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Dickinson County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Dickinson County probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | Dickinson County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | Dickinson County Courthouse, 705 S. Stephenson Ave., Iron Mountain, MI 49801 |
| Mailing address | PO Box 609, Iron Mountain, MI 49801 |
| Phone | (906) 774-1555 |
| Fax | No fax number is published for the probate court. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Central time. No probate-specific filing cutoff or lunch closure is published. |
| Filing fee | For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of the $150.00 filing fee under MCL 600.880 plus the $25.00 electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. |
| Local forms | No Dickinson County probate cover sheet, checklist or local probate form is published. Use Michigan SCAO probate forms. |
| E-filing | Dickinson County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. The 41st Circuit Court and 95B District Court have separate e-filing listings, but those are not the probate court. |
| Case lookup | No online probate case lookup is published for Dickinson County Probate Court. Call (906) 774-1555 to ask about a file. |
| Remote appearance | No local remote-hearing page is published. Michigan court rules presume videoconferencing for uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions, subject to the court's direction under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407. |
| Website | Dickinson County courts page |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a probate path in Dickinson County, build a practical list of what the person owned, what they owed, and which assets already pass outside probate. That first inventory determines whether you can use a simpler Michigan procedure or need a personal representative with letters of authority.
Sunset's estate settlement platform searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families find accounts, insurance, retirement assets and debts before filing. In a county where the probate counter is paper-based and there is no online probate lookup, having the asset picture organized before you call or travel to Iron Mountain saves time.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Dickinson County Probate Court serves probate filings for Dickinson County from one courthouse in Iron Mountain. The county includes Iron Mountain, Kingsford and Norway, plus Breen, Breitung, Felch, Norway, Sagola, Waucedah and West Branch townships.
File in Dickinson County if the decedent was domiciled in Dickinson County at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Michigan, venue is proper in a Michigan county where the decedent had property at death (MCL 700.3201).
The jurisdiction process
- List the assets, debts and title issues before filing. Include real estate, bank and investment accounts, vehicles, personal property, known creditors and any accounts that already have beneficiaries.
- Choose the Michigan path that fits the estate. If court authority is needed, prepare the statewide SCAO form for an informal or formal estate. If the estate qualifies for assignment of property for a 2026 death, use the $53,000 limit with MCL 700.3982 in mind. If transfer by affidavit is the better fit, remember that it is not filed with the court (MCL 700.3983).
- Use statewide SCAO forms, not a Dickinson packet. Dickinson County publishes no local probate cover sheet, checklist or estate form.
- File with the probate register at Dickinson County Probate Court, 705 S. Stephenson Ave., Iron Mountain, MI 49801, or mail the papers to PO Box 609, Iron Mountain, MI 49801. Call (906) 774-1555 first to ask how the office wants a paper filing delivered, especially if you are travelling from outside the Central time zone.
- Pay the statutory court charges. For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, which is the $150.00 fee under MCL 600.880 plus the $25.00 electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. A 2026 assignment of property petition costs $25.00 under MCL 600.880, plus the inventory fee.
- Give required notices. On the informal track, the probate register can act without a judge if the papers meet Michigan requirements, but the applicant still must give written information of the probate to interested persons within the required time.
- Ask how any hearing will be handled. Dickinson County does not publish a local remote-hearing page, but uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, subject to the court's instructions under MCR 2.407.
- After appointment, use the letters of authority to collect estate property, communicate with institutions, handle creditors, and administer the estate. Keep the estate settlement file organized because the inventory, notices, receipts and closing papers all depend on accurate asset information.
- File the inventory and pay the inventory fee. The inventory information is due within 91 days after letters of authority under MCR 5.307, and the fee is paid from estate assets under MCL 600.871.
- Close the estate through the proper Michigan closing procedure when administration is complete, the claims period and notice requirements have been handled, and distributions are ready or complete.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Dickinson County
Dickinson County Probate Court does not publish a local probate cover sheet, checklist or estate packet. Estate filings use the statewide SCAO probate forms, which are used across Michigan probate courts.
| Need | Common Michigan form |
|---|---|
| Informal probate or appointment | PC 558, Application for Informal Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative |
| Formal probate or appointment | PC 559, Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative |
| Assignment of property | PC 556, Petition and Order for Assignment |
| Transfer by affidavit | PC 598, Affidavit of Decedent's Successor for Delivery of Certain Assets Owned by Decedent. This is presented to the holder of the asset, not filed with the probate court. |
| Personal representative authority | PC 572, Letters of Authority for Personal Representative |
| Inventory | PC 577, Inventory (Decedent Estate) |
| Close an unsupervised estate | PC 591, Sworn Statement to Close Unsupervised Administration |
Use the SCAO Estates, Trusts, and Miscellaneous Probate Forms index for current forms. Except in formal proceedings and supervised administration, Michigan court rules limit additional filing requirements in informal, unsupervised estates (MCR 5.307).
