Huntington Woods estate-and-probate firm practicing in the Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston, Monroe, Washtenaw and St. Clair County probate courts. Handles contested and uncontested probate and trust administration, guardianships and conservatorships, and litigation over wills, trusts and breach of fiduciary duty. Offers a free phone consultation.
What to Do When Someone Dies in St. Clair County, Michigan
How probate works in St. Clair County: the Probate Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
St. Clair County Probate Court
St. Clair County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
201 McMorran Boulevard, Room 2700, Port Huron, MI 48060
Website
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
Self-represented filing
AllowedThe court's "Filing a Decedent Estate" guide outlines the petition for assignment, informal application and formal petition routes and lists the forms needed to open a file. Court staff answer questions about filing requirements but cannot give legal advice.
Fax
1-810-985-2179
Departments
- Guardian and Conservator Workshops1-810-985-2176RSVP line for the court's guardian and conservator workshops; messages can be left at any time.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in St. Clair 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 St. Clair County, probate runs through the Probate Court at 201 McMorran Boulevard, Room 2700, Port Huron.
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 St. Clair County
What probate costs in St. Clair 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 201 McMorran Boulevard, Room 2700, Port Huron.
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 St. Clair County are filed at the Probate Court. File in person during business hours or by mail.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Guardian and Conservator Workshops.
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 St. Clair County Self-Filing Assessment.
St. Clair County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
An informal estate is opened with the application, testimony to identify heirs, acceptance of appointment, the will and the death certificate
The court's guide lists PC 558 (application), PC 565 (testimony to identify heirs), PC 566 (supplemental testimony) where needed, the will if there is one, the death certificate and PC 571 (acceptance of appointment) as the papers that open a file.
SourceDocument Requirements
A petition for assignment must have a receipt showing the status of the funeral bill attached
The court's guide says the procedure can usually be completed within a few days of filing.
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 St. Clair County
In Michigan a death is registered locally, and in St. Clair County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by County Clerk's Office, St. Clair 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
St. Clair County · County Clerk's Office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM-4:15 PM; Friday 10:00 AM-4:15 PM
Office
201 McMorran Boulevard, Room 1100, Port Huron, MI 48060
Website
Fax
1-810-985-2241
Local rule
- A certificate requested online or by mail goes out by first class mail and arrives in 5 to 10 business days.
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $15 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $6 |
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Medical Examiner
St. Clair County · St. Clair County Medical Examiner
Verified November 2, 2026 · Source
Transferring Property in St. Clair 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 St. Clair County are recorded with the Register of Deeds at 200 Grand River Avenue, Suite 103, Port Huron, MI 48060. Phone: 1-810-989-6930. Hours: Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-4:30 PM; Friday 10:30 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-4:30 PM.
The Register of Deeds charges $30 flat, regardless of page count.
St. Clair County accepts electronic recording through CSC and ePN.
Recording Office Record
Register of Deeds
St. Clair County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-4:30 PM; Friday 10:30 AM-noon and 1:00 PM-4:30 PM
Office
200 Grand River Avenue, Suite 103, Port Huron, MI 48060
Website
E-recording
available via CSC and ePN
Fax
1-810-985-4795
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 St. Clair County
Michigan allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in St. Clair 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 a St. Clair 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.
Port Huron firm on 3rd Street serving St. Clair County, with an estate planning and probate work group headed by David Devendorf and Marc Oswald. The group handles probate administration, trust administration, guardianships and conservatorships, along with wills, trusts, patient advocate designations, durable powers of attorney and business succession planning.
Mount Clemens firm founded in 1903, Macomb County's oldest continuous law firm, handling probate court matters primarily in Macomb, Wayne, Oakland and St. Clair Counties. Represents personal representatives and trustees in estate and trust administration and handles guardianships and conservatorships; will and trust contests are referred to local counsel.
Fort Gratiot estate planning and elder law practice founded by attorney Buzz Suuppi for families in St. Clair County, offering in-home meetings in and near the county as well as virtual consultations. Guides personal representatives through probate, from submitting the will and appointment to collecting assets, and helps with trust administration, usually billed by the hour.
East Lansing elder law and probate firm with offices in Battle Creek, Jackson, Saginaw, Southfield, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. Helps fiduciaries with inventories, accountings and creditor claims, and its litigation team handles will and trust contests over undue influence, capacity and breach of fiduciary duty, guardianships and elder financial exploitation.
Grand Rapids and Livonia estate firm started in 1994 by former Navy JAG attorney John Tamboer. For executors it obtains letters of authority and handles the notices and court filings to the end of the case; for successor trustees it handles private trust settlement, retitling and beneficiary notices, and it files small-estate petitions. The first administration consultation is free.
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
- St. Clair County Probate Court, official page
- St. Clair County Register of Deeds, official page
- St. Clair 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.
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