Tuolumne — Probate Notes for May 1, 2026

Source: https://www.tuolumne.courts.ca.gov/system/files/general/pb_d5_05012026.pdf

Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne Consolidated Calendar Commissioner Steven Streger

Department 5 May 1, 2026 8:30 am DA Case # Date Filed

1 PR12339 Estate of Doris Reed Coane 10/09/2023

Robert Thomas Coane Attorney: Tamara Polley

Doris Reed Coane

Jimmie Nixon Attorney: Tamara Polley

Review Hearing - Report - Probate Code 12200

01/15/2025 Petition File Tracking 02/26/2025 From Court-Probate on Calendar

Probate Notes are not tentative rulings. Parties and counsel are expected to appear for the hearings unless this note indicates that “no appearance is necessary.”
Unless a personal appearance is required, all participants may appear via Zoom without first securing Court permission using this link:
https://tuolumne-courts-ca-gov.zoomgov.com/j/1615813960?pwd=NTRMT0NwMDg5cnlYdzZ6VnBXWWFsUT09. [Meeting ID: 161 581 3960; Passcode: 123456].
All matters set for hearing in Department 5 are presumptively assigned to that department for all purposes. Parties retain the right under Cal. Const. art VI §21 to
decline consent to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem. By participating in the first hearing, or electing not to attend after due notice thereof, parties
are deemed to have stipulated to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem for the entire case. See CRC 2.816.

No appearances needed.

This was a previously set review hearing that should have been removed from calendar after the final discharge was entered in November.

4/28/2026 1:15 pm

Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne Consolidated Calendar Commissioner Steven Streger

Department 5 May 1, 2026 8:30 am DA Case # Date Filed

2 PR12680 Estate of Douglas Spraggins 07/24/2025

Gabriel Spraggins Attorney: Kyle Johnson

Douglas Spraggins

Final Distribution Hearing

First and Final Report

07/24/2025 Petition File Tracking 07/29/2025 High Density

Probate Notes are not tentative rulings. Parties and counsel are expected to appear for the hearings unless this note indicates that “no appearance is necessary.”
Unless a personal appearance is required, all participants may appear via Zoom without first securing Court permission using this link:
https://tuolumne-courts-ca-gov.zoomgov.com/j/1615813960?pwd=NTRMT0NwMDg5cnlYdzZ6VnBXWWFsUT09. [Meeting ID: 161 581 3960; Passcode: 123456].
All matters set for hearing in Department 5 are presumptively assigned to that department for all purposes. Parties retain the right under Cal. Const. art VI §21 to
decline consent to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem. By participating in the first hearing, or electing not to attend after due notice thereof, parties
are deemed to have stipulated to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem for the entire case. See CRC 2.816.

No appearance needed.

This is a petition to approve the proposed distribution and payment of statutory fees. The petition is satisfactory in all respects, though a revised order will need to be submitted showing that all vehicles in decedent’s name will be properly transferred out of the decedent’s name into the name of petitioner and sole heir. The current proposed order only addresses the real property.

4/28/2026 1:15 pm

Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne Consolidated Calendar Commissioner Steven Streger

Department 5 May 1, 2026 8:30 am DA Case # Date Filed

3 PR12763 Estate of George Russell Morrow 03/11/2026

Susan Morrow Attorney: Anthony Johnston

George Russell Morrow

Alisha Morrow Pro Per

Letters of Administration

03/11/2026 Petition File Tracking 03/12/2026 High Density

Probate Notes are not tentative rulings. Parties and counsel are expected to appear for the hearings unless this note indicates that “no appearance is necessary.”
Unless a personal appearance is required, all participants may appear via Zoom without first securing Court permission using this link:
https://tuolumne-courts-ca-gov.zoomgov.com/j/1615813960?pwd=NTRMT0NwMDg5cnlYdzZ6VnBXWWFsUT09. [Meeting ID: 161 581 3960; Passcode: 123456].
All matters set for hearing in Department 5 are presumptively assigned to that department for all purposes. Parties retain the right under Cal. Const. art VI §21 to
decline consent to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem. By participating in the first hearing, or electing not to attend after due notice thereof, parties are

deemed to have stipulated to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem for the entire case. See CRC 2.816.

This is a petition to appoint a personal representative and issue Letters of Administration to manage an intestate probate estate. There is no proof of publication on file, making the petition itself not yet ripe for consideration. However, in the interim this Court has received an objection to the petition to decedent’s natural heir, claiming an equitable interest in the single asset inventoried in the estate. Objector claims that a neutral party should serve as administrator.