Local nuance
Dickinson County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Central time | The courthouse hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Central time. Callers from most of Michigan should account for the one-hour difference. |
| One courthouse | Probate, circuit and district courts are all at 705 S. Stephenson Ave. in Iron Mountain, but the probate phone number is (906) 774-1555. |
| No MiFILE for probate | Dickinson's circuit and district courts have separate e-filing information, but Dickinson County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. |
| No online probate lookup | To ask about a Dickinson estate file, call the probate court rather than relying on an online search page. |
| No local probate forms published | Plan around the statewide SCAO forms and call the probate register if you are unsure how the office wants a paper filing delivered. |
Recent updates
No Dickinson County probate rule change, local form rollout, e-filing launch or remote-hearing notice was published in the materials available for this page. The key local operating points are the Central time courthouse hours, the paper filing posture, and the absence of a published local probate packet.
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Dickinson County path | Local step | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | First determine whether the home passes outside probate by title. If probate authority is still needed for other assets, the spouse may use an informal estate or another Michigan path depending on the asset list. | Call Dickinson County Probate Court at (906) 774-1555 before travelling to Iron Mountain, and remember the courthouse runs on Central time. | Sunset helps find accounts, sort probate and non-probate assets, and prepare the estate settlement packet for the correct Michigan path. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the estate fits Michigan's small-estate rules for the year of death, assignment of property or transfer by affidavit may avoid a full administration. For a 2026 death, the indexed figure is $53,000 under MCL 700.3982 and MCL 700.3983. | Dickinson County Probate Court is not on MiFILE, so ask the probate register how to submit any required paper filing by mail to PO Box 609. | Sunset organizes the asset list, identifies institutions to contact, and helps decide whether a court filing is needed before you make a trip to Iron Mountain. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale or title transfer through the estate usually requires a personal representative with letters of authority, so a full administration is often the practical path. | File with the probate register at the Dickinson County Courthouse and ask how any hearing will be handled if travel is difficult. | Sunset can generate the probate packet, track estate settlement tasks, and connect the family with a Michigan probate attorney when real estate must be sold. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Dickinson County Probate Court | The local office where a Dickinson County estate is opened. Staff can explain filing logistics, but cannot give legal advice. | 705 S. Stephenson Ave., Iron Mountain, MI 49801. Mail to PO Box 609, Iron Mountain, MI 49801. Phone (906) 774-1555. |
| Michigan trial court directory | State judiciary directory for court contact information. | Online directory |
| SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | Statewide Michigan probate forms for decedent estates, including informal probate, formal probate, inventory and closing forms. | Online forms index |
| Inventory fee calculator | Michigan Judiciary calculator for the inventory fee owed under MCL 600.871. | Online calculator |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate and small-estate information, plus guided self-help tools. | Online resource |
| Legal Services of Northern Michigan, Marquette office | Free civil legal help for eligible residents of Marquette, Alger, Dickinson and Iron counties. Ask at intake whether your estate question fits their services. | 2844 Venture Dr, Ste C, Marquette, MI 49855. Phone (906) 228-5620. |
When to hire an attorney
A Michigan probate attorney is especially useful in Dickinson County when real property must be sold, title needs to be cleared through the estate, the estate is too large for a small-estate path, heirs disagree, creditors are active, or the personal representative lives far from Iron Mountain. The informal track is designed to be usable without a lawyer in many straightforward estates, but contested or real-estate-heavy matters can become expensive if filed incorrectly. Sunset connects families to a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help identify accounts, insurance, retirement assets and debts before you file in Dickinson County. That gives the estate settlement process a clearer starting point.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset and family information into the Michigan probate forms and task list that match the path you are using, whether the next step is a small-estate option or a full administration.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate involves real estate, a dispute, creditors or an out-of-state personal representative, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney who understands local filing practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, find assets, prepare next steps and get attorney connections without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Dickinson County?
File with the Dickinson County Probate Court at the Dickinson County Courthouse, 705 S. Stephenson Ave., Iron Mountain, MI 49801. The mailing address is PO Box 609, Iron Mountain, MI 49801, and the probate phone number is (906) 774-1555.
Is Dickinson County Probate Court on MiFILE?
No. Dickinson County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. Do not rely on e-filing listings for Dickinson's circuit or district courts because those are separate courts.
Can I look up a Dickinson County probate case online?
No online probate case lookup is published for Dickinson County Probate Court. Call the probate court at (906) 774-1555 to ask about a court file.
What are the Dickinson County Probate Court hours?
The county publishes courthouse hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Central time. No probate-specific filing cutoff is published, so call before travelling if timing is tight.
Does Dickinson County use local probate forms?
No local probate cover sheet, checklist or estate packet is published for Dickinson County. Use the statewide SCAO probate forms for Michigan estates.
How much does it cost to open a Dickinson County estate?
For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, consisting of the $150.00 filing fee under MCL 600.880 and the $25.00 electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871.
Can I appear remotely for a Dickinson County probate hearing?
Dickinson County does not publish a local remote-hearing page. Michigan court rules presume videoconferencing for uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions, but the court decides how the hearing will be held and must give joining instructions under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407.
Do I have to travel to Iron Mountain to handle a Dickinson County estate?
Not always. Because the probate court is not on MiFILE and local filing instructions are limited, call (906) 774-1555 to ask whether your papers can be mailed and how any hearing will be handled. Plan around Central time when you call.
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.