Altadena Trust and Estate Disputes

In brief: After the Eaton Fire, a California law, AB 851, bars any unsolicited offer to buy residential property in listed Altadena ZIP codes until January 1, 2027 (Civil Code § 2079.26 et seq.). When an older owner or an heir is pressured into selling a family lot, or a deed is forged, the property can be recovered. Hackard Law handles these cases on contingency: no fee and no costs if there is no recovery, unless your written agreement provides otherwise.

By Michael Hackard, California trust and estate litigation attorney. Last reviewed October 26, 2026. Updated November 3, 2026.

Altadena is a community of long-held family homes: more than three in four are owner-occupied, and more than one in five residents is 65 or older. The Eaton Fire turned many of those homes into lots, insurance claims, and estates that must now be settled. That combination draws people who should not be anywhere near an estate.

The higher Pasadena

Nurseryman Byron Clark coined the name from alta, “the higher Pasadena.” The Mount Lowe Railway opened from Altadena on July 4, 1893, and the deodars of Christmas Tree Lane, planted in 1885, were first lit in 1920. The Eaton Fire began on January 7, 2025, near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive and burned through the community. Altadena is unincorporated.

Protecting the lot and the family

AB 851 (Civil Code § 2079.26 et seq.) bars any unsolicited offer to buy residential property in listed fire-area ZIP codes, including 91001, whatever the price, until January 1, 2027. A violation is a misdemeanor with civil penalties of up to $25,000, and the seller may cancel the contract within four months.

Where a sale or deed was obtained from an older owner by undue influence or fraud, the transfer can be set aside and the property recovered (Probate Code § 850; Welfare & Institutions Code § 15610.30). A forged deed transfers nothing, and the family can bring a quiet title action (Code of Civil Procedure § 760.020). Los Angeles County’s Homeowner Notification Program mails owners copies of recorded documents that affect their property.

Warning signs

• Unsolicited calls, texts, or letters offering to buy a burned lot.
• A relative or new acquaintance pushing an older owner to sign quickly.

A recorded deed or loan the family does not recognize.

• Insurance proceeds paid to someone other than the owner or the trust.

Altadena at a glance

• Population: 42,846 (2020 Census)
• Residents 65 and older: 22.0%
• Median home value: $1,120,000 (before the Eaton Fire)
• Owner-occupied homes: 76.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census, 2025 population estimates, and American Community Survey 2020–2024.

Where your case is heard

Trust and probate cases for Altadena are heard in the probate departments of Los Angeles County Superior Court, Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, California 90012, approximately 16 driving miles from Altadena. Actual distance varies by starting point and route. Hackard Law’s office is in Sacramento County. The firm handles matters in Los Angeles County Superior Court and throughout California.

How fees work

Hackard Law represents families on a contingency basis. The fee is a percentage of the recovery, stated in a written agreement before work begins. The firm advances the costs of the case, which are repaid from the recovery. If there is no recovery, you owe no fee and no costs, unless your written agreement provides otherwise.