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Alpena County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Local information |
|---|---|
| Court | Alpena County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | County Annex Building, 719 W. Chisholm St., Ste. 4, Alpena, MI 49707 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is published. Use the court address. |
| Phone | (989) 354-9650 |
| Fax | (989) 354-9782 |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Filing fee | As of August 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of $150.00 under MCL 600.880 plus $25.00 under MCL 600.1986, and the estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. As of August 2026, a petition for assignment costs $25.00 under MCL 600.880, plus any inventory fee. |
| Local forms | No local decedent estate packet or cover sheet is published. Alpena links to the statewide SCAO probate forms index. |
| E-filing status | Alpena County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. File through the probate register's office unless the court gives different instructions for a specific matter. |
| Case search | The court links to MiCOURT case display from its probate page for public case information. |
| Remote appearance | The court links to a Virtual Court Access page with Zoom instructions. Uncontested decedent estate hearings are also presumptively eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, subject to the court's instructions. |
| Website | https://www.alpenacounty.org/544/Probate-Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a probate path in Alpena County, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, real property, titled vehicles, accounts, and expected creditors. The right filing depends on what must pass through the estate and whether a personal representative needs letters of authority.
Sunset helps families start estate settlement by looking for accounts and assets across more than 2,300 institutions, then organizing what you found into the probate packet you can take to the Alpena County Probate Court.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Alpena County Probate Court serves estate matters venued in Alpena County from the County Annex Building in Alpena. Probate filings are handled at the probate register's counter at 719 W. Chisholm St., Ste. 4.
Michigan venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, for a non-Michigan decedent, a county where the decedent's property was located at death (MCL 700.3201). That rule is why an Alpena County estate is filed in Alpena when the decedent lived in Alpena County or left property there and no other Michigan venue controls.
The jurisdiction process
- List the decedent's assets, debts, real property, accounts, vehicles, and known creditors so you can decide whether the estate needs full administration, assignment of property, transfer by affidavit, or another Michigan path.
- Choose the correct statewide SCAO forms. Informal estates usually start with PC 558, formal estates with PC 559, assignment of property with PC 556, and transfer by affidavit uses PC 598 outside the court when that procedure fits.
- Bring the opening papers, the original will if there is one, and a certified death certificate to the Alpena County Probate Court at 719 W. Chisholm St., Ste. 4, Alpena. The counter is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Pay the required statutory fee. As of August 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, consisting of $150.00 under MCL 600.880 plus $25.00 under MCL 600.1986, and the estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871.
- If the filing is informal and accepted, the probate register can act on the application and issue letters of authority after the required qualifications are complete. If the matter is formal or contested, the court will set it for judicial action.
- Give the required notices, including notice after informal probate and any required notice to creditors. If a hearing is scheduled, follow the notice from the court and use Alpena's Virtual Court Access instructions when the court permits or directs Zoom participation.
- After appointment, use the letters of authority to collect estate assets, handle bills and claims, and prepare the inventory. The inventory information is due within 91 days after letters of authority under MCR 5.307.
- Administer and close the estate through the correct Michigan closing procedure, such as a sworn statement to close unsupervised administration or a court order when one is required.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Alpena County
Alpena County Probate Court does not publish a local decedent estate packet or local cover sheet. Its probate page sends families to the Michigan Judiciary's statewide probate forms index, and those SCAO forms are the forms to start and administer a decedent estate in Alpena County.
