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St. Joseph County, MI Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | St. Joseph County information |
|---|---|
| Court | St. Joseph County Probate Court |
| Courthouse address | Three Rivers Courthouse, 920 W Michigan Ave, Three Rivers, MI 49093 |
| Mailing | No separate probate mailing address is published for the Three Rivers office. Call before mailing a filing. |
| Phone | (269) 467-5538 |
| Fax | (269) 467-5560 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed holidays. The office is occasionally closed from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.; call ahead before visiting during that hour. |
| Filing fee | Opening a decedent estate in 2026 costs $175.00, consisting of the $150.00 commencement fee under MCL 600.880 plus the $25.00 electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. |
| Local forms | No local probate forms are published. The court points users to the statewide SCAO probate forms at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/. |
| E-filing | St. Joseph County Probate Court is not on MiFILE. The court does not publish a separate online filing channel. |
| Case search | No online probate case search is published for St. Joseph County Probate Court. |
| Remote appearance | No local video-hearing instructions are published. Uncontested decedent-estate hearings are generally presumed eligible for videoconferencing under MCR 5.140, but the court controls the hearing format and instructions. |
| Website | https://stjosephcountymi.gov/government/courts-law-enforcement/probate-court/ |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a probate path in St. Joseph County, list the decedent's assets, debts, real estate, vehicle titles, beneficiary designations, and known creditors. The right estate settlement path depends on what still needs a personal representative, not just on whether there is a will.
Sunset can help organize that first pass by searching for accounts across more than 2,300 financial institutions, then turning the results into a probate-ready asset picture for the St. Joseph County Probate Court.
Which court handles jurisdiction
St. Joseph County Probate Court serves decedent estates for St. Joseph County from the Three Rivers Courthouse at 920 W Michigan Ave, Three Rivers, MI 49093. St. Joseph County is a standalone probate court, court code P75, and is not one of Michigan's two-county probate districts.
Michigan venue for the first informal or formal 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 left property (MCL 700.3201). For a St. Joseph County decedent, file with the probate register at the Three Rivers courthouse, not by assuming the probate court is at the Centreville courthouse.
The jurisdiction process
- Choose the Michigan probate path before you file. Informal probate uses PC 558 and can be acted on by the probate register; formal probate uses PC 559 and goes before a judge. If the estate may qualify for assignment of property or transfer by affidavit, check the current statewide rules first because those paths are not handled the same way.
- Prepare the opening packet using SCAO forms. A typical informal packet includes the application, testimony to identify heirs, acceptance of appointment, proposed letters of authority, and any required notice or bond documents. Keep financial account numbers off public forms and use MC 97 or MC 97a when protected personal identifying information is needed.
- File with the St. Joseph County Probate Court at the Three Rivers Courthouse, 920 W Michigan Ave, Three Rivers, MI 49093. The court does not publish a separate mail, drop box, email, fax, or online filing rule, so call (269) 467-5538 before sending a filing instead of bringing it to the counter.
- Pay the opening cost. For 2026, opening a decedent estate costs $175.00, made up of the $150.00 fee under MCL 600.880 and the $25.00 electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871, which is based on estate value.
- Give required notice. On the informal track, written information of the probate must be given to heirs, devisees, and other interested persons within 28 days after informal probate is granted (MCL 700.3306). After appointment, the personal representative must handle creditor notice under Michigan law.
- Watch for the court's hearing instructions if a hearing is set. St. Joseph County does not publish standing video-hearing instructions for probate matters. Under MCR 5.140, uncontested decedent-estate hearings are generally presumed eligible for videoconferencing, but the court may set the format and must provide access instructions.
- Obtain certified letters of authority after appointment. Letters of authority are the Michigan document that lets the personal representative collect estate assets, communicate with institutions, sell estate property when authorized, and continue estate settlement. Certified copies cost $10.00 plus $1.00 per page in 2026 under MCL 600.2546.
