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Marquette County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Marquette County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Marquette County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | Marquette County Courthouse Annex, 234 W. Baraga Ave., Marquette, MI 49855 |
| Mailing | No separate mailing address is published. Use the courthouse address unless the Probate Court tells you otherwise. |
| Phone | (906) 225-8300 |
| Fax | (906) 228-1533. Call before relying on fax for a filing. |
| [email protected] | |
| Hours | Probate-specific public hours are not posted on the Probate Court page. Call (906) 225-8300 before visiting. |
| Filing fee | For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of charges under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee required by MCL 600.871. For 2026, a petition for assignment costs $25.00 under MCL 600.880, plus any inventory fee. |
| Local forms | Marquette publishes no local decedent-estate cover sheet or checklist. Use the statewide SCAO probate forms. |
| E-filing | Marquette County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. Do not assume that a probate filing can or must be e-filed here. |
| Case lookup | No case-number or party-name lookup for probate files is published. The court publishes a limited hearing-calendar display, and the display warns that not all hearings appear on it. |
| Remote appearance | Uncontested decedent-estate hearings are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140. Marquette also states that remote options are being used and asks scheduled participants to confirm whether physical appearance is required. |
| Website | https://www.co.marquette.mi.us/departments/courts/probate_court/index.php |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a Marquette filing path, list the assets, debts, beneficiaries, and anything that passes outside probate. That first inventory shapes whether estate settlement can stay informal with the probate register or needs a judge in a formal proceeding.
Sunset helps families start with asset discovery across more than 2,300 institutions, then uses that information to generate a probate packet for the right Michigan path. That is especially useful in Marquette because the court publishes no local decedent-estate packet beyond the statewide SCAO forms.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Marquette County Probate Court serves estates venued in Marquette County from the Marquette County Courthouse Annex at 234 W. Baraga Ave. in the city of Marquette. Michigan Probate Court has jurisdiction over deceased-estate settlement matters under MCL 700.1302.
Venue for the first informal or formal probate proceeding is generally the county where the decedent was domiciled at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Michigan, venue can be in a Michigan county where the decedent had property at death (MCL 700.3201).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Michigan probate path before filing. If the estate needs a personal representative, use the statewide SCAO forms for an informal or formal estate. Marquette publishes no local decedent-estate cover sheet or checklist.
- Prepare the opening packet. Informal estates usually start with SCAO forms handled by the probate register. Formal matters go before the Probate Court judge. Keep protected personal identifying information on the Michigan protected-information form instead of putting account numbers on public probate forms.
- File with the Marquette County Probate Court at the Marquette County Courthouse Annex, 234 W. Baraga Ave., Marquette, MI 49855. Contact the office at (906) 225-8300 or [email protected] if you need current counter instructions before you travel.
- Pay the required court charges. For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, and the estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. The Michigan Judiciary inventory fee calculator can help estimate that added cost.
- Give required notices after appointment. The personal representative must send notice to interested persons and handle creditor notice under Michigan law. If the proceeding is informal, the probate register can appoint the personal representative after the required determinations without a judge hearing.
- Watch for hearing information. Marquette publishes a limited hearing-calendar display for the probate bench, but the display cautions that not all hearings appear. Call the Probate Court if you need to check whether a hearing is scheduled.
- Ask about appearance method before the hearing date. MCR 5.140 presumes videoconferencing for uncontested decedent-estate matters, and Marquette states that remote options are being used, but the court can still require physical appearance in a particular matter.
- After appointment, obtain letters of authority for the personal representative. For 2026, certified copies cost $10.00 plus $1.00 per page under MCL 600.2546.
- Administer and close the estate. The personal representative gathers assets, pays valid expenses and claims, files inventory information, distributes property, and closes through the appropriate Michigan closing form or order.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Marquette County
Marquette County uses Michigan's statewide SCAO probate forms. The Probate Court page links to the statewide form search and does not publish a local decedent-estate cover sheet, checklist, or Marquette-only estate packet.
For an informal estate, the key statewide opening form is PC 558, Application for Informal Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative. Formal estates use PC 559, Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative. Assignment of property uses PC 556, and transfer by affidavit uses PC 598, which is presented to the asset holder rather than filed with the court.
Michigan court rules also matter locally: except in formal proceedings and supervised administration, a probate court may not require documents beyond those required by statute or court rule, though additional documents may be filed (MCR 5.307(E)).
