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Shiawassee County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Shiawassee County probate information |
|---|---|
| Court | Shiawassee County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | Shiawassee County Courts Building, 110 E. Mack St., 2nd Floor, Corunna, MI 48817 |
| Mailing address | 110 E. Mack Street, Corunna, MI 48817 |
| Phone | (989) 743-2211 |
| Fax | (989) 743-2223 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The court cautions that in-person filing may not be completed while you wait. |
| Filing fee | For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, consisting of $150.00 under MCL 600.880 plus $25.00 under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes an inventory fee under MCL 600.871. |
| Local forms | None published. Shiawassee directs filers to the SCAO probate forms. |
| MiFILE status | Shiawassee County Probate Court is not listed for probate MiFILE. File by mail or in person unless the court gives different instructions in your case. |
| Case inquiry | The court links a MiCOURT Probate Court Case Inquiry page scoped to court code P78. Full access may require a Michigan court system sign-in. |
| Remote appearance | No local probate remote-hearing instructions are published. Uncontested decedent-estate hearings are presumed to use videoconferencing when allowed under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407, but the court may require an in-person hearing. |
| Website | Shiawassee County Probate Court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file in Shiawassee County, make a practical list of the decedent's assets, debts, real estate, vehicles, accounts, funeral expenses and likely heirs. That first pass determines whether estate settlement can stay small and simple, or whether a personal representative needs letters of authority from the Probate Court.
Sunset helps families organize that picture before they decide what to file. Sunset's asset discovery searches across more than 2,300 institutions, which can help you find accounts that affect the Shiawassee probate packet, the inventory fee and the next estate settlement step.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Shiawassee County Probate Court serves estate filings for Shiawassee County from the Shiawassee County Courts Building in Corunna. Shiawassee is a standalone county probate court, not a two-county probate district.
File in Shiawassee County when the decedent was domiciled in Shiawassee County at death. If the decedent was not domiciled in Michigan, venue is proper in a Michigan county where the decedent had property at death (MCL 700.3201).
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the correct Michigan probate path before you go to Corunna. Use the statewide SCAO forms, because Shiawassee publishes no local probate packet. Informal estates usually start with PC 558, formal estates with PC 559, and small-estate assignment of property uses PC 556 when the estate qualifies under MCL 700.3982.
- Prepare the opening papers and supporting documents. Include the will if there is one, testimony to identify heirs, acceptance of appointment if a personal representative is requested, and protected personal identifying information on the proper Michigan form when needed.
- File by mail or in person with the probate register at Shiawassee County Probate Court, 110 E. Mack St., 2nd Floor, Corunna, MI 48817. The court states that it does not accept probate filings by email.
- Pay the required court cost. For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of $150.00 under MCL 600.880 and $25.00 under MCL 600.1986. A petition for assignment of property costs $25.00 for 2026 under MCL 600.880, and the estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871.
- Watch for the court's response. The court says in-person filing may not be completed while you wait, so plan for follow-up by mail, phone or a later notice from the court.
- Give required notices. In an informal probate, the applicant must give written information of the probate to interested persons within 28 days after informal probate is granted (MCL 700.3306). A personal representative must also handle creditor notice under MCL 700.3801.
- Attend any hearing the court sets. Shiawassee does not publish estate hearing days. If your matter is uncontested, videoconferencing is presumed under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407 when the court allows it, but follow the notice you receive.
- Obtain letters of authority if a personal representative is appointed. These letters are the document banks, buyers, title companies and other institutions usually ask to see before dealing with the estate representative.
- Administer and close the estate. File the inventory information on time, pay the inventory fee, distribute assets only when allowed, and close by the correct Michigan closing procedure for the type of estate.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in Shiawassee County
Shiawassee County Probate Court publishes no local probate forms. Its probate page directs filers to the State of Michigan Courts form search, so use the SCAO probate forms for decedent estates.
| Need | Common Michigan form | Shiawassee note |
|---|---|---|
| Open an informal estate | PC 558, Application for Informal Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative | File by mail or in person at 110 E. Mack St., 2nd Floor, Corunna. |
| Open a formal estate | PC 559, Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative | Use when a judge needs to decide the opening issue. |
| Assignment of property | PC 556, Petition and Order for Assignment | Filed with the Probate Court when the estate qualifies under MCL 700.3982. |
| Transfer by affidavit | PC 598, Affidavit of Decedent's Successor for Delivery of Certain Assets Owned by Decedent | Presented to the asset holder, not filed with the court, when the estate qualifies under MCL 700.3983. |
| Inventory | PC 577, Inventory (Decedent Estate) | The estate owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. |
| Letters of authority | PC 572, Letters of Authority for Personal Representative | Issued after appointment and qualification of the personal representative. |
In an informal, unsupervised estate, a Michigan probate court may not require documents beyond those required by statute or court rule, except as allowed by MCR 5.307(E). Shiawassee does not publish a local cover sheet.
