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Lake County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Lake County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Lake County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 800 Tenth Street, Baldwin, MI 49304. The county page gives conflicting suite information, so call before visiting if you need the suite. |
| Mailing address | No separate mailing address or PO Box is published. Use 800 Tenth Street, Baldwin, MI 49304. |
| Phone | (231) 745-4614 |
| Fax | Call before faxing. The current county probate page lists conflicting fax numbers. |
| No probate-specific email address is published. | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| Opening cost | $175.00 as of August 2026 to open a decedent estate, under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. A petition for assignment costs $25.00 as of August 2026 under MCL 600.880, plus any inventory fee. |
| Local forms | No Lake County decedent-estate cover sheet or checklist is published. Use the statewide SCAO probate forms. |
| E-filing | Lake County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. File through the Baldwin probate register's counter or use the published courthouse address. |
| Case lookup | No online probate case lookup is published for Lake County. Call (231) 745-4614. |
| Remote appearance | No Lake-specific video hearing instructions are published. Uncontested decedent-estate hearings are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407, unless the court requires in-person attendance. |
| Website | Lake County Probate Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Lake County probate filing, list the assets, debts, account holders, title status and likely creditors. The right estate settlement path depends on what is actually in the decedent's name, whether any Lake County real property must pass through the estate, and whether an institution will release funds without a personal representative.
Sunset can help with the asset search before you file. Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts, insurance, retirement assets and other property that may change the estate settlement plan.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Lake County Probate Court serves Lake County from the courthouse complex at 800 Tenth Street in Baldwin. Lake is a standalone county probate court and is not part of a multi-county probate district.
Lake County communities include Baldwin and the townships of Dover, Chase, Cherry Valley, Eden, Elk, Ellsworth, Lake, Newkirk, Peacock, Pinora, Pleasant Plains, Sauble, Sweetwater, Webber and Yates.
File the first probate proceeding in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Michigan, venue is in a Michigan county where the decedent had property (MCL 700.3201).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the filing path. For an informal estate, prepare PC 558 and related SCAO forms. For a formal estate, prepare PC 559 and the hearing forms. For assignment of property, use PC 556.
- File with Lake County Probate Court at 800 Tenth Street in Baldwin. Because Lake County is not on MiFILE, do not plan on MiFILE submission for this court. Call (231) 745-4614 if you need the current suite or delivery instructions.
- Pay the court costs that apply. Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 as of August 2026 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, and the estate also owes an inventory fee under MCL 600.871. A petition for assignment costs $25.00 as of August 2026 under MCL 600.880, plus any inventory fee.
- Give required notice. Informal probate notice must be given within 28 days after informal probate is granted, and a personal representative must handle creditor notice under MCL 700.3801.
- Watch for hearing information. Lake County does not publish probate hearing days or filing-to-hearing timing. If a hearing is required, follow the notice issued by the court.
- Ask about remote appearance if travel to Baldwin is difficult. Uncontested decedent-estate hearings are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407, but the court can require an in-person hearing.
- Receive authority if appointed. The authority document is PC 572, Letters of Authority for Personal Representative. Certified copies cost $10.00 plus $1.00 per page as of August 2026 under MCL 600.2546.
- Administer and close the estate. The personal representative gathers assets, pays valid claims and expenses, files the inventory information required by MCR 5.307, distributes property, and closes by the appropriate SCAO closing form or court order.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Lake County
Lake County does not publish a local decedent-estate cover sheet, checklist or packet. Use the statewide SCAO probate forms, and call the probate register's counter if you are unsure whether the current suite on the county page affects where to deliver papers.
| Need | Form or resource |
|---|---|
| Open an informal estate | PC 558, Application for Informal Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative |
| Open a formal estate | 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 asset holder, not filed with Lake County Probate Court. |
| Identify heirs | PC 565, Testimony to Identify Heirs |
| Accept appointment | PC 571, Acceptance of Appointment |
| Authority document | 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 |
| Find forms | SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms |
Local nuance
Lake County-specific considerations
Use Lake County's current court website at lakecountymi.gov. Older Lake County web addresses may not load, and the current probate page gives conflicting suite and fax details. The street address and phone number are consistent: 800 Tenth Street, Baldwin, MI 49304, and (231) 745-4614.
Lake County is not on MiFILE and publishes no online probate case lookup. Plan for a paper filing through the Baldwin probate register's counter and call the court if you need to check an existing estate file.
