Robert J. Blaylock; Commissioner for Probate Cases
Robert J. Blaylock, 71, Los Angeles Superior Court probate commissioner described by lawyers who appeared before him as “smart,” “knowledgeable,” “sharp,” “gutsy” and “rapid as thunder,” died Saturday of heart failure in Pasadena.
Born in Los Angeles, Blaylock studied history and law at UCLA and was admitted to the State Bar of California on Jan. 14, 1959. He practiced privately here until the mid-1970s, specializing in probate, trusts, estates and related tax matters.
He was named a part-time state inheritance tax appraiser in 1968 by then-state Controller Houston Flournoy. After two years as assistant supervising probate attorney, Blaylock was elected in 1980 by judges of the Los Angeles County Superior Court to serve as probate commissioner.
In that capacity, he acted as a judge when all parties in a civil probate case agreed. Blaylock managed a heavy stream of such matters as disputes over wills and conservatorships for those no longer able to handle their business affairs.
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