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Lapeer County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Lapeer County probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | Lapeer County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | Lapeer County Complex, 255 Clay Street, Lapeer, MI 48446 |
| Mailing address | Use the courthouse address. No separate post office box is published for this court. |
| Probate phone | (810) 667-0261 |
| Fax | No current probate fax number is published. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The court also closes on Christmas Eve, the Friday after Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve. |
| Filing fee | Opening a decedent estate in a 2026 filing costs $175.00: $150.00 under MCL 600.880 plus a $25.00 electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes an inventory fee under MCL 600.871. |
| Local forms | None. Lapeer uses statewide SCAO probate forms and publishes local instructions and checklists. |
| E-filing status | Lapeer County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. The 71A District Court in the same building is on MiFILE, but that does not apply to estates. |
| Case lookup | MiCOURT case search for Lapeer County Probate Court: https://micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search/court/P44 |
| Remote appearance | No local platform or standing link is published. Uncontested decedent estate petitions and motions are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, and the court gives the hearing instructions for the case. |
| Online payment | Open-case probate costs, including the inventory fee, can be paid by card through the court's payment page with a case number and a service fee added by the payment service. |
| Website | https://www.lapeercountymi.gov/courts/probate_court/index.php |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Michigan probate path, make a working list of the decedent's accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts, funeral expenses and beneficiary designations. In Lapeer County, that asset picture determines whether you are using a small-estate filing, an informal estate handled through the probate register, or a formal petition before the Probate Court.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 institutions, then organizes what was found into a probate-ready packet. That helps you call the Lapeer probate register with the right facts instead of guessing which form to start with.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Lapeer County has one probate filing office: Lapeer County Probate Court at the Lapeer County Complex, 255 Clay Street, Lapeer, MI 48446. The same building houses the 40th Circuit Court and the 71A District Court, so use the probate court's own phone line, (810) 667-0261, for estate questions.
The Lapeer probate counter serves all twenty-one local units of government within Lapeer County. Venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, if the decedent was not domiciled in Michigan, a county where the decedent's property was located at death (MCL 700.3201).
The jurisdiction process
- List the assets, debts and title facts first. Check whether the decedent had Lapeer County domicile, Lapeer County property, a will, jointly owned assets, beneficiary designations and funeral expenses that affect the estate settlement path.
- Choose the Michigan path and form set. Lapeer uses statewide SCAO forms, including PC 558 for informal probate, PC 559 for formal probate, PC 556 for assignment of property and PC 598 for transfer by affidavit.
- Call the Lapeer probate register at (810) 667-0261 before delivering papers. Lapeer County Probate Court is at the Lapeer County Complex, 255 Clay Street, Lapeer, MI 48446, and the court does not publish a separate mail, drop box, email or fax filing channel for estate papers.
- File with the probate register, not through MiFILE. Lapeer County Probate Court is not on the statewide MiFILE system, even though the 71A District Court in the same building is.
- Pay the opening cost and plan for the inventory fee. For a 2026 filing, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of $150.00 under MCL 600.880 plus a $25.00 electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes an inventory fee based on asset value under MCL 600.871.
- Give required notice. In an informal case, the applicant must give written information of the probate to heirs, devisees and other interested persons within 28 days after informal probate is granted (MCL 700.3306). A personal representative also handles creditor notice under Michigan law.
- Watch for the hearing notice. Lapeer's published schedule places the probate docket on Tuesday mornings at 9:00 a.m., but the actual date and time for your matter come from the court's notice.
- Use the local uncontested process when it fits. Under Lapeer's administrative order, the probate register can take testimony, conduct the hearing and issue letters of authority in an uncontested decedent estate. Any interested person can ask before or during the hearing to have the matter taken to the probate judge instead.
- Ask how the hearing will be held. Lapeer publishes no standing videoconference link, but uncontested decedent estate petitions and motions are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, subject to the court's instructions for the case.
