Troy and Dearborn firm serving Detroit-area families from offices in Oakland and Wayne Counties. Prepares wills, trusts, financial and health care powers of attorney, living wills and advance directives, and represents clients at probate hearings when an estate is contested or has no plan. A small boutique whose estate work sits beside its employment and civil-rights practice.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Oakland County, Michigan
How probate works in Oakland County: the Probate Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Oakland County Probate Court
Oakland County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
1200 North Telegraph Road, Dept 457, Pontiac, MI 48341
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
E-filing
Required for attorneysEvery filer, including a self-represented one, must e-file through MiFILE; the court no longer takes most filings in person, by fax or by mail. Filers without their own access can use the Probate Court E-Services Office at the courthouse, where a cash or check payment can be made with form MC 514. On paper: Emergency mental health transport petitions, the deposit of original wills and payment of the inventory gross estate fee may be made in person or by mail; A filer may ask the court for leave to file on paper for good cause (MCR 1.109(G)(3)(g)); A person with a disability that limits use of the e-filing system, a person with limited English proficiency, or a party confined by governmental authority is exempt on request, filed on paper on the SCAO form with no fee (MCR 1.109(G)(3)(h)-(i)).
Accepted payment
- At the counterCash, Check, Credit card.E-filing fees are charged to the filer's credit card with a 3% transaction fee that is not refunded if a filing is rejected. Cash or check can be prepaid at the cashier using form MC 514 from the E-Services Office.
About the court
- Weapons and cutting instruments are not permitted in the courthouse by court order. Hearings may be in person or remote, as the notice of hearing states.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Oakland County
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 Oakland County, probate runs through the Probate Court at 1200 North Telegraph Road, Dept 457, Pontiac. Electronic probate filing sets Oakland County apart — only 16 Michigan counties accept it, with the rest filing on paper.
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. Creditors have 4 monthsMCL 700.3801, 700.3803, 700.3804, 700.3805, 700.3806; MCR 5.208, MCR 5.106Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Oakland County
What probate costs in Oakland 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 1200 North Telegraph Road, Dept 457, Pontiac.
Michigan charges $175MCL §§ 600.880(1), 600.1986(1)(a)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Michigan are negotiated, typically 1.7%Modeled estimate under 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): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.7%Modeled estimate under 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): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Michigan allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payMCL 700.3719 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Michigan requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
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 cases in Oakland County, Michigan are filed at the Probate Court.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
In Michigan, informal probate is availableMCL 700.3302Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, and a self-represented executor can usually handle it for a simple, uncontested estate.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Oakland County Self-Filing Assessment.
Oakland County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Document Requirements
Original will within 14 days of an e-filed application
For an estate with a will, a copy of the will is e-filed with the opening documents, which are held until the original will reaches the court by mail or at the probate counter. The filing is rejected if the original does not arrive within 14 days.
SourceRecords Access
Letters of Authority bought online through Court Explorer
Once the acceptance of appointment and the MC 97a form are accepted, certified Letters of Authority can be bought online through Court Explorer on the court website, or at the counter. Allow 24 hours for processing.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Probate Court: TWO copies of the death certificate (or of alternative documentation of death if no certificate), one of them redacted of protected personal identifying information (MCR 5.302(A)(1); MCL 700.3301, 700.3402); Original will and any codicils, if testate (MCL 700.3301(1)(b)(i), 700.3402(1)(c); MCR 5.302(A)(3)); Testimony to Identify Heirs (PC 565) — mandatory with the commencing application or petition (MCR 5.302(B))MCL 700.3301-700.3311 (informal); MCL 700.3401-700.3414 (formal); MCL 700.3103, 700.3601 (letters)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Medical Examiner in Oakland County
In Michigan a death is registered locally, and in Oakland County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Vital Records, County Clerk/Register of Deeds, Oakland County as well as by Michigan Department of Health and Human Services - Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics.
