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Oceana County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Oceana County detail |
|---|---|
| Court | Oceana County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | Oceana County Probate Court, 100 S. State Street, Hart, MI 49420 |
| Mailing address | No separate probate mailing address is published. Use the courthouse address. |
| Phone | (231) 873-3666 |
| Fax | No probate fax number is published. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. No probate filing cutoff or lunch closure is published. |
| Filing fee | For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. For 2026, a petition for assignment of property costs $25.00 under MCL 600.880, plus any inventory fee. |
| Local forms | No Oceana-specific probate cover sheet, checklist, or estate form packet is published. Oceana points filers to the statewide SCAO probate forms. |
| E-filing | Oceana County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. The published filing point is the probate register's counter in Hart. |
| Case search | The probate page publishes no probate case lookup. The county's MiCOURT and court docket links are attached to the circuit court and district court, not probate. |
| Remote appearance | No Oceana-specific Zoom link or remote-hearing page is published. Uncontested decedent-estate hearings are presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, subject to MCR 2.407. |
| Online payment | Oceana publishes a payment portal for probate court fees: https://securedpaymentgateway.com/States/MI/Oceana/Default/Index/Oceana%20Probate%20Court%20-%20Online |
| Website | https://oceana.mi.us/courts-sheriff/courts/probate-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a probate path in Oceana County, make a working list of the decedent's assets, debts, title documents, accounts, and beneficiaries. The probate register can process the right paperwork faster when you know whether the estate needs letters of authority, whether real property is involved, and whether an informal or formal filing fits.
Sunset's estate settlement tools can help identify accounts and assets across more than 2,300 institutions before you prepare the local filing. That asset picture is especially important in Oceana County because the court uses statewide forms, but the filing choice still depends on what the person owned and what authority the family needs.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Oceana County Probate Court serves probate matters for Oceana County from the Oceana County Building at 100 S. State Street in Hart. The county is not part of a multi-county probate district, and no branch probate counter is published.
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). For an Oceana County estate settlement, that usually means filing in Hart when Oceana County is the proper venue.
The jurisdiction process
- List the decedent's assets, debts, interested persons, and any will. Decide whether the estate needs a personal representative with letters of authority or whether a Michigan small-estate path may fit.
- Choose the statewide SCAO forms for the path. Informal decedent-estate openings usually start with PC 558, while formal matters use PC 559. Oceana publishes no separate local estate packet.
- File at the Oceana County Probate Court counter at 100 S. State Street in Hart. Oceana County Probate Court is not on MiFILE, so do not plan on using the statewide MiFILE portal for this court.
- Bring the original will if there is one, a certified death certificate, the required statewide forms, and payment. For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. For 2026, an assignment of property petition costs $25.00 under MCL 600.880, plus any inventory fee.
- If the filing is informal and complete, the probate register acts without a hearing. Oceana's own decedent-estate page says informal applications are completed in the probate office without a hearing.
- If the filing requires a formal hearing, wait for the court's hearing notice. Oceana's own decedent-estate page says formal petitions that require a hearing are usually scheduled about four weeks after filing.
- Use the court's remote-appearance instructions if a hearing is set that way. Statewide probate rules presume videoconferencing for uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions under MCR 5.140, but the court can require an in-person appearance under MCR 2.407.
- After appointment, obtain letters of authority for the personal representative. Within 28 days after informal probate is granted, give written information of the probate to the required interested persons (MCL 700.3306).
- Publish and send creditor notices, gather estate assets, and file the inventory information. The personal representative must submit inventory information within 91 days after letters of authority, and the estate owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871 and MCR 5.307.
- Finish administration, distribute property, resolve expenses and claims, and close the estate with the appropriate statewide closing form or court order.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Oceana County
Oceana County uses Michigan's statewide SCAO probate forms. The county probate page links to the statewide probate form index and does not publish an Oceana-specific cover sheet, checklist, or estate packet.
| Need | Common statewide form | Local note |
|---|---|---|
| Open an informal estate | PC 558, Application for Informal Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative | Oceana's own page says informal applications are handled in the probate office without a hearing. |
| Open a formal estate | PC 559, Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative | Formal petitions go before a judge and usually require a hearing. |
| Identify heirs | PC 565, Testimony to Identify Heirs | Filed with the opening papers when required by the statewide form set. |
| Accept appointment | PC 571, Acceptance of Appointment | Needed before authority issues to the personal representative. |
| Authority document | PC 572, Letters of Authority for Personal Representative | Use certified copies when banks, buyers, or other institutions require proof of authority. |
| Inventory | PC 577, Inventory | Inventory information is due within 91 days after letters of authority under MCR 5.307. |
| Close an unsupervised estate | PC 591, Sworn Statement to Close Unsupervised Administration | Used when the estate qualifies for closing by sworn statement. |
The statewide forms are available at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/probate-court-forms/. In informal, unsupervised administration, a probate court may not require documents beyond those required by statute or court rule, except as allowed by MCR 5.307(E).
Timeline
- Informal applications: Oceana's decedent-estate page says the informal application process is completed in the probate office without a hearing.
- Formal petitions: Oceana's decedent-estate page says petitions that go before a judge and require a hearing are usually scheduled about four weeks after filing.
- Remote appearance: no Oceana-specific remote-hearing link is published, so rely on the notice from the court and the statewide videoconferencing presumption for uncontested decedent-estate matters under MCR 5.140.
