What to Do When Someone Dies in Leelanau County, Michigan
Probate in Leelanau County runs through the Probate Court: prove the will, settle the debts, and pass the house to the heirs. Here is how the local process works—and what each step actually costs.
When someone dies in Leelanau County, settling their estate runs through the Probate Court. This page covers the court record, whether probate is required, what it costs, how to file, transferring property, and the local attorneys who handle probate here.
Probate Court Record
Probate Court
Leelanau County
Address
8527 E. Government Center Drive, Suite 203Suttons Bay, MI 49682
Judge Paciorka took office 2025-01-01 and also presides over the Circuit Court Family Division. Court no longer accepts filings by email. Accepted methods: in-person (call ahead), U.S. Mail/FedEx, or emergency fax to 231-256-9845 (15-page limit). Probate Register: Kristina Mattis. Deputy Probate Register: Sage Mrdeza (smrdeza@leelanau.gov). Documents received during business hours are deemed filed that business day.
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Leelanau County, probate runs through the Probate Court at 8527 E. Government Center Drive, Suite 203, Suttons Bay.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Michigan intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Michigan estates take 7 months to 12 months to move through this process. The 4 monthsMCL 700.3803Verified Sep 8, 2026View source creditor claim window is the largest fixed piece of that timeline — a mandatory wait regardless of how simple the estate is.
What Probate Costs in Leelanau County
What probate costs in Leelanau County, Michigan comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Probate Court at 8527 E. Government Center Drive, Suite 203, Suttons Bay.
Michigan charges $150MCL § 600.880(1)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
The Probate Court accepts e-filing (https://mifile.courts.michigan.gov/). Paper filing remains available for self-represented filers.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Michigan are negotiated, typically 1.7%MCR 5.313(A) (attorney entitled to reasonable compensation; MRPC 1.5(a) factors); MCL 700.3721 (court reviews reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.7%MCR 5.313(A) (attorney entitled to reasonable compensation; MRPC 1.5(a) factors); MCL 700.3721 (court reviews reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Executor compensation is based on reasonable pay for time and effort — the states that do set a schedule pay 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.8%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Michigan requires publishing creditor notice in a local newspaper, typically $200–$500. Professional appraisals for real estate or business interests add $300–$600 per asset.
Probate in Michigan typically runs 7 months to 12 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Probate Court
Probate documents in Leelanau County can be filed in person at the Probate Court, by mail, or electronically. Most families handling probate themselves prefer paper filing, though e-filing is available.
How to File Your Documents
Paper Filing Available
You can file your probate documents in person at the court or by mail.
E-Filing Also Available
If you prefer, you can file electronically through the state's online system. This is optional for families filing without an attorney.
Not every estate requires an attorney. Estate size, asset types, and whether beneficiaries agree determine if self-filing at the Probate Court is realistic.
To file at the Probate Court you need: the original will (or proof there isn't one), a certified death certificate, contact information for all heirs and beneficiaries, and a summary of what the estate owns and owes.
Transferring Property in Leelanau County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the Register of Deeds.
Deeds and other real property documents for Leelanau County are recorded with the Register of Deeds, led by Register of Deeds Jennifer L. Grant, at 8527 E. Government Center Dr., Suite 105, Suttons Bay, MI 49682. Phone: (231) 256-9682. Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am-4:00pm.
The Register of Deeds charges $30 flat, regardless of page count.
Leelanau County does not offer e-recording.
Recording Office Record
Register of Deeds
Leelanau County · Register of Deeds · Jennifer L. Grant
Address
8527 E. Government Center Dr., Suite 105Suttons Bay, MI 49682
Michigan allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Leelanau County without hiring an attorney. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in Michigan are based on reasonable compensation — typically 1.7%MCR 5.313(A) (attorney entitled to reasonable compensation; MRPC 1.5(a) factors); MCL 700.3721 (court reviews reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.7%MCR 5.313(A) (attorney entitled to reasonable compensation; MRPC 1.5(a) factors); MCL 700.3721 (court reviews reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate's value, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Leelanau County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Probate Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Traverse City-based elder law, probate, estate planning, and special needs planning firm serving Northern Michigan. One of few Northern Michigan practitioners with resources for high-net-worth estate and tax planning, having drafted several hundred estate plans for clients with net worth from $100K to $100 million.
Northern Michigan elder law firm covering 20 counties across Northern Michigan from offices in Charlevoix, Traverse City, and East Jordan. Handles estate planning, Medicaid planning, veterans benefits, probate administration, guardianship, and special needs planning.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationElder LawConservatorshipand 4 more
Traverse City firm serving Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Benzie, Antrim, Kalkaska, and Wexford County probate courts. Handles probate and trust administration alongside will, trust, and estate-plan drafting. Long-standing Northern Michigan practice that also represents financial institutions across the region.
Serves Washtenaw, Livingston, and western Wayne County families from Ann Arbor, with a second office in Petoskey. Handles trust and estate administration, guardianships and conservatorships, and elder law work including Medicaid and special needs planning. Estate and elder law has been the firm’s focus for more than 30 years.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationElder LawSpecial Needs Planningand 2 more
Cass City estate planning and elder law firm serving the Thumb of Michigan -- Tuscola, Huron, and Sanilac Counties -- since 1989. Handles Medicaid eligibility planning, disability planning, asset protection, estate settlement, and guardianship for minors and seniors.
Northern Michigan law firm established in 2001 offering estate planning and probate services from offices in Gaylord and Petoskey. Handles trusts, wills, estates, and guardianship matters throughout Northern Michigan.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Living trust assets, and accounts with a named beneficiary or surviving joint owner. These skip probate; some states charge the court fee only on what remains.
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Probate fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value, or net property after debts. This calculator provides educational estimates only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Actual costs vary significantly by county, attorney, and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney in your state for guidance specific to your situation.
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Leelanau County Guides
Step-by-step tools for families in Leelanau County, Michigan.
