California Court & Probate Bonds
For Attorneys, Litigants, Executors and Guardians.
Appeal, attachment, injunction and lien release bonds for litigation, and executor, administrator, guardian and conservator bonds for probate court. We quote with several admitted surety companies and work directly with your attorney's office, so the bond reads exactly as the court requires.
- Court date coming up? Give us the deadline when you request your bond.
- Admitted surety insurers, so an appeal bond is 1.5 × the judgment, not 2 ×.
- Offices in Citrus Heights and Fresno, serving courts across California.
Request a Court or Probate Bond
An agent will call you to confirm the details.
Litigation and Court Bonds
| Bond | When it's needed | Amount | Law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appeal (supersedeas) bond | Stops a money judgment from being enforced while you appeal | 1.5 × the judgment with an admitted surety (2 × with personal sureties) | CCP § 917.1 |
| Attachment bond | A plaintiff attaches the defendant’s property before judgment | $10,000, raised if likely wrongful-attachment damages are higher | CCP § 489.220 |
| Injunction or restraining order bond | A court grants a preliminary injunction | Set by the court | CCP § 529 |
| Mechanic’s lien release bond | Releases a property from a recorded mechanic’s lien | 125% of the lien claim | Civ. Code § 8424 |
Estate, Guardianship and Conservatorship Bonds
| Bond | When it's needed | Amount | Law |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executor or administrator bond | A personal representative is appointed to manage an estate | Up to the personal property + annual income (+ real property under independent administration) | Prob. Code §§ 8481–8482 |
| Guardianship bond | A guardian manages a minor’s estate | Personal property + annual income + public benefits + recovery costs | Prob. Code § 2320 |
| Conservatorship bond | A conservator manages an adult’s estate | Personal property + annual income + public benefits + recovery costs | Prob. Code § 2320 |
| Trustee bond | The trust or the court requires the trustee to be bonded | Set by the trust or the court | — |
The court's order or your attorney gives the exact bond amount. Need something not listed, such as a claim and delivery, release of attachment or cost bond? Ask us. For other bonds, see all surety bonds.
Who Needs a Court or Probate Bond
Attorneys and their clients
Send us the order or tell us the amount, court and case number, and we'll handle the application with your client and deliver the bond to your office ready to file. We're used to working to hearing dates.
Executors and administrators
If the will doesn't waive the bond, or not every beneficiary has signed a waiver, the probate court will set a bond before it issues letters. We'll walk you through the application and renew the bond each year until the court discharges you.
Guardians and conservators
Taking responsibility for a child's or an adult's finances comes with a bond based on the estate's property, income and public benefits. We explain what the surety needs and keep the paperwork moving so letters aren't delayed.
Property owners and contractors
A mechanic's lien can stall a sale or refinance. A lien release bond for 125% of the claim, recorded with the county, frees the property while the dispute is resolved. We also write dealer bonds and contractor license bonds.
How a Court Bond Gets Issued
The court's order, or your attorney, tells you the bond type and amount. For an appeal it follows the judgment; for probate the court sets it from the estate.
A short application and a credit check cover most bonds. Larger bonds, especially big appeal bonds, also need financial statements, and the surety may ask for collateral.
It's signed for the surety company with its power of attorney attached, worded for your court and case, and sent to you or your attorney to file.
A court bond stays in place until the court exonerates it. Probate bonds renew each year until the court discharges the executor, guardian or conservator.
What to Have Ready
- The court and case number
- The bond type and amount, or a copy of the order
- Your hearing date or filing deadline
- For probate: the estate's estimated value and annual income
- For an appeal: the judgment amount and the date it was entered
- Your attorney's name and contact details, if you have one
Both of our offices write court and probate bonds for courts across California.
(916) 576-4000Court & Probate Bonds — Frequently Asked Questions
How much is an appeal bond in California?
To stop a money judgment from being enforced while you appeal, Code of Civil Procedure section 917.1 requires an undertaking of one and one-half times the judgment when it is written by an admitted surety insurer, or twice the judgment with personal sureties. If the appeal fails or is dismissed, the bond pays the judgment, interest and costs. Large appeal bonds usually need financial statements, and the surety may ask for collateral.
Do I need a bond to be an executor or administrator?
Usually, yes, unless the will waives the bond or every beneficiary signs a written waiver attached to the petition for appointment (Probate Code section 8481). Even with a waiver, the court can require a bond for good cause. Administrators appointed without a will normally need one.
How does the court set the amount of a probate bond?
Under Probate Code section 8482, the court sets the amount, but it can be no more than the estimated value of the estate's personal property, plus its probable annual gross income, plus the value of real property if independent administration covers it. With personal sureties instead of a surety company, the amount doubles.
How much is a guardianship or conservatorship bond?
Probate Code section 2320 sets it at the value of the estate's personal property, plus the probable annual gross income of the estate, plus probable annual public benefit payments, plus a reasonable amount for the cost of recovering on the bond. The court can raise or lower it for good cause, and personal sureties again mean double the amount.
What does a court bond cost?
You pay a premium that is a percentage of the bond amount, not the full amount. The surety prices it from the type of bond, its size, and the applicant's credit and finances. Probate bonds are usually renewed each year until the court discharges you. Because we quote with several surety companies, you see the best price available to you rather than one company's rate.
What is a mechanic's lien release bond?
If a contractor or supplier records a mechanic's lien against a property, the owner or general contractor can record a release bond for 125 percent of the lien claim (Civil Code section 8424). Once recorded, the property is released from the lien, and the claimant pursues the bond instead, which clears the way for a sale or refinance.
This page explains what California law says about bond amounts. It isn't legal advice; your attorney and the court's order decide what your case needs.