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 (District 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.

  • In Wyoming you can use an Affidavit if the value of the estate, less liens and encumbrances, is $200,000 or less. You must file an Affidavit with the county clerk.  There is a 30-day waiting period.

    Wyo. State. 2-1-201.

    You can use a summary probate procedure if the value of the entire estate, including real estate and mineral interests, is $200,000 or less.

    Wyo. State. 2-1-205.

• California Estate Taxes:

  • California, like most states, does not impose an estate or inheritance tax. Only a few states do.

• 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:  

  • Workers in Wyoming are entitled to the federal minimum wage, $7.25 an hour, because it's higher than the state's minimum wage ($5.15 an hour).  

    Orange County Minimum Wage

    The minimum wage in Orange County is $7.25 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 $7.25 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/. 

  • To learn more about the federal minimum wage, see https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/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.

  • California has adopted the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime rate of 1-1/2 times your regular wage for every hour you work over 40 hours in a given workweek.

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

  • You can find information and resources on filing a federal minimum wage claim with the Wage and Hour division of the federal Department of Labor at its website. Although Wyoming does not have a minimum wage law, it has other wage and hour laws that govern wage payment, deductions, and more. The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services has posted information on filing a complaint for these laws at its website. 

• 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 $2.13 an hour, as long as you earn enough in tips to bring your total hourly pay up to the full minimum wage, $7.25 an hour. If you don’t earn enough in tips to bring your compensation to the full minimum wage, your employer must make up the difference.

• State Labor Board:
  • Learn more about your rights under California law from the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. Casper: 307-235-3679; Cheyenne: 307-777-7261

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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 $43 per week to $595 per week.
  • Formula:

    Your weekly benefit amount in Wyoming will be 4% of your wages in the highest quarter of the base period. 

  • 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
• Legal Aid in California:
  • Legal Aid of Wyoming 
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