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Luce County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Luce County details |
|---|---|
| Court | Luce County Probate Court, 6th Probate District with Mackinac County |
| Courthouse address | Luce County Courthouse, 407 W. Harrie St., Newberry, MI 49868 |
| Mailing address | No separate probate mailing address is listed on the Luce probate page. Use the courthouse address unless the probate register tells you otherwise. |
| Probate phone | Probate Registrar: (906) 293-5601. General probate court line: (906) 293-3581. |
| Fax | No probate fax number is listed on the Luce probate page. |
| No probate office email is listed on the Luce probate page. | |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Filing cost | For 2026 filings, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 (MCL 600.880, 600.1986), plus the inventory fee (MCL 600.871). A 2026 assignment of property petition costs $25.00 (MCL 600.880), plus the inventory fee. |
| Local forms | No downloadable local probate forms are listed. Use Michigan SCAO probate forms, and read older Luce dollar examples cautiously because statewide dollar amounts have changed. |
| E-filing status | Luce probate is on MiFILE as PD6-1. Attorneys are mandated MiFILE users. Self-represented filers may use MiFILE but are not required to do so. |
| Case lookup | No Luce probate case lookup link is listed on the county probate page. |
| Remote appearance | No Luce-specific remote instructions are listed. Uncontested decedent-estate hearings are presumed eligible for videoconference under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407 unless the court directs otherwise. |
| Website | https://www.lucecountymi.com/probate-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a form or call the probate register, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, titled property, beneficiaries, heirs, and any institution that is asking for letters of authority. In Luce County, that list helps you decide whether you are opening a full estate, using assignment of property, or only presenting a transfer by affidavit outside court.
Sunset's estate settlement tools help families search across more than 2,300 financial institutions for accounts and assets, then organize what you find into the forms and attorney questions that fit a Luce County filing.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Luce County Probate Court serves Luce County from the courthouse in Newberry. Luce is part of the 6th Probate District with Mackinac County, but the district keeps a Luce filing counter in Newberry.
Venue for the first informal or formal testacy or appointment proceeding is the county where the decedent was domiciled at death, or, for a non-Michigan decedent, a Michigan county where the decedent left property (MCL 700.3201). That means a Luce County decedent's estate is filed in Newberry even though the probate judge also serves Mackinac County.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the correct Michigan SCAO path. Informal estates usually start with PC 558, formal estates with PC 559, assignment of property with PC 556, and transfer by affidavit with PC 598 when that out-of-court option fits. For a 2026 death, the assignment of property and transfer by affidavit ceiling is $53,000 (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983).
- File Luce estate papers with the probate register at 407 W. Harrie St. in Newberry during the posted office hours, or use MiFILE if you are filing electronically. In MiFILE, select the Luce probate court entry, PD6-1, not the separate D92-1 district court entry.
- Pay the correct 2026 filing cost. Opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 (MCL 600.880, 600.1986), plus the inventory fee (MCL 600.871). A 2026 assignment of property petition costs $25.00 (MCL 600.880), plus the inventory fee.
- Give required notices after appointment or as the court directs. On the informal track, the applicant must give written information of the probate within 28 days after informal probate is granted (MCL 700.3306).
- Handle hearing scheduling through the Luce probate register. No regular Luce hearing day is listed online. Uncontested decedent-estate hearings are presumed eligible for videoconference under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407, but the court may require an in-person appearance.
- After appointment, obtain certified letters of authority for the personal representative when an institution needs proof of authority. For 2026, certified copies cost $10.00 certification plus $1.00 per page (MCL 600.2546).
- Administer the estate by gathering assets, addressing creditor notice, filing inventory information within 91 days after letters of authority, paying the inventory fee, distributing property, and closing the estate settlement through the proper Michigan closing form or court order.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Luce County
Michigan uses statewide SCAO probate forms for decedent estates. Luce County does not list downloadable local probate forms on its probate page, so start with the SCAO Estates, Trusts, and Miscellaneous Probate Forms index and match the form to the path you are using.
Luce County also posts a deceased-estates explainer that can help orient you to assignment of property, informal probate, formal probate, and supervised administration. Do not rely on older dollar examples in that explainer. For a 2026 death, use the current $53,000 figure for assignment of property and transfer by affidavit (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983), and use the current statewide certified-copy rule in MCL 600.2546.
