Michigan Probate Court Finder
For detailed information about the probate court procedures in your county, including relevant forms, fees, and contact information, please enter your ZIP code or select your county. This will direct you to a page providing tailored information about the probate court in your area.
Michigan Probate Courts
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Wayne County Probate Court
County Seat: (Detroit) FIPS: 26163 - pop.1,793,561 -
Oakland County Probate Court
County Seat: (Pontiac) FIPS: 26125 - pop.1,274,395 -
Macomb County Probate Court
County Seat: (Mount Clemens) FIPS: 26099 - pop.881,217 -
Kent County Probate Court
County Seat: (Grand Rapids) FIPS: 26081 - pop.657,974 -
Genesee County Probate Court
County Seat: (Flint) FIPS: 26049 - pop.406,211 -
Washtenaw County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ann Arbor) FIPS: 26161 - pop.372,258 -
Ottawa County Probate Court
County Seat: (Grand Haven) FIPS: 26139 - pop.296,200 -
Ingham County Probate Court
County Seat: (Mason) FIPS: 26065 - pop.284,900 -
Kalamazoo County Probate Court
County Seat: (Kalamazoo) FIPS: 26077 - pop.261,670 -
Livingston County Probate Court
County Seat: (Howell) FIPS: 26093 - pop.193,866 -
Saginaw County Probate Court
County Seat: (Saginaw) FIPS: 26145 - pop.190,124 -
Muskegon County Probate Court
County Seat: (Muskegon) FIPS: 26121 - pop.175,824 -
Saint Clair County Probate Court
County Seat: (Port Huron) FIPS: 26147 - pop.160,383 -
Jackson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Jackson) FIPS: 26075 - pop.160,366 -
Monroe County Probate Court
County Seat: (Monroe) FIPS: 26115 - pop.154,809 -
Berrien County Probate Court
County Seat: (Saint Joseph) FIPS: 26021 - pop.154,316 -
Calhoun County Probate Court
County Seat: (Marshall) FIPS: 26025 - pop.134,310 -
Allegan County Probate Court
County Seat: (Allegan) FIPS: 26005 - pop.120,502 -
Eaton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Charlotte) FIPS: 26045 - pop.109,175 -
Bay County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bay City) FIPS: 26017 - pop.103,856 -
Lenawee County Probate Court
County Seat: (Adrian) FIPS: 26091 - pop.99,423 -
Grand Traverse County Probate Court
County Seat: (Traverse City) FIPS: 26055 - pop.95,238 -
Lapeer County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lapeer) FIPS: 26087 - pop.88,619 -
Midland County Probate Court
County Seat: (Midland) FIPS: 26111 - pop.83,494 -
Clinton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Saint Johns) FIPS: 26037 - pop.79,128 -
Van Buren County Probate Court
County Seat: (Paw Paw) FIPS: 26159 - pop.75,587 -
Shiawassee County Probate Court
County Seat: (Corunna) FIPS: 26155 - pop.68,094 -
Ionia County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ionia) FIPS: 26067 - pop.66,804 -
Montcalm County Probate Court
County Seat: (Stanton) FIPS: 26117 - pop.66,614 -
Marquette County Probate Court
County Seat: (Marquette) FIPS: 26103 - pop.66,017 -
Isabella County Probate Court
County Seat: (Mount Pleasant) FIPS: 26073 - pop.64,394 -
Barry County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hastings) FIPS: 26015 - pop.62,423 -
Saint Joseph County Probate Court
County Seat: (Centreville) FIPS: 26149 - pop.60,939 -
Tuscola County Probate Court
County Seat: (Caro) FIPS: 26157 - pop.53,323 -
Cass County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cassopolis) FIPS: 26027 - pop.51,589 -
Newaygo County Probate Court
County Seat: (White Cloud) FIPS: 26123 - pop.49,978 -
Hillsdale County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hillsdale) FIPS: 26059 - pop.45,746 -
Branch County Probate Court
County Seat: (Coldwater) FIPS: 26023 - pop.44,862 -
Gratiot County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ithaca) FIPS: 26057 - pop.41,761 -
Sanilac County Probate Court
County Seat: (Sandusky) FIPS: 26151 - pop.40,611 -
Mecosta County Probate Court
County Seat: (Big Rapids) FIPS: 26107 - pop.39,714 -
Houghton County Probate Court
County Seat: (Houghton) FIPS: 26061 - pop.37,361 -
Delta County Probate Court
County Seat: (Escanaba) FIPS: 26041 - pop.36,903 -
Chippewa County Probate Court
County Seat: (Sault Sainte Marie) FIPS: 26033 - pop.36,785 -
Emmet County Probate Court
County Seat: (Petoskey) FIPS: 26047 - pop.34,112 -
Wexford County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cadillac) FIPS: 26165 - pop.33,673 -
Huron County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bad Axe) FIPS: 26063 - pop.31,407 -
Clare County Probate Court
County Seat: (Harrison) FIPS: 26035 - pop.30,856 -
Mason County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ludington) FIPS: 26105 - pop.29,052 -
Alpena County Probate Court
County Seat: (Alpena) FIPS: 26007 - pop.28,907 -
Oceana County Probate Court
County Seat: (Hart) FIPS: 26127 - pop.26,659 -
Charlevoix County Probate Court
County Seat: (Charlevoix) FIPS: 26029 - pop.26,054 -
Dickinson County Probate Court
County Seat: (Iron Mountain) FIPS: 26043 - pop.25,947 -
Cheboygan County Probate Court
County Seat: (Cheboygan) FIPS: 26031 - pop.25,579 -
Gladwin County Probate Court
County Seat: (Gladwin) FIPS: 26051 - pop.25,386 -
Iosco County Probate Court
County Seat: (Tawas City) FIPS: 26069 - pop.25,237 -
Otsego County Probate Court
