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Chippewa County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Chippewa County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Chippewa County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | Chippewa County Courthouse, 319 Court Street, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783 |
| Mailing address | No separate probate mailing address is posted. Use 319 Court Street, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. |
| Phone | (906) 635-6314 |
| Fax | No probate fax number is posted on the court pages. |
| Hours | Public counter hours are not posted on the probate pages. Call the court before going to the courthouse. |
| Filing fee | Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 as of August 2026 (MCL 600.880; MCL 600.1986), plus the inventory fee (MCL 600.871). Assignment of property costs $25.00 as of August 2026 (MCL 600.880(2)), plus any inventory fee. |
| Local forms | Yes. Chippewa posts a small-estate assignment packet using PC 556 and PC 565, and Michigan SCAO probate forms are used for estate filings. |
| E-filing | Chippewa County Probate Court is not listed on MiFILE for probate estate filings. Use the probate register's counter unless the court gives another instruction. |
| Case search | Chippewa County Probate Court cases can be searched through MiCOURT by case number or party name. |
| Remote appearance | No local Zoom link or standing remote-hearing page is posted. Uncontested decedent-estate hearings are presumed to use videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, unless the court orders otherwise under MCR 2.407. |
| Website | https://www.chippewacountymi.gov/probate-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Chippewa County probate filing, make a complete list of the accounts, real property, vehicles, debts, funeral expenses and likely heirs. The right estate settlement path depends on what property actually needs a personal representative and what can pass outside a full estate.
Sunset helps families start with asset discovery across more than 2,300 institutions, then organizes what was found into a probate-ready picture for Chippewa County. That is especially useful here because the court does not offer MiFILE for probate estate filings and the inventory page directs estate inventory filing to the courthouse office.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Chippewa County estates are filed at the Chippewa County Probate Court in the Chippewa County Courthouse, 319 Court Street, Sault Ste. Marie. The probate register's counter at that courthouse is the local filing office, and no branch probate counter is posted for the county.
Michigan venue is based on where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, for someone not domiciled in Michigan, a Michigan county where the decedent's property was located at death (MCL 700.3201). For a decedent domiciled in Chippewa County, file in Sault Ste. Marie.
Chippewa is not part of a two-county probate district under MCL 600.807. The county website's 17th Probate Court label refers to this court's local numbering, not to the separate Clare and Gladwin probate district.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the correct Michigan path before filing. Use the statewide SCAO estate forms, such as PC 558 for informal probate, PC 559 for formal probate, PC 556 for assignment of property, PC 565 for heir testimony, PC 571 for acceptance, PC 572 for letters of authority and PC 577 for the inventory.
- Prepare the opening packet for Chippewa County. Include the will if there is one, the death certificate information required by the form set, the heir and devisee information, and any protected identifying information on the proper protected-information form rather than on the public PC form.
- File at the Chippewa County Probate Court, Chippewa County Courthouse, 319 Court Street, Sault Ste. Marie. Chippewa is not on MiFILE for probate estate filings, so plan on using the probate register's counter unless the court gives you a different instruction.
- Pay the court cost that fits the filing. Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 as of August 2026 (MCL 600.880; MCL 600.1986), and the estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. An assignment of property filing costs $25.00 as of August 2026 (MCL 600.880(2)), plus any inventory fee.
- Serve required notices. In an informal case, the applicant gives written information of probate within 28 days after informal probate is granted (MCL 700.3306). After appointment, the personal representative publishes and sends creditor notices as required, with the 4-month creditor period tied to publication (MCL 700.3801, 700.3803).
- Watch for hearing instructions. Informal appointments can be acted on by the probate register when the statutory requirements are met (MCL 700.3307). Formal matters and contested matters go to the probate judge, and the court's notice will supply the hearing date and appearance instructions.
- Use remote appearance only as directed by the court. Michigan presumes videoconferencing for uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions under MCR 5.140, but MCR 2.407 allows the court to set the manner of appearance or require an in-person hearing.
- Receive letters of authority if a personal representative is appointed. The authority document is PC 572, Letters of Authority for Personal Representative. Certified copies cost $10.00 certification plus $1.00 per page as of August 2026 (MCL 600.2546).
- Administer and close the estate. File the inventory information within 91 days after letters of authority (MCR 5.307), pay the inventory fee on time, handle creditor claims and distributions, and close by the proper Michigan closing form, such as PC 591 for unsupervised administration or PC 593 if a court order for complete estate settlement is needed.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Chippewa County
Michigan uses statewide SCAO-approved PC forms for decedent estates. Chippewa County's probate website also posts a small-estate assignment packet that uses PC 556, Petition and Order for Assignment, and PC 565, Testimony to Identify Heirs.
For a 2026 death, the assignment of property and transfer by affidavit figure is $53,000 (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983). If you see an older number on a local page or older instruction sheet, use the current Michigan figure for the year of death and the current SCAO form instructions.