- Administer and close the estate. The personal representative gathers assets, pays valid expenses and claims, files inventory information within 91 days after letters of authority under MCR 5.307, distributes property, pays the inventory fee, and closes the estate using the proper SCAO closing form or court order.
Forms and documents
Probate forms in St. Joseph County
St. Joseph County Probate Court does not publish a local decedent-estate packet or local cover sheet. Its forms page shows no probate documents, and the court directs users to the statewide SCAO probate form site.
| Form source | Use in St. Joseph County |
|---|---|
| SCAO estates and trusts forms | Use the statewide Michigan probate forms for decedent estates, including informal probate, formal probate, inventory, creditor notice, and closing forms. URL: https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| St. Joseph County forms page | The court's probate forms page does not list local probate documents. URL: https://stjosephcountymi.gov/document_folder/forms-and-documents-probate-court/ |
| Protected personal information forms | Use MC 97 or MC 97a when a probate form requires protected personal identifying information, rather than placing account numbers or similar information on a public probate form. |
In an informal, unsupervised Michigan estate, the court may not require extra documents beyond those required by statute or court rule, except in the limited way allowed by MCR 5.307(E). If St. Joseph County asks for a practical cover page or additional information at filing, treat it as a local counter instruction and ask how it applies to your filing.
Fees
| Local fee or copy item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Will safekeeping | The probate court accepts an original will for safekeeping for $25.00, as published by the court in 2026. |
| Safe-deposit box procedure | The court's 2026 FAQ lists a combined $21.00 cost, made up of a $10.00 filing fee plus an $11.00 certified copy fee, for the petition process to open a decedent's safe-deposit box for a will or burial-plot deed. |
| Photocopies | 50 cents per page, as published by the court in 2026. |
| Microfilm copies | $1.00 per page, as published by the court in 2026. |
| Certified copies | $10.00 certification fee plus $1.00 per page in 2026 under MCL 600.2546. |
Local nuance
St. Joseph County-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Probate is in Three Rivers | The probate court sits at the Three Rivers Courthouse, 920 W Michigan Ave, Three Rivers, MI 49093. Do not assume a probate filing goes to the Centreville courthouse. |
| Occasional noon closure | The probate office is generally open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but the court says the office is occasionally closed from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Call before visiting during that hour. |
| Genealogy research hours are narrower | Genealogy research at the probate court is limited to Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Will safekeeping is available | The court accepts original wills for safekeeping for $25.00, as published by the court in 2026. Withdrawal later requires the receipt or the court's authorization process. |
| Safe-deposit box help is limited | The court provides a petition process to open a decedent's safe-deposit box only to look for a will or burial-plot deed. |
Recent updates
| Update | Current St. Joseph County detail |
|---|---|
| Probate courthouse location | St. Joseph County Probate Court is at the Three Rivers Courthouse, 920 W Michigan Ave, Three Rivers, MI 49093. The Centreville courthouse address is not the probate court location. |
| Office hours | The court publishes business hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with occasional 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. closures. |
| Local forms | The court publishes no local probate forms and directs users to the SCAO form site. |
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely St. Joseph County path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | Start by confirming how the home is titled and whether any assets still require a personal representative. If probate is needed, the filing is with St. Joseph County Probate Court at the Three Rivers Courthouse. | Sunset helps identify accounts, organize title and beneficiary information, and build an estate settlement task list before forms are filed. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | Check whether Michigan's assignment of property or transfer by affidavit path fits before opening full administration. If a court filing is needed in St. Joseph County, call the probate court before mailing anything because the court does not publish a mail filing rule. | Sunset helps gather institution details remotely, prepare a probate packet, and connect the family with a Michigan attorney if travel or signing logistics become difficult. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | A sale often requires a personal representative with letters of authority. File the opening papers with the probate register in Three Rivers and follow the court's hearing instructions if a hearing is set. | Sunset helps map debts, accounts, real estate needs, and closing steps so the parent can move from first filing to completed estate settlement with fewer surprises. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph County Probate Court | Local court page for the probate counter, hours, phone, will safekeeping, safe-deposit box questions, and links to SCAO forms. | https://stjosephcountymi.gov/government/courts-law-enforcement/probate-court/ |
