Where in the World do I file my Lawsuit?

Where do you sue your Trustee?  If you want to sue a Trustee in California, there are two issues you need to consider: (1) jurisdiction, and (2) venue. Jurisdiction is the big question—can this Trustee be sued in California? Venue is the smaller question—where in California must this Trustee be sued?

Jurisdiction — The Big Question

Under Probate Code section 17300, any person who accepts trusteeship of a Trust having its principal place of administration in California submits personally to the jurisdiction of the California courts. In other words, if you choose to become Trustee of a Trust that is being administered in California at the time you take over, then you agree to come to court in California if there is ever a problem in the future.

That is a pretty broad standard. But it gets broader still under Probate Code section 17004, which allows the court to exercise jurisdiction under any basis that can be used for civil lawsuits under Code of Civil Procedure section 410.10. Section 410.10 is California’s so-called Long Arm Statute that allows jurisdiction where people have sufficient minimum contacts with this state. This includes concepts like “in-rem” jurisdiction that allows California to hear cases involving California real property in this state. In short, if you are Trustee of a California Trust or a Trust that has California real property, pack your toothbrush because you’re coming to California if you are ever sued.

Venue — The Small Question

Once jurisdiction is established, you then have to consider where to sue—that’s a matter of venue. Under Probate Code section 17005, the proper county in which to sue a Trustee is where the place of Trust administration is located. The place of administration is where the Trustee resides or where they do business. If you have more than one Trustee, then it is where either of the two Trustees reside or do business. If there is no Trustee, then venue is proper where any assets of the Trust are located. This standard is different from probate estates—where the proper venue is where the decedent resided at the time of death. For Trusts, you go where the Trustee is in order to file suit. If the Trustee is out of state, then follow the Trust assets for filing suit.

We seem to be seeing more instances of people moving out of state after accepting to act as Trustee of a California Trust. Now you know that just because the Trustee is no longer in California, California courts may still be the correct jurisdiction and venue in which to file a lawsuit.