| Form | Use in Chippewa County |
|---|---|
| PC 556, Petition and Order for Assignment | Filed with the Probate Court for assignment of property. Chippewa posts a packet for this path. |
| PC 598, Affidavit of Decedent's Successor for Delivery of Certain Assets Owned by Decedent | Used for transfer by affidavit. It is presented to the asset holder and is not filed with the court. |
| PC 558, Application for Informal Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative | Starts an informal estate when the probate register can act. |
| PC 559, Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative | Starts a formal estate when a judge's order is needed. |
| PC 572, Letters of Authority for Personal Representative | The authority document issued after appointment. |
| PC 577, Inventory (Decedent Estate) | Inventory information due within 91 days after letters of authority under MCR 5.307. |
Fees
| Local cost or payment item | Chippewa County detail |
|---|---|
| Counter payment methods | At the Chippewa County Probate Court counter, fees may be paid by cash, check or money order payable to Chippewa County Probate Court. The court page says credit cards, debit cards and out-of-state checks are not accepted in person. |
| Online payment | The court links to an AllPaid and GovPayNet page for Chippewa County Probate fees. That online page accepts major cards and debit cards. |
| Photocopies | Photocopies at the court counter cost $1 per page as posted in August 2026. |
| Inventory filing note | The court's inventory page directs filing of the estate inventory at the Chippewa County Probate Court office. The inventory fee itself is the statewide fee under MCL 600.871. |
Local nuance
Chippewa County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Chippewa filing |
|---|---|
| 17th Probate Court label | The county website uses the 17th Probate Court label, but Chippewa is not the 17th Probate District under MCL 600.807. File Chippewa estates in Sault Ste. Marie. |
| MiCOURT case search | Chippewa County Probate Court is included in MiCOURT. Search by case number or party name at https://micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search. |
| No MiFILE probate filing | Chippewa probate estate filings are not on MiFILE, so do not plan on a MiFILE submission for a decedent estate. |
| Payment split | The counter takes cash, check or money order. The court's separate online payment page accepts cards for probate fees. |
| Older small-estate amount on local materials | Use the current 2026 figure of $53,000 for assignment of property and transfer by affidavit (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983), not older dollar amounts that may appear in older local instructions. |
Small-estate Alternatives
Chippewa County posts a local assignment of property packet using PC 556 and PC 565. The filing fee for that petition is $25.00 as of August 2026 (MCL 600.880(2)), and the estate may also owe an inventory fee under MCL 600.871.
For a 2026 death, the Michigan assignment of property and transfer by affidavit figure is $53,000 (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983). The figure is tied to the year of death, so an older death can use a different annual amount.
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Chippewa County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by identifying what is in the estate and how the home is titled. If Chippewa County probate authority is needed, file at the Probate Court in Sault Ste. Marie and address any spouse and family protections under Michigan law. | Sunset organizes accounts, debts and title questions so the spouse and any attorney can see whether estate settlement requires a court filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Check whether assignment of property or transfer by affidavit fits the 2026 $53,000 figure (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983). If a court filing is needed, Chippewa does not use MiFILE for probate estate filings, so plan for a local paper filing or attorney help. | Sunset helps identify institutions, prepare the right packet and reduce back-and-forth when the filer is not near Sault Ste. Marie. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If a Chippewa County home must be sold through the estate, full probate administration and letters of authority may be needed. Real property sales, heir questions and creditor issues are strong reasons to involve counsel. | Sunset builds the estate settlement picture, generates probate documents where appropriate and connects the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Chippewa County Probate Court | Filing counter for Chippewa County estates, with local pages for unsupervised administration, assignment of property and inventories. | 319 Court Street, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. Phone (906) 635-6314. https://www.chippewacountymi.gov/probate-court |
| MiCOURT case search | Online search for Chippewa County Probate Court cases by case number or party name. | https://micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search |
| Chippewa County Probate online payment | Online AllPaid and GovPayNet payment page for Chippewa County Probate fees. | https://www.govpaynow.com/gps/user/plc/8653 |
| SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | State-approved Michigan probate forms, including the core decedent estate forms. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| Michigan Judiciary inventory fee calculator | Calculates the inventory fee due under MCL 600.871 based on estate value. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate and small-estate information and guided self-help tools. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Services of Northern Michigan, Sault Ste. Marie office | Free civil legal help for eligible residents of Chippewa, Luce and Mackinac counties. Ask at intake whether your estate question fits their services. | Phone (906) 632-3361. https://www.lsnm.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for accounts and property information so the family can understand what is actually part of the estate before choosing a Chippewa County filing path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset picture and family information into an organized estate settlement packet using the Michigan forms that fit the situation.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Chippewa County estate involves real property, conflict, creditor pressure or a formal court hearing, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, documents and next steps without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Chippewa County?
File Chippewa County decedent estates with the Chippewa County Probate Court at the Chippewa County Courthouse, 319 Court Street, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. The probate register's counter is the local filing office.
Is Chippewa County Probate Court on MiFILE?
No. Chippewa County Probate Court is not listed on MiFILE for probate estate filings, so plan on using the probate register's counter unless the court gives you another instruction.
Can I look up a Chippewa County probate case online?
Yes. Chippewa County Probate Court is included in MiCOURT. You can search at https://micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search by case number or party name.
What does it cost to open a Chippewa County probate estate?
Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 as of August 2026 (MCL 600.880; MCL 600.1986), plus the inventory fee required by MCL 600.871. The Michigan Judiciary inventory fee calculator can help estimate the inventory fee.
Does Chippewa County have local probate forms?
Chippewa County posts a small-estate assignment packet using PC 556 and PC 565. For most estate filings, use the statewide SCAO probate forms for Michigan decedent estates.
Can a small Chippewa estate use assignment of property?
Possibly. For a 2026 death, the assignment of property and transfer by affidavit figure is $53,000 (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983). The correct figure depends on the year of death, not the year you file.
Are Chippewa County probate hearings remote?
No local standing videoconference page is posted. Under MCR 5.140, uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions are presumed to use videoconferencing, but the court can set the manner of appearance under MCR 2.407 and the hearing notice should tell you how to appear.
Do I have to travel to Sault Ste. Marie to handle a Chippewa probate filing?
Chippewa probate estate filings are not on MiFILE, and the court's inventory page directs inventory filing to the Probate Court office. If you live outside the area, ask the court about current filing logistics or work with a Michigan probate attorney who can handle the local filing.
Why does the county website say 17th Probate Court?
That label is a local court-number label for Chippewa County Probate Court. It does not mean Chippewa is part of the 17th Probate District under MCL 600.807, and it does not change where Chippewa estates are filed.
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.