County Seat: (Gaylord) FIPS: 26137 - pop.25,091 -
Manistee County Probate Court
County Seat: (Manistee) FIPS: 26101 - pop.25,032 -
Menominee County Probate Court
County Seat: (Menominee) FIPS: 26109 - pop.23,502 -
Roscommon County Probate Court
County Seat: (Roscommon) FIPS: 26143 - pop.23,459 -
Antrim County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bellaire) FIPS: 26009 - pop.23,431 -
Osceola County Probate Court
County Seat: (Reed City) FIPS: 26133 - pop.22,891 -
Leelanau County Probate Court
County Seat: (Leland) FIPS: 26089 - pop.22,301 -
Ogemaw County Probate Court
County Seat: (West Branch) FIPS: 26129 - pop.20,770 -
Benzie County Probate Court
County Seat: (Beulah) FIPS: 26019 - pop.17,970 -
Kalkaska County Probate Court
County Seat: (Kalkaska) FIPS: 26079 - pop.17,939 -
Missaukee County Probate Court
County Seat: (Lake City) FIPS: 26113 - pop.15,052 -
Arenac County Probate Court
County Seat: (Standish) FIPS: 26011 - pop.15,002 -
Gogebic County Probate Court
County Seat: (Bessemer) FIPS: 26053 - pop.14,380 -
Crawford County Probate Court
County Seat: (Grayling) FIPS: 26039 - pop.12,988 -
Presque Isle County Probate Court
County Seat: (Rogers City) FIPS: 26141 - pop.12,982 -
Lake County Probate Court
County Seat: (Baldwin) FIPS: 26085 - pop.12,096 -
Iron County Probate Court
County Seat: (Crystal Falls) FIPS: 26071 - pop.11,631 -
Mackinac County Probate Court
County Seat: (Saint Ignace) FIPS: 26097 - pop.10,834 -
Alcona County Probate Court
County Seat: (Harrisville) FIPS: 26001 - pop.10,167 -
Montmorency County Probate Court
County Seat: (Atlanta) FIPS: 26119 - pop.9,153 -
Alger County Probate Court
County Seat: (Munising) FIPS: 26003 - pop.8,842 -
Oscoda County Probate Court
County Seat: (Mio) FIPS: 26135 - pop.8,219 -
Baraga County Probate Court
County Seat: (LAnse) FIPS: 26013 - pop.8,158 -
Schoolcraft County Probate Court
County Seat: (Manistique) FIPS: 26153 - pop.8,047 -
Ontonagon County Probate Court
County Seat: (Ontonagon) FIPS: 26131 - pop.5,816 -
Luce County Probate Court
County Seat: (Newberry) FIPS: 26095 - pop.5,339 -
Keweenaw County Probate Court
County Seat: (Eagle River) FIPS: 26083 - pop.2,046
How Michigan Probate Courts Work
What Is Probate?
Probate refers to the legal process through which a deceased person's will is validated by a court. This process ensures that the deceased's assets are distributed according to their wishes as stated in the will, after any debts and taxes are paid.
What Are Probate Courts?
Probate courts, which are specialized judicial bodies, oversee these proceedings.
They also handle matters related to:
- estate administration,
- guardianships, and conservatorships
- when a will is not present
- or in cases of dispute.
It's important to note that the specific procedures and requirements of probate courts can vary significantly from one county to another across the United States. This variation is due to differences in state laws and local court rules. As a result, engaging with a probate court in one jurisdiction might be quite different from doing so in another.
Also, every state has simplified procedures for dealing with small estates... and most estates end up being "small," and most estates do not require the full probate process, especially if the deceased person owned property in one or more of the ways described below.
Types of Property That Does NOT Pass Through Probate Court
Many types of property are designed to bypass the probate process, allowing for a more streamlined transfer of assets upon someone's death. These include:
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Jointly Owned Property: Assets owned in joint tenancy with the right of survivorship or as tenants by the entirety automatically pass to the surviving owner without the need for probate. This is common with real estate, bank accounts, and vehicles owned jointly by two or more individuals.
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Payable-on-Death (POD) and Transfer-on-Death (TOD) Accounts: Financial accounts and securities that are designated as payable-on-death (POD) or transfer-on-death (TOD) can be transferred directly to the named beneficiary upon the account holder's death. This designation allows these assets to skip probate.
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Retirement Accounts and Life Insurance Policies: Funds from retirement accounts, such as IRAs and 401(k)s, and the proceeds from life insurance policies, when a beneficiary is named outside of the will, do not go through probate. These assets go directly to the beneficiaries named in the policies or account documents.
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Living Trusts: Property held in a living trust is another major category that avoids probate. The trust owns the assets, and upon the death of the individual who created the trust (the grantor), the property is transferred according to the terms of the trust, without the need for probate intervention.
These mechanisms are designed to simplify the transfer of assets, reduce the time and cost associated with probate, and ensure privacy since probate is a public process. Understanding which assets fall into these categories can be crucial for estate planning and ensuring a smooth transition of assets to beneficiaries.