- After letters of authority issue, administer and close the estate. File the inventory information within 91 days after letters of authority (MCR 5.307), pay the inventory fee, make distributions, use MiCOURT to follow the case when needed, and close with the proper SCAO closing form.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Lapeer County
Lapeer County Probate Court does not publish a local probate cover sheet or local estate form. Estate filings use the statewide SCAO-approved PC and MC forms, and the court's own pages link those statewide forms rather than county-made paperwork.
| Filing need | Form or resource | Lapeer County note |
|---|---|---|
| Informal estate opening | PC 558, Application for Informal Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative | The court's decedent-estate instructions identify this as the informal starting form. |
| Formal estate opening | PC 559, Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative | Use when a judge's order is needed. |
| Assignment of property | PC 556 petition and order, plus MC 97 when protected personal identifying information is needed | Lapeer lists the petition, the order, MC 97, the death certificate, funeral-bill proof and asset documentation for this filing. |
| Transfer by affidavit | PC 598, Affidavit of Decedent's Successor for Delivery of Certain Assets Owned by Decedent | Lapeer's own small-estate page says this is not a Probate Court procedure and is not filed with the court. |
| All statewide estate forms | SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms index | Use the index at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ because forms are revised in place. |
Local nuance
Lapeer County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Lapeer estate |
|---|---|
| Probate register authority | In an uncontested decedent estate, Lapeer's probate register can conduct the hearing, take testimony and issue letters of authority under a local administrative order. |
| Right to ask for the judge | Any interested person can ask before or during the hearing to have the matter taken to the probate judge instead. |
| Published probate docket | The court's published schedule places the probate docket on Tuesday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Your case date and time still come from the notice of hearing. |
| MiFILE trap | Lapeer County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. The district court in the same building is, but estate papers are not filed there. |
| MiCOURT lookup | The court links MiCOURT case search for Lapeer County Probate Court files. |
| Online payment after a case exists | The court's card payment page requires a case number and can be used for probate costs on an open case, including the inventory fee, with a service fee added by the payment service. |
| Will safekeeping | The court accepts wills for safekeeping from Lapeer County residents only. The will is sealed and confidential while the testator is alive. |
Small-estate Alternatives
Lapeer County publishes a useful local checklist for an assignment of property filing. For a 2026 death, the statewide small-estate figure for assignment of property and transfer by affidavit is $53,000 (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983), and the year of death controls which indexed figure applies.
| Lapeer small-estate item | What to prepare |
|---|---|
| Petition and order | Prepare the PC 556 petition and the matching order from the statewide SCAO forms. |
| Protected information | Use MC 97 for protected personal identifying information, including account numbers. |
| Death proof | Bring a copy of the death certificate. |
| Funeral bill proof | Bring the funeral bill and either a receipt showing it was paid or an invoice showing what remains due. |
| Asset proof | Bring documents supporting the assets listed, such as a tax statement or bank statement. |
| Cost | For a 2026 filing, the assignment petition costs $25.00 under MCL 600.880, and the estate also owes an inventory fee under MCL 600.871. For a 2026 request, the court's list prices one certified copy at $11.00, reflecting $10.00 certification plus $1.00 per page under MCL 600.2546. |
Lapeer's own instructions also make the transfer by affidavit point clearly: PC 598 is not a Probate Court procedure and is not filed with the court. It is presented to the person or institution holding the asset.
Recent updates
| Local update | What changed |
|---|---|
| Probate register authority | Lapeer County Probate Court Administrative Order 2010-01, effective January 1, 2010, authorizes the probate register to perform judicial acts in uncontested decedent estate matters, including small-estate assignment and issuing letters of authority. |
| Court hours and holidays | Administrative Order 2013-04J sets the public hours for Lapeer Probate Court and the county's other courts at 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. |
| Weather emergency closings | Administrative Order 2022-001J says an unscheduled weather closing is announced by posting at court entrances and through local radio or television announcements. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Lapeer County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by checking title and beneficiary designations. If the home passed outside probate and only limited assets remain, a smaller Michigan path may fit. If Lapeer County property must pass through the estate, file at the probate register's counter at 255 Clay Street. | Sunset finds accounts, checks the asset picture and helps decide whether the estate settlement needs a court filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Use Lapeer's small-estate checklist if assignment of property fits: PC 556, MC 97, death certificate, funeral bill proof and asset documentation. Call (810) 667-0261 because Lapeer does not publish a delivery channel and is not on MiFILE. | Sunset organizes documents, generates the packet and helps you avoid a trip for missing funeral or asset proof. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale of Lapeer County real property usually points toward full administration so a personal representative can act under letters of authority. If the matter is uncontested, the probate register may be able to conduct the hearing under the local order. | Sunset helps locate assets, prepare the estate settlement packet and connect the family with a Michigan probate attorney when title or sale issues need counsel. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Lapeer County Probate Court | The filing counter for Lapeer estates. The court publishes decedent-estate, small-estate and wills instructions. | 255 Clay Street, Lapeer, MI 48446. (810) 667-0261. https://www.lapeercountymi.gov/courts/probate_court/index.php |