Local nuance
Shiawassee County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for filing |
|---|---|
| Courts Building location | The probate counter is at 110 E. Mack St., 2nd Floor, Corunna, in the Shiawassee County Courts Building. |
| Mail or in-person filing | Send filings by U.S. mail to 110 E. Mack Street, Corunna, MI 48817, or file in person during published hours. |
| No email filing | The court states that probate filings are not accepted by email. |
| Same-visit completion not promised | If you file at the counter, the court may not finish processing while you wait. |
| No local probate forms | Use the SCAO probate forms. Shiawassee does not publish its own local probate packet. |
Recent updates
No Shiawassee County probate rule change was identified for this page. The local filing points to know are practical ones: the Probate Court uses mail or in-person filing, does not accept email filings, and publishes no local probate forms.
Page last reviewed: August 2026.
Scenarios
| Situation | Likely Shiawassee path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | Confirm whether the home passes outside probate or whether a Shiawassee estate is needed for other assets. If probate is needed, file the correct SCAO opening papers in Corunna or by mail. | Sunset helps identify accounts, debts and title issues so the spouse can decide whether estate settlement requires a court filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | Use mail filing with Shiawassee Probate Court if a court filing is needed. If the estate qualifies for transfer by affidavit under MCL 700.3983, PC 598 is presented to the asset holder rather than filed with the court. | Sunset helps organize asset information, generate the right packet and reduce unnecessary travel to Corunna. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A personal representative may be needed to sell or retitle Shiawassee real property through the estate. File the opening papers with the probate register at the Courts Building or by mail. | Sunset helps prepare the estate settlement materials and can connect the family with a Michigan probate attorney for the sale and court filings. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Shiawassee County Probate Court | Local probate filing office for Shiawassee estates. Court staff cannot give legal advice. | 110 E. Mack St., 2nd Floor, Corunna, MI 48817. Phone (989) 743-2211. Fax (989) 743-2223. |
| Probate Court Case Inquiry | MiCOURT case-inquiry page scoped to Shiawassee County Probate Court. | Online tool. Full access may require sign-in. |
| SCAO estates, trusts and miscellaneous probate forms | Michigan probate form index for decedent estates, including opening, inventory, notice and closing forms. | Online form index. |
| Inventory fee calculator | Michigan Judiciary calculator for the inventory fee owed under MCL 600.871. | Online calculator. |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate and small-estate information, including guided self-help resources. | Online self-help resource. |
| Legal Services of South Central Michigan, Lansing office | Free civil legal help for eligible Shiawassee County residents. Ask intake whether an estate question fits the program. | 3490 Belle Chase Way, #50, Lansing, MI 48911. Phone (888) 783-8190. |
When to hire an attorney
A probate attorney is especially useful in Shiawassee County when real property must be sold or retitled through the estate, the estate is too large or too complex for a small-estate option, heirs disagree, a will is challenged, creditors are active, or the proposed personal representative lives away from Corunna and needs help managing a mail-or-in-person filing process. Sunset connects families with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches for accounts across more than 2,300 institutions and helps organize what belongs in the estate, what may pass outside probate and what the Shiawassee filing should address.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the family information into a cleaner estate settlement workflow, including the SCAO forms and supporting details needed for the filing path you choose.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves Shiawassee real property, disputes, creditors or a formal court proceeding, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement path, gather information and move from uncertainty to a practical next step without paying Sunset a fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate papers in Shiawassee County?
File with Shiawassee County Probate Court at the Shiawassee County Courts Building, 110 E. Mack St., 2nd Floor, Corunna, MI 48817. The same address is used for mail filings.
Can I file a Shiawassee County probate case by email?
No. The court's probate page states that, at this time, the Probate Court does not accept email filings. Use mail or in-person filing unless the court gives different instructions in your case.
Is Shiawassee County Probate Court on MiFILE?
Shiawassee County Probate Court is not listed for probate MiFILE. Attorneys and self-represented filers should use the court's mail or in-person filing instructions for Shiawassee probate matters.
What are the Shiawassee County Probate Court hours?
The court publishes in-person filing hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It also cautions that filing may not be completed while you wait.
How much does it cost to open a probate estate in Shiawassee County?
For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up 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 Shiawassee County have its own probate forms?
No local probate forms are published. Shiawassee directs filers to the State of Michigan Courts form search, so use the SCAO probate forms for the filing path.
Can I look up a Shiawassee probate case online?
The Probate Court page links a MiCOURT Probate Court Case Inquiry page for Shiawassee County Probate Court, court code P78. What you can see may depend on the tool's access rules and whether a sign-in is required.
Do I have to travel to Corunna to start probate?
Not always. Shiawassee accepts probate filings by U.S. mail at 110 E. Mack Street, Corunna, MI 48817. If a hearing is scheduled, follow the notice from the court for whether you must appear in person or may appear by video.
Are remote hearings available in Shiawassee County probate cases?
No local estate-hearing instructions are published. Under Michigan court rules, uncontested decedent-estate hearings are presumed to use videoconferencing when allowed under MCR 5.140 and MCR 2.407, but the court can require an in-person hearing.
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.