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Leelanau County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Leelanau County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Leelanau County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | 8527 E. Government Center Drive, Suite 203, Suttons Bay, MI 49682 |
| Mailing address | Leelanau County Probate Court, 8527 E. Government Center Drive, Suite 203, Suttons Bay, MI 49682 |
| Phone | (231) 256-8236 |
| Fax | (231) 256-9845, emergency filings only, 15-page limit |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except government holidays. Call ahead because staff may be in a hearing. |
| Filing fee | As of August 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of $150.00 under MCL 600.880 plus the $25.00 electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes an inventory fee under MCL 600.871. |
| Local forms | Yes. The court publishes local packets for informal decedent estates, small-estate assignment, and affidavit of successor, and also links to the statewide SCAO form set. |
| E-filing status | Leelanau County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. File by mail, in person, or by emergency fax only. Do not email filings. |
| Case lookup | No online probate case lookup is published for Leelanau estates. Call the probate court for file questions. |
| Remote appearance | Hearings are conducted by Zoom to the maximum extent possible. Contact the court at least 3 business days before the hearing if you want to attend in person. |
| Website | https://www.leelanau.gov/departments/courts/probate_court/index.php |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Leelanau filing path, list the decedent's accounts, real estate, vehicles, debts, recurring bills, and beneficiary designations. Probate is usually about assets that still need someone with authority to collect, sell, transfer, or distribute them.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across more than 2,300 institutions, then helps organize the information into the probate packet you can use for the Leelanau County Probate Court or with a Michigan probate attorney.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Leelanau County has its own standalone Probate Court. A Leelanau estate is opened at the probate register's counter at 8527 E. Government Center Drive, Suite 203, in Suttons Bay. This is not a two-county probate district, and Leelanau probate filings are not routed to another county.
Michigan venue for the first probate 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). That rule points Leelanau filings to the Suttons Bay courthouse when Leelanau County is the proper venue.
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the assets and debts first. Separate property that already has a beneficiary or co-owner from property titled only in the decedent's name or otherwise requiring estate authority.
- Choose the Michigan path. For a full estate, use the statewide SCAO opening forms and, in Leelanau, start with the court's local informal decedent-estate packet if it fits. For assignment of property, use PC 556 and the Leelanau small-estate-assignment packet; for 2026 deaths, the indexed amount is $53,000 under MCL 700.3982 and MCL 700.3983.
- Prepare the Leelanau packet and statewide forms. Informal probate commonly starts with PC 558, while formal probate uses PC 559. Use MC 97 for protected personal identifying information when a form calls for it.
- File with the Leelanau County Probate Court in Suttons Bay. Mail or overnight the papers to 8527 E. Government Center Drive, Suite 203, Suttons Bay, MI 49682, or hand-deliver them during posted hours after calling ahead. Do not email filings. Emergency filings may be faxed to (231) 256-9845 if they are 15 pages or fewer, and you should also alert the court.
- Pay the court charges by an accepted method. As of August 2026, a decedent estate opens with $175.00, consisting of $150.00 under MCL 600.880 plus $25.00 under MCL 600.1986. An assignment-of-property petition under MCL 700.3982 costs $25.00 under MCL 600.880(2). The estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871.
- Give required notices. After informal probate is granted, written information of probate must be sent within 28 days to the people required by Michigan law (MCL 700.3306). A personal representative must also handle creditor notice and known-creditor mailing duties.
- Attend any hearing as instructed. Leelanau hearings are held by Zoom to the maximum extent possible. If you want to attend in person, contact the probate court at least 3 business days before the scheduled hearing.
- Receive letters of authority if a personal representative is appointed. Certified copies cost $10.00 plus $1.00 per page as of August 2026 under MCL 600.2546.
- Administer the estate. File the inventory information within 91 days after letters of authority, pay the inventory fee, collect assets, deal with claims, distribute property, and keep the information needed for closing.
- Close the estate. Use the appropriate Michigan closing form, such as PC 591 for unsupervised administration or PC 590 for a summary proceeding, and file it with the Leelanau County Probate Court when the estate is ready to close.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Leelanau County
Leelanau uses Michigan's statewide SCAO probate forms and also publishes local packets for common decedent-estate filings. The local Resources page lists a decedent-estate informal packet, a small-estate-assignment packet, an affidavit-of-successor packet, closing procedures, personal representative duties, discovery materials, and property-transferred-without-probate materials.
Use the local packet as a practical Leelanau checklist, but use current statewide SCAO forms and current Michigan law for dollar figures and thresholds. In informal, unsupervised administration, a Michigan probate court may not require documents beyond those required by statute or court rule, except as allowed by MCR 5.307(E).
| Form or packet | Use | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Leelanau decedent-estate informal packet | Local starting packet for an informal Leelanau estate | Leelanau Probate Court Resources page |
| Leelanau small-estate-assignment packet | Local packet for assignment of property using PC 556 | Leelanau Probate Court Resources page |
| Leelanau affidavit-of-successor packet | Local materials for the transfer by affidavit path | Leelanau Probate Court Resources page |
| SCAO Estates, Trusts, and Miscellaneous Probate Forms | Statewide PC forms used in Michigan probate courts | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
Timeline
- For filing dates, the Leelanau court states that documents received during regular business hours are treated as filed that business day; documents received outside regular business hours are treated as filed the next business day.
- Call before visiting the probate counter, because the court states that staff may be unavailable when they are in a hearing.
- If a hearing is scheduled and you want to attend in person instead of by Zoom, contact the Probate Court at least 3 business days before the hearing.
