Santa Clara County, CA Consumer Law

Tools and Resources for Santa Clara County, CA Consumers

California Inheritance Law & Probate Procedure

• California PROBATE COURT FINDER:
  
  • Probate Court for Santa Clara County: Key information about your local probate court (Probate Court in California) for Santa Clara County.
• How Probate Works in California: How to handle the probate of an inheritance at Santa Clara 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 Georgia, there's no Affidavit procedure available for small estates. There is a summary probate procedure available for estates in which there is no Will, the estate owes no debts, and all of the heirs have agreed on how to divide up the property.

    Ga. Code Ann. 53-2-40 and following.

• 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 Georgia 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).   

    Santa Clara County Minimum Wage

    The minimum wage in Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara County has passed its own minimum wage law since we last updated, visit  https://www.sccgov.org/sites/scc/Documents/home.html.

    Sunnyvale Minimum Wage    

    In the city of Sunnyvale, the minimum wage is $18.55 an hour currently.

  • 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 at the Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division 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 Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. (408) 277-1266

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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 $55 per week to $365 per week.
  • Formula:

    Your weekly benefit in Georgia will usually be the amount you earned in the two highest paid quarters of the base period divided by 42. (If your earnings in the entire base period are not at least 150% of your earnings in the highest paid quarter, then your weekly benefit will be the amount you earned in the highest paid quarter divided by 21.)

  • Duration:

    In Georgia, you can receive unemployment benefits for a maximum of 14 to 26 weeks, depending on the unemployment rate when you apply. 

• 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 Santa Clara 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.

  Georgia is divided into 3 federal districts with main cities in

  • Atlanta (Northern District)
  • Macon (Middle District)
  • Savanhah, Agusta, (Southern District)
• 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 Santa Clara County: Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara County if you live in a state served by Healthcare.gov.

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Democracy In California, Santa Clara County, Sunnyvale 

• 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 Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara 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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