| Form | Use in Luce County |
|---|---|
| PC 556 | Petition and Order for Assignment, filed with the Luce probate court when assignment of property fits. |
| PC 598 | Affidavit of Decedent's Successor for Delivery of Certain Assets Owned by Decedent, presented to the asset holder rather than filed with the court. |
| PC 558 | Application for Informal Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative. |
| PC 559 | Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative, Testate / Intestate. |
| PC 572 | Letters of Authority for Personal Representative. |
| PC 577 | Inventory (Decedent Estate). |
| PC 591 | Sworn Statement to Close Unsupervised Administration. |
Local nuance
Luce County-specific considerations
| Local point | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| 6th Probate District | Luce shares a probate district with Mackinac County, but Luce filings stay at the Newberry counter for a Luce estate. |
| Two Luce phone lines | Use (906) 293-5601 for the Probate Registrar. The county also lists (906) 293-3581 for the probate court generally. |
| MiFILE court selection | For a Luce estate, choose PD6-1 in MiFILE. Do not choose D92-1, which is a different Luce court entry. |
| Lunch closure | The office schedule is 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays, so plan counter visits around the noon closure. |
| Older local explainer | Luce's deceased-estates explainer is useful for orientation, but older dollar examples should be checked against current Michigan law before filing. |
Recent updates
| Current rule | Luce County note |
|---|---|
| MiFILE | Luce probate appears in MiFILE as PD6-1. Attorneys are mandated MiFILE users, while self-represented filers are not mandated. |
| District structure | Luce is in the 6th Probate District with Mackinac County, but Luce estate filings are handled at the Newberry counter. |
| Older Luce estate explainer | The county's deceased-estates explainer should not be used for current dollar amounts. Use current Michigan statutory and Treasury-adjusted amounts instead. |
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely Luce County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Start by identifying how the home is titled and whether any estate asset requires letters of authority. If a Luce probate filing is needed, file at the Newberry counter or through MiFILE as PD6-1. | Sunset helps inventory accounts, organize title questions, and prepare the estate settlement packet for review before filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | Call the Luce Probate Registrar before traveling, especially because no local hearing schedule is listed. If the 2026 assignment of property or transfer by affidavit path fits, use the current $53,000 limit (MCL 700.3982, 700.3983) and the correct SCAO form. | Sunset helps find accounts, sort asset values, and connect the family with local counsel if the filing cannot be handled from out of state. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If authority is needed to sell a home through the estate, expect a Luce probate filing for appointment of a personal representative rather than relying only on an out-of-court affidavit. | Sunset helps assemble asset details, letters-of-authority needs, creditor information, and attorney questions for the sale timeline. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Luce County Probate Court | Local filing counter, hours, probate registrar phone, and Luce court links. | https://www.lucecountymi.com/probate-court, Probate Registrar (906) 293-5601 |
| SCAO Estates, Trusts, and Miscellaneous Probate Forms | Statewide Michigan PC forms for decedent estates, including opening, inventory, letters of authority, and closing forms. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| Michigan Judiciary inventory fee calculator | Helps estimate the inventory fee owed in addition to the opening cost or assignment filing cost. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate information and guided tools, including small-estate and probate administration resources. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Services of Northern Michigan, Sault Ste. Marie office | Legal-aid office listing Luce, Chippewa, and Mackinac Counties as its assistance area. Call intake to ask whether your estate issue fits its services. | 130 W. Spruce Street, P.O. Box 710, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, (906) 632-3361, https://www.lsnm.org/sault-ste-marie-legal-aid.html |
When to hire an attorney
Consider a Michigan probate attorney if the estate includes real property that must be sold, family members disagree, creditors are active, a will contest is possible, or you are trying to handle a Luce filing from outside Michigan. An attorney can also help choose between informal, formal, unsupervised, and supervised administration when the facts are not straightforward. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 financial institutions and helps organize what is found so the family can understand what may belong in the Luce County estate settlement.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns asset and family information into a structured probate packet so you can work from the right SCAO forms and avoid choosing the wrong MiFILE court entry.
Find a local probate attorney. When a Luce estate needs legal guidance, Sunset helps connect the family with a probate attorney who can advise on Michigan procedure, real property, disputes, and letters of authority.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, find assets, prepare for probate, and understand next steps without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for a Luce County estate?
File at the Luce probate register's counter in Newberry at 407 W. Harrie St. Venue is based on the decedent's domicile or Michigan property location (MCL 700.3201). Luce shares the 6th Probate District with Mackinac County, but a Luce estate is not filed at the Mackinac counter.
Is Luce County probate on MiFILE?
Yes. Luce probate is listed in MiFILE as PD6-1. Attorneys are mandated MiFILE users. Self-represented filers may use MiFILE, but they are not required to do so.
Which MiFILE court do I choose for a Luce estate?
Choose PD6-1 for Luce probate. Do not choose D92-1 for an estate filing, because that is a separate Luce court entry.
What are the Luce probate office hours?
The Luce probate office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The office closes for lunch from noon to 1:00 p.m.
Can I look up a Luce County probate case online?
No Luce probate case lookup link is listed on the county probate page. Call the Probate Registrar at (906) 293-5601 if you need filing or case access information.
Does Luce County have local probate forms?
No downloadable local probate forms are listed on the Luce probate page. Use the Michigan SCAO probate forms index for PC forms, and use current Michigan dollar amounts rather than older examples on local explanatory pages.
How much does it cost to open a Luce County probate estate?
For 2026 filings, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 (MCL 600.880, 600.1986), plus the inventory fee (MCL 600.871). A 2026 assignment of property petition costs $25.00 (MCL 600.880), plus the inventory fee.
Can I appear remotely for a Luce probate hearing?
No Luce-specific remote instructions are listed online. Michigan court rules presume videoconference use for uncontested decedent-estate hearings under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407, but the court may require in-person attendance and will provide appearance instructions.
Do I have to travel to St. Ignace because Luce shares a probate district with Mackinac?
No. The 6th Probate District has a Luce counter in Newberry and a Mackinac counter in St. Ignace. A Luce estate is filed at the Luce counter.
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.