Roseville, CA estate planning & probate attorney Kristin M. Kaminski explains how the probate process works in California. She explains that probate is a court-supervised process that, in California, typically takes an average of sixteen months to complete. Its purpose is to facilitate the orderly transfer of a decedent’s assets to the appropriate beneficiaries or heirs. If the individual passes away without a will, the assets are distributed to heirs according to California’s laws of intestate succession. If a valid last will exists, the assets are distributed to the beneficiaries named in the will.