| Lapeer decedent-estate instructions | The court's own explanation of informal and formal estate openings and the forms it expects for each track. | https://www.lapeercountymi.gov/courts/probate_court/decedent_estates/index.php |
| MiCOURT case search for Lapeer County Probate Court | Looks up Lapeer probate files by court code P44. | https://micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search/court/P44 |
| Lapeer Probate Court online payment | Card payment page for probate costs on an open case, including the inventory fee. A case number is required and the payment service adds a fee. | https://www.govpaynow.com/gps/user/plc/a000ga |
| Michigan Judiciary inventory fee calculator | Calculates the inventory fee owed under MCL 600.871. Lapeer's probate court links this tool from its own page. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | The statewide form index for the PC and MC forms Lapeer uses. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| Michigan Trial Court Directory | State court directory entry for checking the court name, address and phone number. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/trial-court-directory/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate and small-estate guides, including the informal probate overview linked by Lapeer's court. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Services of Eastern Michigan, Flint office | Free civil legal help for eligible low-income and senior residents of Lapeer County. Ask intake whether your estate question fits their services. | 436 S. Saginaw Street, Suite 101, Flint, MI 48502. (800) 322-4512. https://lsem-mi.org/contact-us/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Michigan probate attorney when Lapeer County real estate must be sold, title must be cleared through the estate, heirs disagree, a will is challenged, creditors are active, the personal representative lives outside Michigan, or the case stops being uncontested. Lapeer's local process is practical for uncontested matters, but contested issues move beyond the probate register's role. 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 accounts and other assets that shape the Lapeer County estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset picture into an organized packet using Michigan SCAO forms and Lapeer's local filing details, including the small-estate checklist when that path fits.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Lapeer estate involves real property, creditor disputes, a will challenge or a contested hearing, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, find assets and understand next steps without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone who lived in Lapeer County?
File with Lapeer County Probate Court at the Lapeer County Complex, 255 Clay Street, Lapeer, MI 48446. The probate court's phone number is (810) 667-0261.
Does Lapeer County Probate Court use MiFILE for estate cases?
No. Lapeer County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. Do not confuse it with the 71A District Court in the same building, which is a different court.
What does it cost to open a Lapeer County decedent estate?
For a 2026 filing, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00: $150.00 under MCL 600.880 plus a $25.00 electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes an inventory fee under MCL 600.871, and Lapeer's court links the Michigan Judiciary inventory fee calculator.
When are Lapeer County probate hearings scheduled?
The court's published schedule places the probate docket on Tuesday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Your hearing date and time are the ones listed in the notice issued for your case.
Can the probate register handle an uncontested Lapeer estate?
Yes. Lapeer's local administrative order allows the probate register to conduct the hearing, take testimony and issue letters of authority in an uncontested decedent estate. Any interested person can ask before or during the hearing to have the matter taken to the probate judge.
Can I appear remotely for a Lapeer County probate hearing?
Lapeer does not publish a standing videoconference link or platform. Michigan court rules presume videoconferencing for uncontested decedent estate petitions and motions under MCR 5.140, subject to the court's instructions for the case, so ask the probate court how your hearing will be held.
Can I look up a Lapeer probate case online?
Yes. Lapeer County Probate Court links to MiCOURT case search for court code P44 at https://micourt.courts.michigan.gov/case-search/court/P44. If you cannot find a file there, call the probate court at (810) 667-0261.
Does Lapeer County have its own probate forms?
No. Lapeer publishes instructions and a small-estate document list, but estate filings use statewide SCAO probate forms. Use the SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms index.
What does Lapeer County ask for in a small-estate assignment filing?
Lapeer's small-estate list asks for the PC 556 petition and order, MC 97, a copy of the death certificate, the funeral bill with paid receipt or unpaid invoice, and documentation supporting the assets listed.
Do I have to travel to Lapeer if I live out of state?
Call (810) 667-0261 before making travel plans. Lapeer County Probate Court is not on MiFILE and does not publish its filing delivery options, but uncontested decedent estate hearings are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140 unless the court directs otherwise.
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.