Vital Records Office Record
County Clerk
Oakland County · Vital Records, County Clerk/Register of Deeds
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
1200 North Telegraph Road, Building 12E, Pontiac, MI 48341
Website
Certified copies
At the counter, issued while you wait
City registration districts
- Farmington Hills · City Clerk's Office1-248-871-2410 · 31555 West Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48336 · Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
- Madison Heights · City Clerk's Office1-248-583-0826 · 300 West Thirteen Mile Road, Madison Heights, MI 48071 · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-11:30 AM and 12:30 PM-4:30 PM
- Rochester Hills · City Clerk's Office1-248-656-4630 · 1000 Rochester Hills Drive, Rochester Hills, MI 48309 · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
- Royal Oak · City Clerk's Office1-248-246-3050 · 203 South Troy Street, Royal Oak, MI 48067 · Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM; Friday 8:00 AM-noon
- Southfield · City Clerk's Office1-248-796-5150 · 26000 Evergreen Road, Southfield, MI 48076 · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
- Troy · City Clerk's Office1-248-524-3316 · 500 West Big Beaver Road, Troy, MI 48084 · Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Local rule
- The Clerk holds death records for Oakland County except deaths in Farmington Hills, Madison Heights, Rochester Hills, Royal Oak, Southfield and Troy, which that city's clerk holds. The Troy office of the Clerk serves by appointment only.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $15 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $5 |
Verified November 1, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Medical Examiner
Oakland County · Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
1200 North Telegraph Road, Building 28E, Pontiac, MI 48341
Website
Cremation authorization
Signed by this office
Mail and offices
Fax
1-248-452-9173
Verified November 1, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in Oakland 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 Oakland County are recorded with the Register of Deeds at 1200 North Telegraph Road, Building 12E, Pontiac, MI 48341. Phone: 1-248-858-0597. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
The Register of Deeds charges $30 flat, regardless of page count.
Oakland County accepts electronic recording through CSC, ePN, Simplifile and Hopdox.
Recording Office Record
Register of Deeds
Oakland County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
1200 North Telegraph Road, Building 12E, Pontiac, MI 48341
Website
Fees
Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $30 |
MCL 600.2567(1)(a); MCL 600.2567a
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Forms that put a death on the title
- Free forms: Affidavit of Death Form · Affidavit of Heirship Form
Probate Attorneys Serving Oakland County
Michigan allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Oakland 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, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask an Oakland 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.
Troy firm serving Oakland County and the surrounding area for more than five decades. Represents personal representatives and trustees through probate and trust administration, and litigates will and trust contests, undue influence, claims against fiduciaries and asset-ownership disputes. Also handles conservatorships, guardianships, and Medicaid and nursing home planning.
Bingham Farms firm that has guided Detroit and Oakland County families through probate for nearly three decades. Handles each stage of probate from the initial petition and asset inventory to creditor claims and distribution, administers trusts, and litigates will contests and probate and trust disputes. Guardianship, conservatorship and mediation round out the practice.
Detroit firm, in practice since 1854, with estate offices in Detroit, Troy, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Grand Rapids and southwest Michigan. Represents personal representatives, trustees and beneficiaries in estate, trust, guardianship and conservatorship administration, will contests, trust litigation, fiduciary tax returns and estate tax audits, including estates over $100 million.
Brighton estate-planning and elder-law practice with meeting offices in Ann Arbor, Bloomfield Hills, Okemos, Livonia and Novi, plus virtual meetings. Prepares wills and trusts meant to keep an estate out of probate and plans for Medicaid and nursing-home costs. Founder Christopher J. Berry is one of 18 Certified Elder Law Attorneys (CELA) in Michigan.
St. Clair Shores firm on Little Mack Avenue, formed in 1973, serving Macomb, Wayne and Oakland County families. Represents personal representatives defending an estate and relatives challenging a will or trust on grounds of incapacity, undue influence, a later document or an omitted beneficiary, and establishes guardianships and conservatorships. Ronald J. Cherf is the firm's active attorney.
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.
Legal Sources
(9)·
- MCL §§ 600.880(1), 600.1986(1)(a)
- MCL 700.3301-700.3311 (informal); MCL 700.3401-700.3414 (formal); MCL 700.3103, 700.3601 (letters)
- MCL 700.3302
- MCL 700.3719 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)
- MCL 700.3801, 700.3803, 700.3804, 700.3805, 700.3806; MCR 5.208, MCR 5.106
- MCL 600.2567(1)(a); MCL 600.2567a
- Oakland County Probate Court, official page
- Oakland County Register of Deeds, official page
- Oakland County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Michigan statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Michigan
Free tools for settling an estate in Michigan: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Michigan.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Michigan: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 91 daysMCL 700.3706, 700.3707, 700.3708Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsMCL 700.3801, 700.3803, 700.3804, 700.3805, 700.3806; MCR 5.208, MCR 5.106Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 5 months to 7 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Michigan happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeMCL 700.7101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 63 daysMCL 700.7814, 700.7905; MCL 700.7109Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
In Michigan, informal probate is availableMCL 700.3302Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, and a self-represented executor can usually handle it for a simple, uncontested estate.
Get the Answer
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