Recent updates
| Update | What it means for Lake County filings |
|---|---|
| Lake County court pages are on lakecountymi.gov | Use the current Lake County Probate Court page rather than older county web addresses. |
| Lake County is not listed on MiFILE as of the March 17, 2026 SCAO court list | Do not prepare a MiFILE submission for Lake County Probate Court. |
| Suite and fax details conflict on the county probate page | Use the courthouse street address and call (231) 745-4614 before visiting or faxing. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Lake County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by checking the deed and all titled assets. If the home does not need an estate transfer, the Lake County filing may focus on accounts or assets held only in the decedent's name. | Sunset helps identify accounts, title issues and documents before the spouse decides whether a Lake County filing is needed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the estate qualifies for transfer by affidavit or assignment of property, the child may avoid full administration. For a 2026 death, the small-estate amount is $53,000 under MCL 700.398, with different rules for affidavit and assignment. | Sunset helps sort assets by institution, prepare the right packet, and coordinate next steps without unnecessary travel to Baldwin. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If Lake County real property must be sold through the estate, a personal representative usually needs authority from Lake County Probate Court before signing sale documents. | Sunset helps organize the estate settlement file, generate probate forms, and connect the parent with a local probate attorney when a sale is involved. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Lake County Probate Court | The local court counter for Lake County estate filings. | 800 Tenth Street, Baldwin, MI 49304. Phone (231) 745-4614. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. |
| SCAO probate forms | Statewide forms for decedent estates, trusts and related probate matters. | Online form index |
| Inventory fee calculator | Calculates the Michigan inventory fee owed under MCL 600.871. | Online calculator |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language probate and small-estate information, also linked from the Lake County Trial Court page. | Online self-help resource |
| Legal Aid of Western Michigan, Counsel & Advocacy Law Line | Free civil legal help by phone for income-eligible Lake County residents. | 1-888-783-8190. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Friday 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a probate attorney if there is a will contest, disagreement among heirs, creditor pressure, real property to sell, uncertainty about who should serve as personal representative, or a formal or supervised proceeding. Lake County is a paper-filing court and does not publish hearing schedules online, so counsel can also help manage local filing logistics and hearing notices. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families search across more than 2,300 financial institutions so the estate settlement plan starts with a clearer asset list.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family questionnaire into the Michigan probate forms needed for the chosen path, including Lake County filing details where they affect delivery.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Lake County estate involves a home sale, contested issues or court supervision, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a guided estate settlement workspace, document organization and next-step support at no cost to the family.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Lake County, Michigan?
File at Lake County Probate Court, 800 Tenth Street, Baldwin, MI 49304. The county page gives conflicting suite information, so call (231) 745-4614 before visiting if you need the suite.
Can I e-file a Lake County probate case?
No. Lake County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. Use a paper filing through the Baldwin probate register's counter or the published courthouse address.
Is there an online probate case lookup for Lake County?
No online probate case lookup is published for Lake County. Call the Probate Court at (231) 745-4614 for case questions.
Which probate forms does Lake County require?
Lake County does not publish a local decedent-estate cover sheet or checklist. Use the statewide SCAO probate forms, including PC 558 for informal probate, PC 559 for formal probate, PC 556 for assignment of property, and PC 572 for Letters of Authority for Personal Representative.
How much does it cost to open probate in Lake County?
Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 as of August 2026 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. A petition for assignment costs $25.00 as of August 2026 under MCL 600.880, plus any inventory fee.
Does Lake County publish probate hearing days?
Lake County does not publish probate hearing days or a filing-to-hearing window. If your filing requires a hearing, follow the notice sent by the court or call (231) 745-4614.
Can I appear remotely for a Lake County probate hearing?
Lake County does not publish local video hearing instructions for probate. Michigan court rules presume videoconferencing for uncontested decedent-estate hearings under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407, but the court may require an in-person hearing.
Do I have to travel to Baldwin to handle a Lake County estate?
Not always. Some filings can be prepared before delivery to the court, and uncontested hearings may be eligible for videoconferencing under Michigan court rules. Because Lake County is not on MiFILE and does not publish detailed remote instructions, call the court before making travel plans.
What should I do if the county page shows different suite or fax information?
Use 800 Tenth Street, Baldwin, MI 49304 as the courthouse address and call (231) 745-4614 before visiting or faxing. Do not rely on a fax number unless the court gives it to you directly.
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.