Local nuance
Leelanau County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Leelanau filing |
|---|---|
| No email filings | The court states that filings are not accepted by email. Use mail, in-person delivery, or emergency fax within the court's limits. |
| Emergency fax only | Fax is limited to emergency filings of 15 pages or fewer. The court asks filers to alert the office because faxes may not be reviewed immediately. |
| Zoom hearing practice | Hearings are conducted by Zoom to the maximum extent possible. In-person attendance requires contacting the court at least 3 business days before the hearing. |
| Call ahead | The office describes itself as small and busy, and staff may be in a hearing even during posted hours. |
| MiFILE distinction | Leelanau probate is not on MiFILE. Do not confuse the Probate Court with the separate 13th Circuit Court e-filing listing. |
| Local packets | Leelanau publishes practical estate packets, but statewide Michigan PC forms and current Michigan law still control the legal filing requirements. |
Recent updates
| Current rule | What changed locally |
|---|---|
| Email filings | The probate court states that filings are no longer accepted by email. |
| Hearing access | The probate court states that hearings are conducted virtually by Zoom to the maximum extent possible, with in-person attendance arranged at least 3 business days before the hearing. |
| Probate contact details | The court's current page lists Suite 203, phone (231) 256-8236, and public hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Persona | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by identifying whether anything still needs Leelanau probate authority. If the remaining estate assets require a personal representative, use the Leelanau informal decedent-estate packet and file in Suttons Bay. | Sunset finds accounts, organizes title and debt information, and helps prepare the estate settlement packet before you contact the court or an attorney. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | For a 2026 death, review whether assignment of property or transfer by affidavit fits under MCL 700.3982 or MCL 700.3983 using the $53,000 indexed amount. Leelanau publishes local packets, and the court does not accept email filings, so plan for mail, delivery, or attorney help. | Sunset helps inventory assets remotely, generate the right form set, and connect you with local counsel if travel to Suttons Bay is impractical. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If Leelanau County real property must be sold through the estate, full administration may be needed so a personal representative can receive letters of authority and act for the estate. | Sunset helps gather asset details, prepare attorney-ready information, and connect the family with a Michigan probate attorney for the sale and estate settlement steps. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Leelanau County Probate Court | The filing counter for Leelanau estates. Staff can provide packets and forms but cannot give legal advice. | 8527 E. Government Center Drive, Suite 203, Suttons Bay, MI 49682. Phone (231) 256-8236. https://www.leelanau.gov/departments/courts/probate_court/index.php |
| Leelanau Probate Court Resources page | Local packets for informal estates, small-estate assignment, affidavit of successor, closing, and related probate topics. | https://www.leelanau.gov/departments/courts/probate_court/resources.php |
| Leelanau Probate Court Decedent Estates page | Local overview of probate administration. Use current Michigan law for dollar amounts. | https://www.leelanau.gov/departments/courts/probate_court/decedent_estates.php |
| Michigan Trial Court Directory | State judiciary directory for locating Michigan trial courts. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/trial-court-directory/ |
| SCAO Estates, Trusts, and Miscellaneous Probate Forms | Statewide probate forms used for Michigan decedent estates. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| Inventory fee calculator | Michigan Judiciary tool for estimating the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate and small-estate information, including guided tools. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Services of Northern Michigan, Traverse City office | Free civil legal help for eligible Leelanau County residents. Ask at intake whether your estate question fits their help areas. | 735 S. Garfield Ave., Ste. 120, Traverse City, MI 49686. Phone (231) 941-0771. https://www.lsnm.org/ |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets
Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify bank accounts, investments, insurance, loans, and other assets that may matter in a Leelanau estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet
Sunset turns the asset and family information into an organized probate packet, so you can work from the Leelanau local materials and Michigan SCAO forms without starting from a blank page.
Find a local probate attorney
If the estate needs court strategy, real estate authority, creditor handling, or a contested hearing, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families
Sunset is free for families. The platform helps you understand the work ahead, organize the documents, and decide whether you can handle the next step yourself or want professional help.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Leelanau County?
File at the Leelanau County Probate Court, 8527 E. Government Center Drive, Suite 203, Suttons Bay, MI 49682. This is the probate register's counter for Leelanau estates.
Can I e-file a Leelanau County probate case?
No. Leelanau County Probate Court is not on MiFILE for probate. File by mail, in person, or by emergency fax only if the filing is 15 pages or fewer. Do not email filings to the court.
Can I look up a Leelanau probate case online?
The court does not publish an online probate case lookup for Leelanau estates. For file questions, call the Probate Court at (231) 256-8236.
Are Leelanau probate hearings remote?
Yes. The court states that hearings are conducted by Zoom to the maximum extent possible. If you want to attend in person, contact the Probate Court at least 3 business days before the hearing.
How much does it cost to open a Leelanau probate estate?
As of August 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, consisting of $150.00 under MCL 600.880 and $25.00 under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes an inventory fee under MCL 600.871.
Does Leelanau County have local probate forms?
Yes. The Probate Court publishes local packets for informal decedent estates, small-estate assignment, and affidavit of successor, and it also links to Michigan's statewide SCAO probate forms.
Do I have to travel to Suttons Bay to handle probate?
Not always. Leelanau accepts filings by mail, and hearings are held by Zoom to the maximum extent possible. If a paper filing, signature, real estate sale, or attorney meeting makes travel difficult, Sunset can help you organize the estate settlement work and connect with local counsel.
What phone number should I use for Leelanau probate?
Use the Probate Court number published on the court's current page: (231) 256-8236. Call ahead before visiting because staff may be in a hearing during posted hours.
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.