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Kalamazoo County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Kalamazoo County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Kalamazoo County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | Gull Road Justice Complex, 1536 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49048 |
| Mailing address | The court publishes the Gull Road Justice Complex address and no separate post office box. |
| Phone | (269) 383-8666 |
| Fax | No probate fax number is published by the court. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except the court opens at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday. The court closes on published county and court holidays. |
| Filing fee | As of August 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of the probate commencement charge and electronic filing system fee (MCL 600.880, 600.1986), plus the inventory fee owed by the estate (MCL 600.871). As of August 2026, an assignment of property petition costs $25.00, plus any inventory fee (MCL 600.880, 600.871). |
| Local forms | No local decedent-estate cover sheet is published. Kalamazoo uses statewide SCAO probate forms and warns that the court may refuse out-of-date versions. |
| E-filing status | Kalamazoo County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. Another Kalamazoo County court appears on MiFILE, but estate filings for this probate court do not go through that system. |
| Case search | The Kalamazoo Probate Court Index is free and shows case number, type, status, filing date, fiduciaries and document entries for cases from 1995 forward, plus active older cases. Document images are not available online. |
| Remote appearance | No local probate videoconference page is published. State court rules presume videoconferencing for uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions, subject to the court's order and notice (MCR 5.140, MCR 2.407). |
| Website | https://www.kalcounty.gov/646/Probate-Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before choosing a Kalamazoo County probate path, make a practical list of the decedent's assets, debts, title documents, beneficiary designations and any original will. The probate register can tell you what the court needs in a filing, but the court says it cannot give legal advice about which path your family should choose.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then uses that inventory to help match the family to the right Michigan probate route and the right Kalamazoo County filing packet.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Kalamazoo County has its own probate court. A decedent estate for a Kalamazoo County resident is opened at the Kalamazoo County Probate Court in the Gull Road Justice Complex, 1536 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49048. It is not filed at the Kalamazoo County Courthouse on West Michigan Avenue or at the Judge Charles A. Pratt Justice Center on Eleanor Street.
The court serves the cities of Kalamazoo, Portage, Galesburg and Parchment, the villages of Augusta, Climax, Richland, Schoolcraft and Vicksburg, and the townships of Alamo, Brady, Charleston, Climax, Comstock, Cooper, Kalamazoo, Oshtemo, Pavilion, Prairie Ronde, Richland, Ross, Schoolcraft, Texas and Wakeshma. Venue belongs in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, for a person not domiciled in Michigan, a county where the decedent had property at death (MCL 700.3201).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the assets, debts, title issues and family relationships first. If someone is holding the original will for a Kalamazoo County resident, deliver it to the Kalamazoo County Probate Court with reasonable promptness.
- Choose the Michigan path that fits the estate. Kalamazoo's informal page explains that an informal application asks the probate register to admit the will, if any, and appoint a personal representative. A formal petition goes before the probate judge. Smaller estates may use assignment of property or transfer by affidavit when the statewide requirements are met (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983).
- Download fresh statewide SCAO forms from the Estates, Trusts and Miscellaneous Probate Forms index. Kalamazoo says it may refuse filings that use outdated state-approved forms. Keep financial account numbers off the probate petition and place protected information on the protected personal identifying information form.
- Gather the local supporting documents Kalamazoo asks for. For an assignment of property petition, bring the death certificate and funeral and burial proof, such as a paid itemized funeral bill or the unpaid bill showing the amount due. For informal or formal administration, bring the death certificate, the original will if there is one, and the state forms that match the path.
- Call (269) 383-8666 before filing to ask how the probate register wants papers delivered, because the court publishes what to file but does not publish a mail, email, fax or drop-box filing rule for estates. The counter is at the Gull Road Justice Complex in Kalamazoo and opens at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
- Pay the statewide opening cost. As of August 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of the probate commencement charge and electronic filing system fee (MCL 600.880, 600.1986), and the estate also owes an inventory fee based on estate value (MCL 600.871). The Michigan Judiciary inventory fee calculator is at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/.
- Give the required notices. On the informal track, written information of probate must be given within 28 days after informal probate is granted (MCL 700.3306). After appointment, the personal representative must publish and send creditor notices as required by Michigan law (MCL 700.3801).
