review the documents and the results before continuing.

3

Review the filing and fees

Confirm the case, document types and payment choice. Review every fee shown before submitting.

4

Submit and track the answer

The court reviews the filing. Keep the court’s acceptance and returned copy, or read its rejection notice before deciding what to do next.

$14.99 Legal Hub Group fee per e-filing, plus applicable court and court-system fees. Each fee is shown before submitting.

E-service is included free where available. No subscription. E-filing and service of opening papers are separate requirements.

Questions

DE-120 questions

Do I have to go to the hearing?

The form says you are not required to appear, but you may attend and object or respond. If you do not, the court may act on the filing without you.

Which form gives notice of a new probate petition?

DE-121, Notice of Petition to Administer Estate. DE-120 says not to use it for that.

Not legal advice. This page explains public filing information. It does not tell you what to put in your own case. Legal Hub Group is a certified e-filing service provider for California courts, not a law firm.

Information checked as of October 2026. Rules, form revisions and provider prices can change. The court decides whether to accept a filing.

DE-120 form revision: January 1, 2020.