| Michigan Trial Court Directory | State court directory entry for checking the court name, location, and contact details. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/trial-court-directory/ |
| SCAO estates and trusts forms | Statewide probate forms for decedent estates, including opening, inventory, notice, letters of authority, and closing forms. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/ |
| Michigan Judiciary inventory fee calculator | Helps calculate the inventory fee owed under MCL 600.871 based on estate value. | https://www.courts.michigan.gov/courts/trial-courts/inventory-calculator/ |
| Michigan Legal Help | Plain-language Michigan probate information and guided tools for small-estate and probate questions. | https://michiganlegalhelp.org/ |
| Legal Aid of Western Michigan, Kalamazoo office | Legal aid provider serving St. Joseph County, along with Cass, Kalamazoo, and Van Buren counties. | 141 E. Michigan Ave., Suite 400, Kalamazoo, MI 49007. Phone: (269) 344-8113. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. URL: https://lawestmi.org/location/kalamazoo-2/ |
When to hire an attorney
Consider counsel if the estate includes real property to sell, a dispute over heirs or a will, unclear creditor issues, a business interest, a missing interested person, or a need for supervised administration. The St. Joseph County Probate Court says it suggests using an attorney for decedent estates, and a lawyer can help decide whether informal probate, formal probate, assignment of property, or another Michigan procedure fits the facts. Sunset connects you to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset searches across more than 2,300 institutions to help identify accounts, insurance, retirement assets, and other property that may affect the St. Joseph County estate settlement plan.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset uses the information you provide to help assemble the Michigan probate forms and supporting details a family needs before filing with the St. Joseph County Probate Court.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate needs legal advice, real estate authority, a formal hearing, or help with a dispute, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Michigan probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to organize estate settlement tasks, find assets, and understand next steps without paying Sunset a platform fee.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate in St. Joseph County?
File with the St. Joseph County Probate Court at the Three Rivers Courthouse, 920 W Michigan Ave, Three Rivers, MI 49093. The probate court is not at the Centreville courthouse.
Does St. Joseph County Probate Court use MiFILE?
No. St. Joseph County Probate Court is not on the MiFILE probate court list. The court also does not publish a separate online filing channel.
Can I mail or fax a probate filing to St. Joseph County Probate Court?
The court publishes its phone and fax number, but it does not publish a rule saying that decedent-estate filings may be opened by mail, fax, email, or drop box. Call (269) 467-5538 before sending a filing instead of bringing it to the probate counter.
Is there an online St. Joseph County probate case search?
No online probate case search is published for St. Joseph County Probate Court. For case status, contact the probate court directly.
What local probate forms does St. Joseph County require?
St. Joseph County does not publish a local decedent-estate packet or local probate cover sheet. The court directs users to the statewide SCAO probate forms at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/SCAO-forms/Estates-Trusts/.
How much does it cost to open a decedent estate in St. Joseph County in 2026?
Opening a decedent estate in 2026 costs $175.00, consisting of the $150.00 commencement fee under MCL 600.880 plus the $25.00 electronic filing system fee under MCL 600.1986. The estate also owes the inventory fee under MCL 600.871.
Can I appear remotely for a St. Joseph County probate hearing?
St. Joseph County does not publish local video-hearing instructions for probate matters. Under MCR 5.140, uncontested decedent-estate hearings are generally presumed eligible for videoconferencing, but the court sets the format and provides hearing access instructions.
Do I have to travel to Three Rivers if I live out of state?
Maybe. St. Joseph County does not publish a mail or online filing rule for opening probate, so call the court before assuming you can file from out of state. If a hearing is set, ask the court how appearance instructions will be provided.
Can St. Joseph County Probate Court hold a will for safekeeping?
Yes. The court accepts an original will for safekeeping for $25.00, as published by the court in 2026. The person who filed it can later withdraw it in person with the receipt, or use the court's authorization process for someone else to withdraw it.
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.