Photo of Heather Matsumoto Hoekstra

Heather Matsumoto Hoekstra has more than ten years of experience focusing on elder rights advocacy and litigation. Areas of emphasis include financial elder abuse, forgery, fraud, undue influence, trust administration disputes, and contested conservatorship.

Prior to joining Downey Brand in 2022, Heather was the founder and sole shareholder of Hoekstra Law, P.C., in Berkeley, a firm she started after six years of practicing trust and estate litigation in the Bay Area. (Read more...)

California probate courts may appoint guardians ad litem (“GALs”) to represent the interests of those who cannot speak for themselves, including minors. While Probate Code section 1003 provides for the appointment of GALs, it does not speak to their removal. A recently published opinion, Chui v. Chui (2022) ___Cal. App. 5th ___ (“Chui II”)