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Alcona County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Alcona County Probate Court information |
|---|---|
| Court | Alcona County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | Alcona County Building, 106 5th Street, Harrisville, MI 48740 |
| Mailing address | P.O. Box 385, Harrisville, MI 48740 |
| Phone | (989) 724-9490 |
| Fax | (989) 724-9499 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed from noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch |
| Filing fee | Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 for 2026, tied to MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. An assignment of property petition costs $25.00 for 2026 under MCL 600.880(2), plus any inventory fee. |
| Local forms | No local decedent estate packet, cover sheet, or checklist is published on the court page. Use the statewide SCAO probate forms. |
| E-filing status | Alcona County Probate Court is not listed as a statewide MiFILE probate court. Prepare for paper filing with the probate register unless the court gives different instructions for your case. |
| Case search | No Alcona County Probate Court online case lookup is published on the county court pages. |
| Remote appearance | No Alcona-specific remote appearance instructions are published for decedent estates. Uncontested decedent estate matters are generally subject to the Michigan videoconference presumption under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407, but the court controls the hearing format. |
| Website | https://alconacountymi.com/home/23rd-circuit-court/probate-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Alcona County, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, titled property, accounts, funeral expenses, and known creditors. Michigan procedure depends heavily on what property exists, whether a personal representative is needed, and whether a smaller estate settlement path can be used.
Sunset can help organize the estate settlement work before the first filing by searching across more than 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets, then using that information to help build the probate packet for the Alcona County Probate Court.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Alcona County is served by the Alcona County Probate Court in Harrisville. The court is not part of a multi-county probate district, and filings for an Alcona County decedent go through the Alcona County Probate Court.
Michigan venue generally belongs in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Michigan, venue may be in a Michigan county where the decedent had property at death (MCL 700.3201). Alcona County communities served by this court include Harrisville, Lincoln, Glennie, Curran, Spruce, and Black River.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the right Michigan path before filing. For full administration, informal probate usually begins with PC 558, while formal probate uses PC 559. For an assignment of property, use PC 556 if the estate fits the Michigan small-estate requirements for a 2026 death, including the $53,000 figure under MCL 700.3982 or MCL 700.3983 as applicable.
- Prepare the statewide SCAO forms and any required supporting documents. Common opening papers include testimony to identify heirs, acceptance of appointment, and proposed letters of authority for the personal representative.
- File with the Alcona County Probate Court at the Alcona County Building in Harrisville or use the court's mailing address, P.O. Box 385, Harrisville, MI 48740. Alcona County Probate Court is not listed as a statewide MiFILE probate court.
- Pay the required court cost. Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 for 2026 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. A petition for assignment of property costs $25.00 for 2026 under MCL 600.880(2), plus any inventory fee.
- Give the required notices. After informal probate is granted, the applicant must give written information of probate to interested persons within 28 days under MCL 700.3306, and an appointed personal representative handles creditor notice under MCL 700.3801.
- Attend any hearing the court sets. Informal matters may be acted on by the probate register, while formal matters go before a judge. For uncontested decedent estate hearings, videoconferencing is presumed under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407 unless the court directs otherwise.
- Receive letters of authority if a personal representative is appointed. Certified copies of letters of authority cost $10.00 plus $1.00 per page for 2026 under MCL 600.2546.
- Administer the estate, file the inventory information, pay the inventory fee, handle claims and distributions, and close the estate through the correct Michigan closing procedure.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Alcona County
Alcona County does not publish a separate decedent estate packet, cover sheet, or checklist on its probate court page. Michigan uses statewide SCAO probate forms, and in informal unsupervised estates the court may not require extra documents beyond those required by statute or court rule, except as allowed by MCR 5.307(E).