- If a hearing is needed, use the notice the court gives you rather than assuming a hearing day or platform. Kalamazoo publishes no probate hearing calendar and no probate videoconference link. For uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions, videoconferencing is presumed under Michigan court rules, but the court may direct how the hearing will occur (MCR 5.140, MCR 2.407).
- After appointment, obtain the letters of authority for the personal representative. Banks, title companies and buyers usually want certified copies before they will deal with estate property.
- Administer and close the estate. File the inventory information within 91 days after the letters of authority, pay the inventory fee when due, handle creditor claims and distributions, and use the correct closing procedure when administration is complete (MCR 5.307, MCL 700.3954).
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Kalamazoo County
Kalamazoo County Probate Court uses the statewide SCAO probate forms for decedent estates and publishes no local decedent-estate cover sheet. The court's important local rule is practical: use current state-approved forms, because the court says it may refuse a filing made on an outdated version.
| Filing situation | What Kalamazoo asks you to have |
|---|---|
| Assignment of property | The statewide petition and order for assignment, protected personal identifying information form when needed, death certificate, and proof of funeral and burial expenses. |
| Informal estate | The statewide informal application packet, death certificate, original will if there is one, testimony to identify heirs, acceptance of appointment, letters of authority and any notice, waiver or publication forms the facts require. |
| Formal estate | The statewide formal petition packet, death certificate, original will if there is one, testimony to identify heirs, proposed order, acceptance of appointment, letters of authority and any hearing, waiver, service or publication forms the facts require. |
| Protected account information | Kalamazoo tells filers not to put financial account numbers on the probate petition. Use the protected personal identifying information form when an account number is needed to distinguish property. |
Use the statewide forms index at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ rather than a saved copy.
Local nuance
Kalamazoo County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Gull Road location | Estate filings go to the Gull Road Justice Complex at 1536 Gull Road, not to the downtown county courthouse or the Pratt Justice Center. |
| Tuesday opening | The court's general hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but it opens at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday. |
| No MiFILE for this probate court | Kalamazoo County Probate Court is not on MiFILE even though another Kalamazoo County court appears on MiFILE. |
| Free probate clinic | The Kalamazoo County Bar Association holds twenty-minute probate appointments at the Gull Road Justice Complex on the first and third Tuesday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to noon. The clinic does not create an attorney-client relationship. |
| Probate Court Index | The free online index shows case status and document entries, but not document images. |
| Will safekeeping and delivery | The court holds original wills for county residents, and a person holding a will after death must deliver it to the probate court of the decedent's county of residence with reasonable promptness. |
| Current forms | The court may refuse filings made on outdated state-approved forms, so download forms fresh before filing. |
Recent updates
| Change | What it means for estate filings |
|---|---|
| In 2025, the Circuit Court civil division moved under the Probate Court, creating a Civil and Probate Division. | Decedent estates, trusts and wills still go through the Kalamazoo County Probate Court at the Gull Road Justice Complex. The change did not create a different estate filing counter. |
Scenarios
| Situation | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Confirm how the home is titled before opening an estate. If the home passes outside probate, the Kalamazoo filing may focus on other assets. If estate authority is needed, file at the Gull Road Justice Complex and ask for letters of authority after appointment. | Sunset finds accounts, reviews title clues and helps prepare the estate settlement packet so the spouse does not open a larger case than needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Check whether assignment of property or transfer by affidavit fits under Michigan law (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983). If a Kalamazoo court filing is needed, call (269) 383-8666 before sending papers because the court does not publish estate delivery instructions. | Sunset helps identify assets remotely, generate the right Michigan forms and connect the family with local counsel if the court requires a hearing or additional papers. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually requires a personal representative with letters of authority. File the appropriate informal or formal packet at the Kalamazoo County Probate Court, then use the letters to work with the title company and buyer. | Sunset supports the estate settlement by organizing assets and debts, preparing the opening packet and connecting the parent to a vetted Michigan probate attorney for the sale and title issues. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo County Probate Court | The filing counter for Kalamazoo County estates. Staff can answer filing-completeness questions but cannot give legal advice. | 1536 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49048. (269) 383-8666. https://www.kalcounty.gov/646/Probate-Court |
