SECTIONS 19250-19255 - California Statutes

PROBATE CODE

SECTION 19250-19255

19250. When a claim is filed, the trustee shall allow or reject the
claim in whole or in part.

19251. (a) Any allowance or rejection shall be in writing. The
trustee shall file the allowance or rejection with the court clerk
and give notice to the claimant, together with a copy of the
allowance or rejection, as provided in Section 1215.
(b) The allowance or rejection shall contain the following
information:
(1) The name of the claimant.
(2) The date of the settlor's death.
(3) The total amount of the claim.
(4) The amount allowed or rejected by the trustee.
(5) A statement that the claimant has 90 days from the time the
notice of rejection is given, or 90 days after the claim becomes due,
whichever is later, in which to bring an action on a claim rejected
in whole or in part.
(c) The Judicial Council shall prescribe an allowance or rejection
form, which may be part of the claim form. Use of a form prescribed
by the Judicial Council is deemed to satisfy the requirements.
(d) This section does not apply to a demand the trustee elects to
treat as a claim under Section 19154.

19252. The trustee shall have the power to pay any claim or portion
of a claim and payment shall constitute allowance of the claim to
the extent of the payment. The trustee shall have the power to
compromise any claim or portion of a claim. If the trustee or the
attorney for the trustee is a creditor of the deceased settlor, the
trustee shall have the same powers regarding allowance, rejection,
payment, or compromise set forth in this chapter.

19253. (a) A claim barred by the statute of limitations may not be
allowed by the trustee.
(b) The filing of a claim tolls the statute of limitations
otherwise applicable to the claim until the trustee gives notice of
allowance or rejection.
(c) The allowance of a claim further tolls the statute of
limitations as to the part of the claim allowed until the allowed
portion of the claim is paid.
(d) Notwithstanding the statute of limitations otherwise
applicable to a claim, if an action on a rejected claim is not
commenced or if the matter is not referred to a referee or to
arbitration within the time prescribed in Section 19255, it is
forever barred.

19254. If within 30 days after a claim is filed the trustee has
refused or neglected to act on the claim, the refusal or neglect may,
at the option of the claimant, be deemed equivalent to the giving of
a notice of rejection on the 30th day.

19255. (a) A rejected claim is barred as to the part rejected
unless the creditor brings an action on the claim or the matter is
referred to a referee or to arbitration within the following times,
excluding any time during which there is a vacancy in the office of
the trustee:
(1) If the claim is due at the time of giving the notice of
rejection, 90 days after the notice is given.
(2) If the claim is not due at the time of giving the notice of
rejection, 90 days after the claim becomes due.
(b) In addition to any other county in which an action on a
rejected claim may be commenced, the action may be commenced in the
county or city and county wherein the principal place of
administration of the trust is located.
(c) The creditor shall file a notice of the pendency of the action
or the referral to a referee or to arbitration with the court clerk
in the trust proceeding, together with proof of giving a copy of the
notice to the trustee as provided in Section 1215. Personal service
of a copy of the summons and complaint on the trustee is equivalent
to the filing and giving of the notice.
(d) Any property distributed by the trustee under the terms of the
trust after 120 days from the later of the time the notice of
rejection is given or the claim is due and before the notice of
pendency of action or referral or arbitration is filed and given,
excluding therefrom any time during which there is a vacancy in the
office of the trustee, is not subject to the claim. Neither the
trustee nor the distributee is liable on account of the distribution.
(e) The prevailing party in the action shall be awarded court
costs and, if the court determines that the prosecution or defense of
the action against the prevailing party was unreasonable, the
prevailing party shall be awarded reasonable litigation expenses,
including attorney's fees. For the purpose of this subdivision, the
prevailing party shall be the trustee if the creditor recovers an
amount equal to or less than the amount of the claim allowed by the
trustee, and shall be the creditor if the creditor recovers an amount
greater than the amount of the claim allowed by the trustee.