| Form | Use in Alcona County |
|---|---|
| PC 558 | Application for informal probate and/or appointment of personal representative. |
| PC 559 | Petition for formal probate and/or appointment of personal representative. |
| PC 556 | Petition and order for assignment, the court-filed assignment of property path. |
| PC 598 | Affidavit of decedent's successor for delivery of certain assets owned by decedent, used for transfer by affidavit and not filed with the court. |
| PC 565 | Testimony to identify heirs. |
| PC 571 | Acceptance of appointment. |
| PC 572 | Letters of authority for personal representative. |
| PC 577 | Inventory, decedent estate. |
| PC 591 | Sworn statement to close unsupervised administration. |
| MC 97 or MC 97a | Protected personal identifying information, used so sensitive numbers are not placed on public forms. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Alcona County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by confirming how the home is titled and whether any estate asset actually needs a personal representative. If probate is needed, file the appropriate statewide SCAO opening forms with the Alcona County Probate Court in Harrisville. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, and title issues so the spouse can avoid opening an estate if no probate asset needs one, or prepare the right packet if one does. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Check whether transfer by affidavit or assignment of property fits Michigan law for the year of death. If a court filing is needed, use the Alcona County mailing address or contact the probate register about practical filing steps before traveling. | Sunset organizes the asset list, helps select the right small-estate route, and can generate the forms for review before filing. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually requires authority from a personal representative if the home must pass through the estate. The parent should expect a full Alcona County Probate Court filing rather than relying only on a noncourt transfer. | Sunset helps assemble property, mortgage, account, and debt information, then connects the family with local probate attorney support when a sale or court order is needed. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Alcona County Probate Court | Local filing office for Alcona County decedent estates, including the Harrisville address, phone, fax, and hours. | https://alconacountymi.com/home/23rd-circuit-court/probate-court/ or (989) 724-9490 |
| Michigan trial court directory | State court directory page used to locate Michigan trial courts and probate court contact information. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/trial-court-directory/ |
| SCAO estates, trusts, and miscellaneous probate forms | Statewide Michigan probate forms for decedent estates, including opening, inventory, notice, and closing forms. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| Michigan Judiciary inventory fee calculator | Helps estimate the inventory fee owed under MCL 600.871. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate information and self-help tools, including small-estate and probate resources. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Services of Northern Michigan, Alpena office | Civil legal aid office whose own office list includes service to Alcona County. Ask about eligibility and whether the issue fits its services. | 110 N. Third Ave., Alpena, MI 49707, (989) 356-9081, https://www.lsnm.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Michigan probate attorney if someone may challenge the will, heirs disagree, real property must be sold, creditor claims are disputed, the estate needs supervised administration, or you are handling the case from outside Alcona County. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify accounts, policies, debts, and property that may affect the Alcona County probate filing.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset uses the information you provide to help prepare the Michigan probate forms for estate settlement, including the forms commonly used to open an informal estate or pursue a smaller estate path.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves a home sale, a dispute, a complicated heirship question, or a court hearing, Sunset can connect the family with Michigan probate counsel.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, understand next steps, and decide whether they need court filing help, attorney help, or both.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Alcona County?
File Alcona County probate papers with the Alcona County Probate Court at the Alcona County Building, 106 5th Street, Harrisville, MI 48740. The court also publishes a mailing address of P.O. Box 385, Harrisville, MI 48740.
Is Alcona County Probate Court on MiFILE?
Alcona County Probate Court is not listed as one of the statewide MiFILE probate courts. Plan on using the Alcona County Probate Court's Harrisville filing office or mailing address unless the probate register gives case-specific instructions.
What are the Alcona County Probate Court hours?
The court publishes hours of Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a lunch closure from noon to 1:00 p.m.
How much does it cost to open a decedent estate in Alcona County?
The statewide 2026 cost to open a decedent estate is $175.00 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. The inventory fee depends on the estate's value and is separate from the opening cost.
Does Alcona County have local probate forms?
The Alcona County Probate Court page does not publish a local decedent estate packet, cover sheet, or checklist. Use the statewide SCAO probate forms for Michigan estates.
Can I look up an Alcona County probate case online?
No online probate case lookup is published on the Alcona County court pages. If you need a case number, filing status, or copies, contact the Alcona County Probate Court at (989) 724-9490.
Can I attend an Alcona County probate hearing by video?
No Alcona-specific video instructions are published for decedent estates. Michigan court rules presume videoconferencing for uncontested decedent estate matters under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407, but the court may decide that a particular hearing must be in person.
Do I have to travel to Harrisville to handle an Alcona County estate?
Not always. Some filings may be handled by mail using the court's published P.O. Box, and uncontested hearings may be eligible for videoconferencing under Michigan court rules. Call the probate register before making travel plans if you are filing from outside the county.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.