Kristovich

These three consolidated appeals from portions of orders settling the first and final accounts and reports of the public administrator present common questions of law. Although there are slight procedural differences, they are immaterial to the determinative issues. For the sake of simplicity we shall discuss the facts and issues as if a single appeal were pending.

The public administrator petitioned for letters of administration alleging that the decedent had died in Los Angeles County over 10 years before, that the estate consisted of certain personal property, that no will had been found and that the heirs were unknown. Letters issued.

One Edward O. Ballard then filed a petition for compensation “re dis *963 covery of estate assets.” In that petition he claimed that the assets of the estate had been located by his efforts and that the reasonable value of his services was one-third of the value of the assets. The only asset of the estate was a bank account which had long been dormant.

The public administrator did not oppose Ballard’s petition and it was approved by the court. The administrator was directed to pay Ballard the amount claimed as compensation for his…