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Houghton County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Houghton County information |
|---|---|
| Court | Houghton County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | Houghton County Courthouse, 2nd Floor, 401 E. Houghton Avenue, Houghton, MI 49931 |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address is published. Use the courthouse address. |
| Phone | (906) 482-3120 |
| Fax | (906) 487-5964 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No lunch closure or filing cutoff is published. |
| Filing fee | Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 for 2026, made up of the probate filing fee under MCL 600.880 and the electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. A petition for assignment costs $25.00 for 2026 under MCL 600.880, plus any inventory fee. |
| Local forms | No local decedent-estate forms, cover sheet or checklist are published. Use the statewide SCAO probate forms. |
| E-filing | Houghton County Probate Court is live on MiFILE. Attorneys must file through MiFILE. A personal representative without a lawyer may use MiFILE but is not required to. |
| Case search | No online probate case lookup is published for Houghton County. Call the Probate Court for file status. |
| Remote appearance | No local remote-hearing instructions are published. Uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, subject to the court's direction under MCR 2.407. |
| Website | https://www.houghtoncounty.net/directory-probate-family-court.php |
| MiFILE login | https://mifile.courts.michigan.gov/login |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Michigan probate path, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, real property, accounts, vehicles and known creditors. That asset picture determines whether Houghton County needs a full estate administration, an assignment of property, a transfer by affidavit, or another state-law path.
Sunset's estate settlement platform helps families search across more than 2,300 institutions for accounts and assets before they file. That matters in Houghton County because the court's own page does not publish a decedent-estate checklist, so you should know what you own and owe before you contact the probate register.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Houghton County Probate Court at 401 E. Houghton Avenue in Houghton is the courthouse for estates venued in Houghton County. The probate and family office is on the 2nd floor, and the probate register's counter is the local filing point for a Houghton County estate.
Venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Michigan, venue may be in a county where the decedent's property was located at death (MCL 700.3201). Houghton County is separate from Keweenaw County, and a Houghton estate is not filed at a Keweenaw courthouse.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the assets and debts first. Gather account information, real property details, vehicle information, funeral and burial expenses, known creditors, the will if there is one, and death certificates before choosing a filing path.
- Choose the Michigan form path. Use the statewide SCAO forms because Houghton County publishes no local decedent-estate form packet. Informal estates generally start with PC 558, formal estates with PC 559, assignment of property with PC 556, and transfer by affidavit with PC 598 when that non-court option fits (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983).
- File at the right Houghton office. A Houghton County estate is opened with the probate register at the Houghton County Courthouse, 2nd Floor, 401 E. Houghton Avenue, Houghton, MI 49931. Attorneys must file through MiFILE. A personal representative without a lawyer may use MiFILE but should call (906) 482-3120 to ask how the court wants paper filings delivered.
- Pay the statewide court costs. Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 for 2026 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, and the estate also owes an inventory fee under MCL 600.871. An assignment of property petition costs $25.00 for 2026 under MCL 600.880, plus any inventory fee.
- Give required notice. After informal probate is granted, the applicant must give written information of the probate to interested persons within 28 days (MCL 700.3306). A personal representative also handles creditor notice under Michigan law.
- Handle any hearing instructions from the court. Houghton County does not publish estate hearing days or a hearing wait time. For uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions, videoconferencing is presumed under MCR 5.140, but the court controls the manner of appearance under MCR 2.407.
- Receive authority if a personal representative is appointed. The Michigan authority document is letters of authority. Certified copies cost $10.00 for certification plus $1.00 per page for 2026 under MCL 600.2546.
- Administer and close the estate. File the inventory information within 91 days after letters of authority (MCR 5.307), use the court's inventory fee calculator, pay the inventory fee, resolve claims, distribute property and close by the correct Michigan closing form or court order.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Houghton County
Houghton County Probate Court publishes no local decedent-estate forms, local cover sheet or local checklist. The county page also does not walk readers through wills, decedent estates, guardianships or conservatorships, so use the statewide SCAO probate form index and call the probate register before filing if you are unsure which papers the court expects in your situation.