Local nuance
Marquette County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for a Marquette filing |
|---|---|
| Courthouse annex | The probate filing counter is at the Marquette County Courthouse Annex, not just a generic courthouse address. |
| Combined probate and circuit bench | The county identifies the probate bench as combined with the circuit court. Probate filings still go to the Marquette County Probate Court and probate register. |
| Email is published | The probate office publishes [email protected], which can be useful before mailing or traveling with an estate settlement packet. |
| Limited hearing calendar | The online calendar is a hearing display, not a full case lookup. It warns that not all hearings appear, so call the court for case-specific questions. |
| Remote options note | The court states that remote options are being used and asks scheduled participants to confirm whether physical appearance is required. No specific platform is published on the probate page. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Marquette path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | First identify how the home is titled and what property, if any, must pass through probate. If probate is needed, file at the Marquette County Courthouse Annex using the statewide SCAO forms. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize title information, and generate an estate settlement packet for review before filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Check whether a Michigan small-estate path fits before opening a full estate. If a court filing is needed in Marquette, contact the Probate Court about filing by mail and any current counter instructions. | Sunset helps compare the asset list to Michigan paths, prepare forms, and reduce the need for a trip when a remote or mailed step is available. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A home sale often requires a personal representative with letters of authority. In Marquette, that means opening the estate with the Probate Court unless another Michigan nonprobate transfer applies. | Sunset helps gather financial information, prepare the probate packet, and connect the family with a Michigan probate attorney for sale authority and closing questions. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Marquette County Probate Court | Local filing counter for Marquette County estates. Court staff can provide filing information but not legal advice. | Marquette County Courthouse Annex, 234 W. Baraga Ave., Marquette, MI 49855. Phone (906) 225-8300. Email [email protected]. https://www.co.marquette.mi.us/departments/courts/probate_court/index.php |
| SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | Statewide Michigan probate form index used by Marquette County Probate Court. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| Inventory fee calculator | Michigan Judiciary calculator for the inventory fee owed under MCL 600.871. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Statewide self-help nonprofit with plain-language information and guided tools for Michigan probate topics. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Services of Northern Michigan, Marquette office | Free civil legal help for eligible residents, including people who meet federal poverty guidelines or are age 60 or older. Ask at intake whether the estate question fits its services. | 2844 Venture Dr., Suite C, Marquette, MI 49855. Phone (906) 228-5620. https://michiganlegalhelp.org/find-lawyer/legal-services-of-northern-michigan-marquette |
When to hire an attorney
Consider counsel if Marquette County real property must be sold or retitled through the estate, if heirs disagree, if creditors are active, if a will is challenged, or if the case needs a formal court order rather than informal appointment by the probate register. Sunset connects families to a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help build the asset picture before you choose a Marquette probate path.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family information, asset list, and Michigan form requirements into an organized estate settlement packet for the Marquette County Probate Court.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves a home sale, a dispute, creditor pressure, or a formal hearing, Sunset can connect you with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, understand next steps, and decide when professional help is needed.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Marquette County?
File with the Marquette County Probate Court at the Marquette County Courthouse Annex, 234 W. Baraga Ave., Marquette, MI 49855. Venue usually belongs in the county where the decedent was domiciled at death (MCL 700.3201).
Is Marquette County Probate Court on MiFILE?
No. Marquette County Probate Court is not on the statewide MiFILE list for probate matters. Contact the Probate Court before sending papers if you are not filing in person.
Does Marquette County have its own probate forms?
No local decedent-estate cover sheet, checklist, or Marquette-only estate packet is published. Use the statewide SCAO probate forms for Michigan estates.
How much does it cost to open a Marquette County estate?
For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee required by MCL 600.871. The inventory fee depends on estate value, so $175.00 is not the full court cost for most estates.
Can I look up a Marquette County probate case online?
Marquette does not publish a case-number or party-name lookup for probate files. The court publishes a limited hearing-calendar display, but it cautions that not all hearings appear there.
Can I appear remotely for a Marquette probate hearing?
Uncontested decedent-estate hearings are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140. Marquette also states that remote options are being used, but you should contact the court after a hearing is scheduled to ask whether physical appearance is required.
Do I have to travel to Marquette to start estate settlement?
Not always. Because Marquette is not on MiFILE, you should contact the Probate Court about current filing instructions if you plan to file by mail or need to avoid travel. If a hearing is set, ask the court whether a remote option is available for that specific hearing.
Who issues letters of authority in Marquette County?
The Marquette County Probate Court issues letters of authority after the personal representative is appointed. For 2026, certified copies cost $10.00 plus $1.00 per page under MCL 600.2546.
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.