| Probate Court Index | Free online index of Kalamazoo probate cases from 1995 forward, plus active older cases. It shows status and document entries, not document images. | https://www.kalcounty.gov/708/Probate-Court-Index |
| Probate legal clinic | Free twenty-minute probate appointments with a volunteer attorney at the Gull Road Justice Complex on the first and third Tuesday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Booking is by appointment, and the clinic does not create an attorney-client relationship. | https://www.kalcounty.gov/707/Probate-Clinic |
| Kalamazoo filing and inventory fees page | Local court page explaining estate filing costs and linking to the Michigan Judiciary inventory fee calculator. | https://www.kalcounty.gov/668/Filing-Inventory-Fees |
| Kalamazoo County Treasurer's probate guide | Plain-language county guide for families whose home is still in a deceased owner's name and may face tax foreclosure. | https://www.kalcounty.gov/1318/Probate-Guide |
| County and court holidays | Published schedule of days the courts are closed. | https://www.kalcounty.gov/855/County-Court-Holidays |
| SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | The statewide form set Kalamazoo uses for decedent estates. | 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 | Statewide self-help nonprofit with plain-language probate and small-estate resources. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Aid of Western Michigan, Kalamazoo office | Free civil legal help for eligible residents of Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties. Estate administration is not listed as a routine service area, so ask intake whether your question fits. | 141 E. Michigan Ave., Suite 400, Kalamazoo, MI 49007. Apply by calling (269) 344-8113. https://www.lawestmi.org/offices/kalamazoo/ |
| Michigan Trial Court Directory | State judiciary directory entry for checking the Kalamazoo County Probate Court address and phone. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/trial-court-directory/ |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions to help families identify accounts, balances and debts before choosing a Kalamazoo County probate path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset uses the asset picture and family information to help prepare the Michigan forms and local Kalamazoo filing checklist for estate settlement.
Find a local probate attorney. If a sale, dispute, creditor problem or formal hearing makes the estate more complex, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement, understand next steps and decide when professional help is worth bringing in.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Kalamazoo County?
File at the Kalamazoo County Probate Court in the Gull Road Justice Complex, 1536 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49048. Do not go to the downtown county courthouse or the Pratt Justice Center for a decedent estate filing.
Can I e-file a Kalamazoo County probate case?
No. Kalamazoo County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. Another Kalamazoo County court appears on MiFILE, but that does not make estate filings electronic for this probate court. Call (269) 383-8666 to ask how the probate register wants the papers delivered.
What are the Kalamazoo County Probate Court hours?
The court is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except that it opens at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday. It also closes on published county and court holidays.
Are there Kalamazoo-specific probate forms?
Kalamazoo publishes no local decedent-estate cover sheet. It uses statewide SCAO probate forms and says it may refuse filings made on outdated state-approved forms. Download fresh forms from https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/.
How much does it cost to open an estate in Kalamazoo County?
As of August 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of the probate commencement charge and electronic filing system fee (MCL 600.880, 600.1986). The estate also owes an inventory fee based on estate value (MCL 600.871). Use the Michigan Judiciary inventory fee calculator before treating the flat opening amount as the full cost.
Can I look up a Kalamazoo County probate case online?
Yes. Kalamazoo publishes a free Probate Court Index that shows case number, type, status, filing date, fiduciaries and document entries for cases from 1995 forward, plus active older cases. It does not show document images online.
Will my Kalamazoo probate hearing be remote?
Kalamazoo publishes no probate videoconference page or standing link. Michigan court rules presume videoconferencing for uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions, but the court controls how a particular hearing will proceed and must tell participants how to attend (MCR 5.140, MCR 2.407).
What should I do if I find the original will?
If the decedent was a Kalamazoo County resident, deliver the original will to the Kalamazoo County Probate Court with reasonable promptness. The court also holds original wills for safekeeping for county residents.
Is there free probate help in Kalamazoo County?
Yes. The Kalamazoo County Bar Association runs a free probate clinic at the Gull Road Justice Complex on the first and third Tuesday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to noon by appointment. The appointment is limited and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
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.