Although petitioner may be deemed to have waived her priority in light of her delay (see §§ 8001 and 8468), there is no other person who has petitioned for appointment. Per §8461(a), petitioner is entitled to priority in appointment so long as she is entitled to succeed to at least a part of the estate. See §8462(a). That has yet to be shown. Nevertheless, the objector contends that petitioner should be disqualified from service based on a conflict of interest. See §8502. This Court will require evidence and/or additional briefing to understand the nature of this claimed disqualification.

4/28/2026 1:15 pm

Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne Consolidated Calendar Commissioner Steven Streger

Department 5 May 1, 2026 8:30 am DA Case # Date Filed

4 PR12771 Estate of Michael Donavan Patterson 03/18/2026

Elisheba Platis Attorney: Mary McEwen

Michael Donavan Patterson

Probate Will/Issue Letters

03/18/2026 Petition File Tracking 03/24/2026 High Density

Probate Notes are not tentative rulings. Parties and counsel are expected to appear for the hearings unless this note indicates that “no appearance is necessary.”
Unless a personal appearance is required, all participants may appear via Zoom without first securing Court permission using this link:
https://tuolumne-courts-ca-gov.zoomgov.com/j/1615813960?pwd=NTRMT0NwMDg5cnlYdzZ6VnBXWWFsUT09. [Meeting ID: 161 581 3960; Passcode: 123456].
All matters set for hearing in Department 5 are presumptively assigned to that department for all purposes. Parties retain the right under Cal. Const. art VI §21 to
decline consent to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem. By participating in the first hearing, or electing not to attend after due notice thereof, parties are
deemed to have stipulated to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem for the entire case. See CRC 2.816.

This is related to, and possibly dispositive of, #7.

This is the initial hearing on a petition to admit a will to probate and issues Letters Testamentary to the proposed executor thereof. The will is sufficiently authenticated to warrant an order admitting it to probate, and the will clearly nominates petitioner as the executor to serve – however, there is no proof of publication in the court file, which is a prerequisite to the granting of the order sought. Petitioner to advise.

4/28/2026 1:15 pm

Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne Consolidated Calendar Commissioner Steven Streger

Department 5 May 1, 2026 8:30 am DA Case # Date Filed

5 PR12533 Estate of Vaughn Dale Loflin 10/03/2024

Dillon Stott Attorney: Mary McEwen

Vaughn Dale Loflin

Review Hearing - Report - Probate Code 12200

10/03/2024 Petition File Tracking 04/04/2025 High Density

Probate Notes are not tentative rulings. Parties and counsel are expected to appear for the hearings unless this note indicates that “no appearance is
necessary.” Unless a personal appearance is required, all participants may appear via Zoom without first securing Court permission using this link:
https://tuolumne-courts-ca-gov.zoomgov.com/j/1615813960?pwd=NTRMT0NwMDg5cnlYdzZ6VnBXWWFsUT09. [Meeting ID: 161 581 3960; Passcode: 123456].
All matters set for hearing in Department 5 are presumptively assigned to that department for all purposes. Parties retain the right under Cal. Const. art VI §21 to
decline consent to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem. By participating in the first hearing, or electing not to attend after due notice thereof, parties
are deemed to have stipulated to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem for the entire case. See CRC 2.816.

Pursuant to counsel’s TUO-PR-125, it appears that both the special administrator and the sole heir have disappeared. Counsel is directed to contact the “disclaiming” heir Melissa and advise her that the Court will likely appointing her as successor administrator (and possibly administrator of her brother’s estate as well). The Court will allow her to rescind her disclaimer under the circumstances.

4/28/2026 1:15 pm

Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne Consolidated Calendar Commissioner Steven Streger

Department 5 May 1, 2026 8:30 am DA Case # Date Filed

6 PR12760 Estate of Virginia Ann Gore 02/19/2026

Ashlea Hyland Pro Per

Virignia Ann Gore

Letters of Administration

02/19/2026 Petition File Tracking 03/10/2026 High Density

Probate Notes are not tentative rulings. Parties and counsel are expected to appear for the hearings unless this note indicates that “no appearance is
necessary.” Unless a personal appearance is required, all participants may appear via Zoom without first securing Court permission using this link:
https://tuolumne-courts-ca-gov.zoomgov.com/j/1615813960?pwd=NTRMT0NwMDg5cnlYdzZ6VnBXWWFsUT09. [Meeting ID: 161 581 3960; Passcode: 123456].
All matters set for hearing in Department 5 are presumptively assigned to that department for all purposes. Parties retain the right under Cal. Const. art VI §21 to
decline consent to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem. By participating in the first hearing, or electing not to attend after due notice thereof, parties
are deemed to have stipulated to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem for the entire case. See CRC 2.816.

