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Gogebic County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Gogebic County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Gogebic County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | Gogebic County Courthouse, 200 N. Moore St., Bessemer, MI 49911 |
| Mailing | No separate probate mailing address is published. Use the courthouse address. |
| Phone | (906) 667-0421 |
| Fax | (906) 663-4660 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Central time. No lunch closure is published. |
| Filing fee | For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of the probate filing charge under MCL 600.880 and the electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. |
| Local forms | No local decedent-estate filing form, cover sheet or checklist is published. Use the statewide SCAO PC forms. |
| E-filing | MiFILE is used for Gogebic probate. Attorneys and non-attorney filers are mandated MiFILE users here, subject to MCR 1.109(G) exemptions and MC 100. |
| Case search | No online probate case lookup is published for Gogebic County Probate Court. Call the probate court at (906) 667-0421. |
| Remote appearance | No local estate-hearing page is published. Uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407, and the court gives access instructions. |
| Website | https://www.gogebic.gov/government/courts/probate_court.php |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Bessemer or start a MiFILE envelope, identify the decedent's assets, debts, title documents, beneficiary designations and known creditors. The right estate settlement path depends on what actually passes through probate, not just on whether there is a will.
Sunset helps families prepare for estate settlement by checking for accounts and assets across more than 2,300 institutions, then organizing what the Gogebic County Probate Court will need for the appropriate Michigan probate forms.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Gogebic County Probate Court is the probate court for estates venued in Gogebic County. The probate register's counter is at the Gogebic County Courthouse, 200 N. Moore St., Bessemer, MI 49911. Gogebic is not part of a multi-county probate district.
The local government site lists Bessemer City, Bessemer Township, Erwin Township, Ironwood City, Ironwood Township, the Lac Vieux Desert Tribe, Marenisco Township, Wakefield City, Wakefield Township and Watersmeet Township. Venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, for a person not domiciled in Michigan, a county where the decedent had property (MCL 700.3201).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Michigan path before filing. If the estate can use assignment of property for a 2026 death, check the $53,000 limit and related requirements under MCL 700.3982. If the estate needs a personal representative, prepare the informal or formal opening papers instead.
- Prepare the statewide SCAO forms. Gogebic publishes no local decedent-estate cover sheet or checklist. Common opening forms include PC 558 for informal probate, PC 559 for formal probate, PC 565 for heirs, PC 571 for acceptance of appointment and MC 97 for protected personal identifying information.
- File through MiFILE unless an exemption applies. Gogebic County Probate Court is a MiFILE probate court, and attorneys and non-attorney filers are mandated users here. A person who qualifies for an exemption under MCR 1.109(G) uses MC 100 to request it in paper.
- Pay the opening charge. For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, with the filing charge under MCL 600.880 and the electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. If you file a 2026 assignment of property petition instead, that petition has a $25.00 filing charge under MCL 600.880, and the inventory fee under MCL 600.871 still applies.
- Serve the required notices. In an informal matter, give notice after informal probate is granted as required by MCL 700.3306. After appointment, publish and send creditor notices as required by MCL 700.3801.
- Handle any hearing instructions from the court. Gogebic does not publish estate hearing days. If a hearing is set, uncontested decedent-estate matters are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407, but the court decides the method and gives access instructions.
- Obtain letters of authority after appointment. The letters of authority show that the personal representative may act for the estate.
- Administer and close the estate. File the inventory information on time, pay the inventory fee under MCL 600.871, resolve claims, distribute property and close by the appropriate Michigan closing procedure, including complete estate settlement when a court order is needed.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Gogebic County
Gogebic County Probate Court publishes no local decedent-estate filing form, cover sheet or checklist. Its probate page links to pre-death planning materials, including a statutory will page, but those are not forms for opening a decedent estate.
Use the statewide SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate form index for Gogebic filings: https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/. In an informal, unsupervised estate, the court may not require documents beyond those required by statute or court rule, except as allowed by MCR 5.307(E).