| Form source | Use in Alpena County |
|---|---|
| SCAO probate forms index | Use this statewide index for decedent estate forms such as PC 558, PC 559, PC 556, PC 572, PC 577, and closing forms. URL: https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/probate-court-forms/ |
| Alpena County Probate Court page | The county page links the statewide forms index and provides general informational summaries on topics including estates, wills, trusts, guardianship, and mental health. Those summaries are not required local forms. |
| Protected personal information forms | When a form requires protected account or identifying information, use the Michigan protected personal identifying information forms rather than placing that information on a public probate form. |
Local nuance
Alpena County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for filing |
|---|---|
| Lunch closure | The probate counter is closed from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. and closes for the day at 4:30 p.m. |
| No MiFILE | Alpena County Probate Court is not on MiFILE, so do not plan on starting an Alpena estate through the statewide MiFILE system. |
| Virtual court access | The court links to a Virtual Court Access page with Zoom instructions for hearings. Use the hearing notice and the court's current instructions for the specific case. |
| MiCOURT link | The probate page links to MiCOURT case display for public case information. It is a lookup tool, not a substitute for the court's file or the probate register's instructions. |
| General information PDFs | The county's downloadable estate and related summaries are informational only. Use the SCAO forms for filings. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Archetype | Likely local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by checking how the home is titled. If the home passes outside probate, the Alpena filing may be limited to assets that still need a personal representative or a small-estate procedure. If estate authority is needed, file at the County Annex Building in Alpena. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts, and title issues so the spouse can decide whether Alpena County Probate Court authority is needed for estate settlement. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | If the estate fits Michigan's assignment of property or transfer by affidavit rules, the child may avoid full administration. The 2026 small-estate amount is $53,000 for a 2026 death under MCL 700.3982 and MCL 700.3983. Alpena is not on MiFILE, so call the probate register before planning travel or relying on any filing method other than the counter. | Sunset organizes the asset list, helps generate the probate packet, and can help the child ask the right local filing questions before traveling to Alpena. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale usually requires clear authority from a personal representative unless the property passes outside probate. File the appropriate opening papers with Alpena County Probate Court and use the letters of authority to work with title, creditors, and closing requirements. | Sunset helps gather asset details, prepare the filing packet, and connect the parent with a Michigan probate attorney when a sale or title issue makes counsel useful. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Alpena County Probate Court | Local probate counter for opening and administering an Alpena County estate. | 719 W. Chisholm St., Ste. 4, Alpena, MI 49707. Phone (989) 354-9650. Email [email protected]. URL: https://www.alpenacounty.org/544/Probate-Court |
| Alpena County Probate Court virtual court access | Zoom access and hearing participation instructions published for the court. | URL: https://montmorencycourt60.wixsite.com/virtualcourts |
| MiCOURT case display | Public case information linked from the Alpena probate page. | URL: https://micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search |
| Michigan Trial Court Directory | State judiciary directory listing for Michigan trial courts, including Alpena County Probate Court. | URL: https://www.courts.michigan.gov/trial-court-directory/ |
| SCAO probate forms | Statewide probate form index used for Michigan decedent estate filings. | URL: https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/probate-court-forms/ |
| Inventory fee calculator | Michigan Judiciary calculator for the inventory fee owed by an estate. | URL: https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Statewide self-help information on Michigan probate, small estates, informal probate, formal probate, and related topics. | URL: https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Services of Northern Michigan, Alpena office | Free civil legal help for eligible low-income residents of Alpena, Presque Isle, Montmorency, and Alcona counties. Ask at intake whether the estate question fits current priorities. | 110 N. Third Ave., Alpena, MI 49707. Phone (989) 356-9081. URL: https://www.lsnm.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a probate attorney when Alpena County real property must be sold or title must be cleared through the estate, heirs disagree, a will is challenged, creditors are pressing claims, or the personal representative lives outside Michigan. Sunset connects to a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets
Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help families find accounts, insurance, investments, debts, and other assets that can shape an Alpena County probate filing.
Generate the probate packet
Sunset turns the asset list and family information into an organized estate settlement packet using Michigan probate terminology, including personal representative and letters of authority.
Find a local probate attorney
When the estate involves Alpena County real property, creditor disputes, a will challenge, or an out-of-state personal representative, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families
Sunset helps families understand the next steps, organize the paperwork, and move from asset discovery to probate filing without charging families for the core estate settlement service.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Alpena County?
File at Alpena County Probate Court, County Annex Building, 719 W. Chisholm St., Ste. 4, Alpena, MI 49707. The probate register's phone number is (989) 354-9650.
Is Alpena County Probate Court on MiFILE?
No. Alpena County Probate Court is not on MiFILE, so plan to use the probate register's office unless the court gives different instructions for a specific matter.
What are the Alpena probate counter hours?
The published hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The lunch closure matters if you are traveling to file papers in person.
Can I appear by Zoom for an Alpena County probate hearing?
Alpena County links to a Virtual Court Access page with Zoom instructions. Uncontested decedent estate hearings are also presumptively eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, but the hearing notice and the court's instructions control the way to appear.
Can I look up an Alpena County probate case online?
Yes. The Alpena County Probate Court page links to MiCOURT case display for public case information. Use the court's own file and notices for official deadlines and instructions.
Does Alpena County require local probate forms?
Alpena County does not publish a local decedent estate packet or cover sheet. It links to the statewide SCAO probate forms index, and the county's own estate summaries are informational rather than required local paperwork.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Alpena County?
As of August 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of $150.00 under MCL 600.880 plus $25.00 under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes an inventory fee under MCL 600.871.
Do I have to travel to Alpena if I live out of state?
Alpena is not on MiFILE, and no general mail, drop box, or appointment procedure is published on the probate page. If travel is difficult, call (989) 354-9650 or email [email protected] before you assume how the court will accept your filing or handle a hearing.
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.