Orange County, CA Consumer Law

Tools and Resources for Orange County, CA Consumers

California Inheritance Law & Probate Procedure

• California PROBATE COURT FINDER:
  
  • Probate Court for Orange County: Key information about your local probate court (Circuit Court in California) for Orange County.
• How Probate Works in California: How to handle the probate of an inheritance at Orange County's probate court.
  • Here are links to California probate forms from the California probate court website.
• Small Estates Procedures in California: Learn how to use California's Small Estate procedures that can save you time and money.

  • You can use an Affidavit to transfer assets in Hawaii for any vehicles and for estates with a value of $100,000 or less.

    Haw. Rev. State. 560:3-1-1201

    There's also a summary probate procedure for estates with a value of $100,000 or less.

    Haw. Rev. State. 560:3-1-1205

     

• California Estate Taxes:

  • The state of Hawaii imposes an estate tax on property owned in Hawaii. If you are inheriting property from the state of Hawaii, it may be subject to estate tax if the overall value of the estate is more than $5,490,000.

• Avoiding Probate in California. Find out what property bypasses probate death and goes directly to beneficiaries. such as:
  • Transfer on Death Deeds (TODDs)

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California Wage & Hour Law

• California Minimum Wage:  

  • The minimum wage in Hawaii is $14 an hour. Because this is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, employees in The Aloha State must be paid at least $14 an hour. 

    Orange County Minimum Wage

    The minimum wage in Orange County is $14 an hour, the state minimum wage. However, cities and counties in California are free to adopt their own higher minimum wage, and dozens of cities and counties across the country have done so. To find out whether Orange County has passed its own minimum wage law since we last updated, visit https://www.ocgov.com/.

    Santa Ana Minimum Wage

    The minimum wage in Santa Ana, California, is $14 an hour, the state minimum wage. However, cities in California are free to adopt their own higher minimum wage, and many have done so. To find out whether Santa Ana has passed its own minimum wage law since we last updated, visit the city's website at https://www.santa-ana.org/. 

  • Visit https://labor.hawaii.gov/wsd/minimum-wage/ to find out more about Hawaii’s minimum wage.

• Overtime Pay: Every state has rules about weekly maximum hours and overtime. Learn about the overtime laws in California and whether they apply to you.

  • If you work more than 40 hours in a workweek, your employer must pay you 1-1/2 times your regular hourly wage for each overtime hour you work, unless you are exempt. See Minimum Wage and Overtime, at the website of the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, for more information on Hawaii's overtime rules and exemptions.

• Wage Claims: If you're being unlawfully underpaid, you need to learn how to file a "Wage Claim" in California. 

  • The Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations website has an information page with links to the forms you need to file a wage claim. 

• Tips : Every state has special pay rates for tipped workers. Find out the rules for tipped workers in California.

  • In California, your employer may pay you a minimum wage of $12.75 an hour, but only if your total tips and wages add up to at least $7 more than the minimum wage per hour ($14). 

• State Labor Board:
  • Learn more about your rights under California law from the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. 808-586-8777

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California Unemployment Benefits

• Benefit Amounts in California: Learn how unemployment works, how much you'll get, and for how long.
  • In California, unemployment benefits range from $5 per week to $763 per week.
  • Formula:

    Your weekly benefit amount in Hawaii will be your earnings in the highest paid quarter of the base period divided by 21. 

  • Duration:

    In California, you can receive unemployment benefits for a maximum of 26 weeks under state law. 

• Eligibility: >Whether you qualify for unemployment.
• How to Apply: How to apply for unemployment in California.
• Unemployment Office Near Me? How to find your local unemployment office.

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Bankruptcy & Debt

• Free California MEANS TEST CALCULATOR for Orange County (applies the state and county income and expense standards into your means test calculation. Updated with the latest median income and expense standards for April 1, 2024)
• Free California BANKRUPTCY EXEMPTION FINDER: Search detailed listings of bankruptcy exemptions under California law and Federal law, for use in filing out Schedule C, when you file for bankruptcy. 
• California BANKRUPTCY COURT ESSENTIAL INFO: Get information about using your local bankruptcy court.
• FREE BANKRUPTCY FORMS:
  We'll tell you which bankruptcy forms you need and where to find them.

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Child Custody & Family Courts in California 

• State Standards For Custody Decisions: How California Courts make child custody decisions
• Family Court for Orange County: Orange County Family Court information, including maps, forms and links.
• Enforcement of Custody Orders: Can you enlist local police to help enforce a custody court order?
• Child Custody Lawyers: To help you handle your child custody matters.

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California Obamacare

• Sign Up: We have the latest on how to sign up for Obamacare Insurance in California!
• Is Health Insurance Mandatory in California? Learn about whether California imposes tax penalties for not having health insurance.
• Special Enrollment Periods: How to enroll because of a "special enrollment period."
• Rates & Providers in Your County: Information and rates for providers for Orange County if you live in a state served by Healthcare.gov.

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Democracy In California, Orange County, Santa Ana 

• Elected Representatives: Find out the websites and phone numbers of those representing you at the Federal, State, County, and City levels of government.
• How to Vote: Learn how to register and where and when to vote in Orange County, CA.
• Gerrymandering in California: Has your state been gerrymandered? Find out how to end gerrymandering and have voters pick politicians, not vice versa.
• Tracking Issues: Organizations that track legislation you care about 

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Find a Lawyer in Orange County, CA

• Our Lawyers by Zipcode section allows users to find a local lawyer using the best online resources, including on topics we don't cover.
• DUI, Criminal Defense
• Auto Accidents & Personal Injury
• Immigration

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