Local nuance
Oceana County-specific considerations
| Point | What it means in Oceana County |
|---|---|
| No MiFILE probate e-filing | Oceana County Probate Court is not on Michigan's MiFILE probate list. Plan around filing at the probate register's counter in Hart unless the office gives you another current instruction. |
| No probate case lookup on the probate page | The county site has MiCOURT and docket links for other courts, but the probate page does not publish a probate case lookup. Call the probate court at (231) 873-3666 for file questions. |
| Online payment portal | The probate court publishes a secure payment portal for court fees, but the page does not itemize which fee types can be paid there. Use it after you know the amount owed. |
| Informal filings are handled in the office | Oceana's decedent-estate page says informal applications are completed in the probate office without a hearing, which can make a routine estate settlement more direct than a formal petition. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Oceana County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | Start by identifying how the home is titled and which assets actually need probate authority. If an Oceana County estate is needed, prepare the statewide forms and file at the probate counter in Hart. | Sunset helps organize title questions, account lists, debts, and beneficiary information so the spouse can choose the right estate settlement path before filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Check whether a Michigan small-estate option fits before opening a full estate. If court filing is needed in Oceana County, MiFILE is not available, so plan around the Hart probate counter and call the court before traveling. | Sunset helps gather asset information, prepare the probate packet, and connect the child with local attorney help if travel or signing logistics become difficult. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale usually requires clear authority from the estate. File the appropriate statewide opening papers with Oceana County Probate Court and obtain letters of authority before signing estate sale documents. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize real property information, and connect the parent with a Michigan probate attorney when the sale, creditors, or heirs make the estate settlement more complex. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Oceana County Probate Court | The local counter where an Oceana County estate is opened. | 100 S. State Street, Hart, MI 49420. (231) 873-3666. https://oceana.mi.us/courts-sheriff/courts/probate-court/ |
| Pay Oceana Probate Court fees online | The court's secure payment portal for probate court fees. | https://securedpaymentgateway.com/States/MI/Oceana/Default/Index/Oceana%20Probate%20Court%20-%20Online |
| Michigan Trial Court Directory | The Michigan Judiciary directory listing for Oceana County Probate Court. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/trial-court-directory/ |
| Statewide probate forms | The SCAO form set used in Oceana County probate cases. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/probate-court-forms/ |
| Inventory fee calculator | The Michigan Judiciary calculator for the inventory fee owed by an estate. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate and small-estate information. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Aid of Western Michigan, Muskegon office | Free civil legal help for eligible low-income residents of Mason, Muskegon, and Oceana counties. Ask at intake whether your estate question fits current priorities. | 450 Morris Ave, Ste 104, Muskegon, MI 49440. (231) 726-4887. Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. https://lawestmi.org/location/muskegon-2/ |
When to hire an attorney
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families build a clearer estate picture by searching for accounts, policies, and assets across thousands of institutions, then organizing what is found for the probate packet.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset helps turn the family's information into a practical checklist and draft packet using the Michigan SCAO forms that Oceana County Probate Court uses.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate needs legal help, Sunset connects families with a vetted Michigan probate attorney who can advise on Oceana County filings, real property, creditor issues, or formal hearings.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a no-cost place to start estate settlement, understand what is missing, and decide whether they can file on their own or want attorney help.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in Oceana County?
File with Oceana County Probate Court at 100 S. State Street in Hart when Oceana County is the proper venue. Venue is based on the decedent's domicile at death, or, for a non-Michigan decedent, a Michigan county where the decedent left property (MCL 700.3201).
Does Oceana County Probate Court use MiFILE?
No. Oceana County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. The published filing point is the probate register's counter at the Oceana County Building in Hart.
How long does it take to get a probate hearing in Oceana County?
Oceana's own decedent-estate page says informal applications are completed in the probate office without a hearing. It also says formal petitions that require a hearing are usually scheduled about four weeks after filing.
Can I appear remotely for an Oceana County probate hearing?
No Oceana-specific remote-hearing link is published. Statewide probate rules presume videoconferencing for uncontested decedent-estate petitions and motions under MCR 5.140, subject to MCR 2.407, so follow the access instructions in the court's notice.
Can I look up an Oceana County probate case online?
The Oceana probate page does not publish a probate case lookup. The county's MiCOURT and court docket links are attached to the circuit court and district court, not probate. For probate file questions, call Oceana County Probate Court at (231) 873-3666.
Does Oceana County require local probate forms?
No Oceana-specific probate cover sheet, checklist, or estate packet is published. Oceana points filers to Michigan's statewide SCAO probate forms, and informal, unsupervised administration is protected by MCR 5.307(E).
What does it cost to open a probate estate in Oceana County?
For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00 under MCL 600.880 and MCL 600.1986, plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. For 2026, a petition for assignment of property costs $25.00 under MCL 600.880, plus any inventory fee. Use the Michigan Judiciary inventory fee calculator for the inventory-fee amount.
Do I have to travel to Hart if I live out of state?
The published probate filing counter is in Hart, and Oceana County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. If you cannot travel, call the probate register at (231) 873-3666 before preparing your packet and ask what current filing options the office will accept.
Can I pay Oceana probate fees online?
Oceana County Probate Court publishes an online payment portal for probate court fees. The payment page does not itemize every fee type, so use it after you know the amount owed and which case or filing the payment belongs to.
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.