This is a petition to secure Letters of Administration, with a notably curious trajectory thus far. This is related to PR12767.

As alleged, Virginia Gore (hereinafter “decedent”) passed away on 10/28/2018 leaving no known next of kin. The petition was commenced by the ostensible nominee of First Lien Capital LLC, which generally alleges to be the holder of a reverse mortgage encumbering the sole asset in the probate asset. According to the petition, the estate is insolvent because the balance on the reverse mortgage exceeds the value of the real property (though no I&A is included with the petition). Petitioner requests additional time to arrange for publication, seeming to suggest that a death certificate was owing to her from this court. The petition further proposes the post a bond in the amount of $265,500 despite the being no net value to the estate.

The number of “issues” with this petition is staggering (see §8466 for starters), but stepping back for a moment the request to continue the hearing will be granted. Assuming no appearance, the Court will continue the hearing to 06/12/2026 at 8:30 a.m.

See also CCP §§ 337 and 366.2; in accord, Summers v. Financial Freedom Acquisition LLC, 807 F.3d 351 (1st Cir. 2015); Wendover Financial Services v. Ridgeway, 137 A.D.3d 1718, (NY 4th Dep't 2016),

4/28/2026 1:15 pm

Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne Consolidated Calendar Commissioner Steven Streger

Department 5 May 1, 2026 8:30 am DA Case # Date Filed

7 PR12772 In Re: Heather Starr Special Needs Trust, Dated November 18, 2019 03/18/2026

Elisheba Platis Attorney: Mary McEwen

Petition Hearing

for Order Appointing Successor Trustee

03/18/2026 Petition File Tracking 03/24/2026 High Density

Probate Notes are not tentative rulings. Parties and counsel are expected to appear for the hearings unless this note indicates that “no appearance is necessary.”
Unless a personal appearance is required, all participants may appear via Zoom without first securing Court permission using this link:

https://tuolumne-courts-ca-gov.zoomgov.com/j/1615813960?pwd=NTRMT0NwMDg5cnlYdzZ6VnBXWWFsUT09. [Meeting ID: 161 581 3960; Passcode: 123456]. All matters set for hearing in Department 5 are presumptively assigned to that department for all purposes. Parties retain the right under Cal. Const. art VI §21 to decline consent to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem. By participating in the first hearing, or electing not to attend after due notice thereof, parties are deemed to have stipulated to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem for the entire case. See CRC 2.816.

This is a petition to fill a vacancy in the office of successor trustee for the Heather Starr Special Needs Trust. This is related to PR12771, PR12184 and PR12583.

While the petition is unopposed and certainly meritorious on its face, it is noted that in PR12583, the California Attorney General’s Office was seeking an order to show cause re contempt against “the trustee” of the aforementioned trust for failure to timely satisfy a Medi-Cal lien. That OSC (and petition) was voluntarily dismissed based on this Court’s representation that the State could secure reimbursement of its lien via a creditor claim in the former trustee’s probate action since it appeared that petitioner therein was intending to inventory the trust assets in decedent’s estate. This petition here suggests that the assets are actually going to remain in the trust. This Court is not about to be a patsy in any shell game involving the State’s bona fide Medi-Cal lien, and will require a very clear statement from petitioner herein regarding her intention to honor and satisfy in full said lien – whether that be out of the trust here or PR12771. If the latter, the distribution shall be approved and made forthwith, without awaiting a final petition for complete distribution.

4/28/2026 1:15 pm

Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne Consolidated Calendar Commissioner Steven Streger

Department 5 May 1, 2026 8:30 am DA Case # Date Filed

8 PR12767 The Estate of Virginia Ann Gore 03/16/2026

Ashlea Hyland Pro Per

Virginia Ann Gore

Letters of Administration

03/16/2026 Petition File Tracking 03/19/2026 High Density

Probate Notes are not tentative rulings. Parties and counsel are expected to appear for the hearings unless this note indicates that “no appearance is necessary.”
Unless a personal appearance is required, all participants may appear via Zoom without first securing Court permission using this link:

https://tuolumne-courts-ca-gov.zoomgov.com/j/1615813960?pwd=NTRMT0NwMDg5cnlYdzZ6VnBXWWFsUT09. [Meeting ID: 161 581 3960; Passcode: 123456]. All matters set for hearing in Department 5 are presumptively assigned to that department for all purposes. Parties retain the right under Cal. Const. art VI §21 to decline consent to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem. By participating in the first hearing, or electing not to attend after due notice thereof, parties are deemed to have stipulated to the Commissioner serving as a Judge Pro Tem for the entire case. See CRC 2.816.