| Need | Michigan form |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Acceptance by personal representative | PC 571, Acceptance of Appointment |
| Authority document | PC 572, Letters of Authority for Personal Representative |
| Inventory | PC 577, Inventory (Decedent Estate) |
| Close unsupervised administration | PC 591, Sworn Statement to Close Unsupervised Administration |
| Protected personal identifying information | MC 97 or MC 97a |
Statewide SCAO probate forms: https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/
Local nuance
Houghton County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Houghton filing |
|---|---|
| Separate Houghton court | Houghton County has its own Probate Court in Houghton. Do not use Keweenaw County contact information, payment links, hours or courthouse details for a Houghton estate. |
| MiFILE court | Houghton County Probate Court is live on MiFILE. Attorneys must use MiFILE, while filers without lawyers may use it but are not required to. |
| County page has no estate guide | The local court page covers family matters but publishes no decedent-estate instructions. Use SCAO forms, Michigan Legal Help and a call to the probate register for local filing logistics. |
| No online probate lookup | Houghton County publishes no online probate case lookup. Call (906) 482-3120 during court hours to ask about a file. |
| No probate payment portal | No probate-specific online payment page is published for Houghton County. Do not use the county's tax-payment portal for probate costs. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Houghton County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by identifying how the home and accounts are titled, then determine whether any Houghton County probate filing is needed. If a personal representative must act, file through the Houghton County Probate Court and use the statewide SCAO forms. | Sunset helps organize the asset list, find accounts, prepare the estate settlement packet and connect the spouse with a Michigan probate attorney when title or creditor issues need legal review. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | If the estate fits Michigan's small-estate rules, the child may be looking at assignment of property or transfer by affidavit. For a 2026 death, the indexed figure is $53,000 under MCL 700.3982 and MCL 700.3983. Houghton is on MiFILE, but a filer without a lawyer is not required to use it. | Sunset helps decide which assets are actually in the estate, generate the right SCAO forms and reduce travel by preparing questions for the Houghton probate register before filing. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If Houghton County real property must be sold through the estate and a personal representative needs authority, expect a full probate administration rather than relying only on a non-court transfer. File at the Houghton County Courthouse or through MiFILE if represented by an attorney. | Sunset helps locate accounts, organize real property and debt information, prepare the probate packet and connect the parent with a local probate attorney for sale authority and closing issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact or URL |
|---|---|---|
| Houghton County Probate Court | The local filing counter for Houghton County estate matters. The court page lists address, phone, fax and hours, but does not publish decedent-estate instructions. | Houghton County Courthouse, 2nd Floor, 401 E. Houghton Avenue, Houghton, MI 49931. Phone (906) 482-3120. Fax (906) 487-5964. https://www.houghtoncounty.net/directory-probate-family-court.php |
| SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | Statewide Michigan probate forms for decedent estates, including opening papers, inventory forms and closing forms. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| Michigan Judiciary inventory fee calculator | Calculates the inventory fee owed under MCL 600.871 based on estate value. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| MiFILE | Michigan's e-filing system. Houghton County Probate Court is live on MiFILE, and attorneys must use it here. | https://mifile.courts.michigan.gov/login |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate and small-estate information, including guided self-help tools. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Services of Northern Michigan, Houghton office | Free civil legal help for eligible Houghton County residents who meet federal poverty guidelines or are age 60 or older. Ask at intake whether an estate question fits. | 706 W. Sharon Avenue, Ste. 4, Houghton, MI 49931. Phone (906) 482-3908. https://www.lsnm.org/ |
| Michigan Trial Court Directory | State judiciary directory entry for cross-checking the Houghton County Probate Court address and phone number. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/trial-court-directory/ |
When to hire an attorney
Counsel makes sense in Houghton County when real property must be sold or cleared through the estate, the estate is too large for assignment of property, heirs disagree, a will is challenged, creditors press claims, the personal representative lives outside the Upper Peninsula, or the matter needs a judge rather than an informal register action. Houghton's own court page does not provide an estate roadmap, so legal guidance can also help prevent filing the wrong SCAO form. 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 bank accounts, investments, insurance, retirement assets and other property that may affect the Houghton County filing path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset picture into an organized estate settlement packet using Michigan's statewide SCAO form structure, so the family can work more efficiently with the Houghton probate register or an attorney.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves Houghton County real property, creditor problems, disagreements or a formal court process, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, find assets and understand next steps without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Houghton County?
File Houghton County estate matters with the probate register at the Houghton County Probate Court, Houghton County Courthouse, 2nd Floor, 401 E. Houghton Avenue, Houghton, MI 49931. Venue is based on the decedent's domicile at death, or property location for a non-Michigan decedent (MCL 700.3201).
Is Houghton County Probate Court on MiFILE?
Yes. Houghton County Probate Court is live on MiFILE. Attorneys must file through MiFILE. A personal representative without a lawyer may use MiFILE but is not required to do so.
Can I look up a Houghton County probate case online?
No online probate case lookup is published for Houghton County. Call the Probate Court at (906) 482-3120 during its published hours to ask about a file.
Does Houghton County publish local probate forms?
No. Houghton County publishes no local decedent-estate form, cover sheet or checklist. Use the statewide SCAO probate forms at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/.
How much does it cost to open a Houghton County estate?
For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. The inventory fee is based on estate value, and the Michigan Judiciary provides a calculator at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/.
Are Houghton County probate hearings remote?
Houghton County does not publish local remote-hearing instructions for decedent estates. Michigan court rules presume videoconferencing for uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions under MCR 5.140, but the court decides how a particular hearing will be held under MCR 2.407.
How long will a Houghton County probate hearing take to get scheduled?
Houghton County does not publish estate hearing days or a filing-to-hearing wait time. After filing, watch for court instructions and call (906) 482-3120 if you need to ask about scheduling.
Do I have to travel to Houghton to handle probate?
Not always. Attorneys file through MiFILE, and a filer without a lawyer may use MiFILE but is not required to. If a hearing is needed, ask the court how it will be held because uncontested decedent-estate matters are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140.
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.