| Form | Use in Gogebic County |
|---|---|
| PC 556 | Petition and Order for Assignment, used for assignment of property when the estate qualifies. For a 2026 death, the indexed amount is $53,000 under MCL 700.3982. |
| PC 598 | Affidavit of Decedent's Successor for Delivery of Certain Assets Owned by Decedent, used for transfer by affidavit. It is not filed with the Probate Court and, for a 2026 death, uses the $53,000 indexed amount under MCL 700.3983. |
| PC 558 | Application for Informal Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative. |
| PC 559 | Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative, Testate / Intestate. |
| PC 565 | Testimony to Identify Heirs. |
| PC 571 | Acceptance of Appointment. |
| PC 572 | Letters of Authority for Personal Representative. |
| PC 577 | Inventory (Decedent Estate). |
| MC 97 | Protected Personal Identifying Information, used for Social Security numbers and financial account numbers. |
| MC 100 | Request for Exemption from Use of MiFILE and Order, used when a filer asks to file in paper under MCR 1.109(G). |
Local nuance
Gogebic County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| MiFILE mandate | Gogebic is one of the Michigan probate courts where attorneys and non-attorney filers are in mandated MiFILE groups for probate. The mandate is subject to MCR 1.109(G) exemptions. |
| Paper exemption request | MC 100 is the statewide form used to ask for an exemption from MiFILE. MCR 1.109(G) includes exemption paths for disability, limited English proficiency, governmental confinement and good cause factors such as access to a reliable device or internet service. |
| Walk-in MiFILE help | The MiFILE court list names a help location at the Gogebic County Courthouse, 200 N. Moore St., Bessemer, MI 49911. |
| Central time | The probate office publishes hours in Central time, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. |
| No probate case lookup | The county publishes a Michigan case-search link for the 32nd Circuit Court, not for Gogebic County Probate Court. Call the probate court for probate file questions. |
| Planning materials are not filing forms | The county's worksheet, will information and medical-decision materials are pre-death planning resources. They do not replace the SCAO probate forms used to open an estate. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by confirming the deed, account titles and beneficiary designations before opening a Gogebic estate. If a probate estate is needed, file through MiFILE with Gogebic County Probate Court in Bessemer unless an MCR 1.109(G) exemption applies. | Sunset gathers asset details, flags title questions for attorney review and organizes the estate settlement packet. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Check whether assignment of property or transfer by affidavit fits the 2026 $53,000 amount under MCL 700.3982 or MCL 700.3983. Gogebic uses MiFILE for probate filings, and the transfer by affidavit form is presented to the asset holder rather than filed with the court. | Sunset helps identify accounts, prepare the right SCAO forms and decide when a Gogebic filing is actually needed. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of estate real property often requires a personal representative with letters of authority from Gogebic County Probate Court. File the opening papers through MiFILE unless an exemption applies, then follow the court's hearing and administration instructions. | Sunset assembles asset information, supports estate settlement tasks and connects the family with a local probate attorney when a sale needs legal handling. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Gogebic County Probate Court | The local court where a Gogebic estate is opened. | Gogebic County Courthouse, 200 N. Moore St., Bessemer, MI 49911. Phone (906) 667-0421. Fax (906) 663-4660. Website: https://www.gogebic.gov/government/courts/probate_court.php |
| Gogebic County Legal Self-Help Center | Courthouse self-help kiosks and scheduled remote Zoom navigator hours through Michigan Legal Help. | Gogebic County Courthouse, 200 N. Moore St., Bessemer, MI. Center hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Remote navigators by Zoom Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon. Website: https://michiganlegalhelp.org/self-help-centers/gogebic-county-legal-self-help-center |
| MiFILE | Michigan's e-filing system used for Gogebic probate filings. | https://mifile.courts.michigan.gov/login |
| SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | Statewide probate forms used in Gogebic County. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| Inventory fee calculator | Michigan Judiciary calculator for the inventory fee owed by an estate. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate and small-estate information. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Services of Northern Michigan, Out-County Assistance | Free civil legal help for eligible Gogebic County residents. | (800) 872-8432. Website: https://www.lsnm.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a probate attorney if there is a dispute among heirs or devisees, a will contest, a home that must be sold, unclear title, creditor problems, a MiFILE exemption issue or any question about which Michigan procedure fits the estate. 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, balances and property that may affect the Gogebic County probate path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset picture into an organized estate settlement packet, including the SCAO forms and supporting information commonly needed for a Gogebic filing.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal judgment, a home sale, court strategy or help with a contested issue, Sunset connects families with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize the work, understand next steps and move through estate settlement without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Gogebic County?
File with Gogebic County Probate Court at the Gogebic County Courthouse, 200 N. Moore St., Bessemer, MI 49911. Venue belongs in Gogebic County when the decedent was domiciled there at death, or when a non-Michigan decedent left property there (MCL 700.3201).
Is MiFILE mandatory for a person filing without a lawyer in Gogebic County?
Yes. In Gogebic County Probate Court, attorneys and non-attorney filers are in mandated MiFILE groups for probate. The mandate is subject to the exemption rules in MCR 1.109(G), and MC 100 is the statewide exemption request form.
What if I cannot use MiFILE for a Gogebic probate filing?
MCR 1.109(G) allows exemption requests. Some exemption categories apply on request, including disability, limited English proficiency and governmental confinement. Good-cause factors can include lack of reliable device or internet access, travel distance, transportation limits, technical ability and safety concerns. Use MC 100 to ask for the exemption.
Does Gogebic County have an online probate case lookup?
No online probate case lookup is published for Gogebic County Probate Court. The county's Michigan case-search link is for the 32nd Circuit Court, not probate. Call the probate court at (906) 667-0421 for probate file questions.
Does Gogebic County have local probate forms?
No local decedent-estate filing form, cover sheet or checklist is published. Use the statewide SCAO probate forms at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Gogebic County in 2026?
For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, with the probate filing charge under MCL 600.880 and the electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871.
Can I handle a Gogebic County probate matter without traveling to Bessemer?
Many filings go through MiFILE. If a hearing is scheduled, uncontested decedent-estate matters are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407, but the court decides the hearing method and provides access instructions.
What are the Gogebic County Probate Court hours?
The probate office publishes hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, Central time. No lunch closure is published.
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.