See #6.

4/28/2026 1:15 pm

Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne Consolidated Calendar Commissioner Steven Streger

Department 5 May 1, 2026 10:00 am DA Case # Date Filed

9 PR12697 Guardianship of Imani Athena Mathiesen 09/05/2025

Lloyd Mathiesen Pro Per

Whitney Mathiesen Pro Per

Imani Athena Mathiesen

Kimberley Rose Butt Pro Per

Imani Athena Mathiesen

Appoint Guardian

Long Term
Appoint Guardian - Person

Long Term
Motion Hearing - Visitation

Custody and Visitation

02/25/2026 Petition File Tracking 03/16/2026 High Density

Hearing on Permanent Guardianship (Bio Dad consent to Temp Only)

On 02/03/2026, bio dad filed a petition to establish parentage and custody over the proposed ward, alleging that bio mom abandoned the child. See FL19378.

On 03/13/2026, with the express consent of the tribe, the paternal grandmother was granted temporary guardianship over the ward.

On 04/06/2026, bio dad filed motion to secure sole legal custody of the proposed ward, but to defer physical custody to the applicant herein for the interim time until he is released and capable of providing the ward sufficient love, support and comfort. The motion should be filed in FL19378.

Revisit §1500.1: “Consent to nomination of a guardian given by an Indian child's parent is not valid unless (1) the consent is executed in writing at least 10 days after the child's birth and (2) the judge certifies that the terms and consequences of the consent were fully explained in detail in English and were fully understood by the parent.”

Awaiting court investigator report.

4/28/2026 1:15 pm

Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne Consolidated Calendar Commissioner Steven Streger

Department 5 May 1, 2026 10:00 am DA Case # Date Filed

10 PR12761 Guardianship of Nevaeh Clemens 02/24/2026

Sidney Clemens Pro Per

Nevaeh Clemens

Stephen Clemens Pro Per

Maresa Hampton Pro Per

Appoint Guardian - Person

Perm.

02/24/2026 Petition File Tracking 03/10/2026 High Density

Mother filed an extensive opposition to the petition for guardianship.

Awaiting court investigator report.

4/28/2026 1:15 pm

Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne Consolidated Calendar Commissioner Steven Streger

Department 5 May 1, 2026 10:00 am DA Case # Date Filed

11 PR12582 Guardianship of Shaun Coyle Tracy 01/21/2025

Jacquelyn Leilani Guzman Pro Per

Shaun Coyle Tracy

Chance River Guzman Pro Per

Review Hearing - Guardian Rept-Probate Code 1513.2

01/21/2025 Petition File Tracking 01/07/2026 High Density

This is the first annual review of a guardianship recently established here in this Court. Since its establishment, the guardians were granted permission to relocate to Ohio. See §2352(c). A move-away order requires commencement of a new guardianship case in the new state once residency in the new state surpasses four months. See §2352(d). it is not clear when the move occurred, but it does appear as though the time has come for the guardians to file a new guardianship cases where they reside and to confirm doing so with this Court so that this case can be closed.

4/28/2026 1:15 pm

Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne Consolidated Calendar Commissioner Steven Streger

Department 5 May 1, 2026 10:00 am DA Case # Date Filed

12 PR12762 In the Matter of Imani Athena Mathiesen 02/25/2026

Kimberley Rose Butt Pro Per

Imani Athena Mathiesen

Appoint Guardian - Person

Long Term

02/25/2026 Petition File Tracking 03/16/2026 Archive Room

Already consolidated for all purposes with PR12697 and make PR12697 the lead for all purposes.

4/28/2026 1:15 pm

Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne Consolidated Calendar Commissioner Steven Streger

Department 5 May 1, 2026 1:30 pm DA Case # Date Filed

13 FL19250 Tabitha Cwikowski and Piotr Cwikowski 10/10/2025

Tabitha Cwikowski Pro Per

Piotr Cwikowski

Review Hearing - Sever/Bifurcate

Bifurcate - Full Disso

10/10/2025 Petition File Tracking 12/19/2025 High Density

4/28/2026 1:15 pm