Macomb County Probate Court Jurisdiction
The Probate Court has exclusive legal and equitable jurisdiction in decedent estates, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, protective proceedings, and commitment proceedings. The Probate Court's information page describes case evaluation and the court's technology resources. The judges listed by the official page are Sandra A. Harrison, Sara A. Schimke, and Aaron J. Hall.
Probate Court is not a division of the 16th Circuit Court. It has its own bench, its own register, and its own filing rules. Treat it as a separate trial court rather than a Circuit Court annex.
Probate Court Hours and Filing Cutoffs
The Probate Court is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The court closes for lunch. Filings are not accepted after 4:00 p.m. Emergency filings must be filed in person by 3:00 p.m.; emergency filings after 3:00 p.m. are processed the next business day. Filings are not accepted by email or fax. Treat these cutoffs as hard deadlines.
Note: Probate does not accept email or fax filings; bring or mail paper, and arrive before 4:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. for emergencies).
Search Macomb County Probate Cases
The Probate Court uses CourtView Public Access for case lookup. The court describes the tool as a party-name index for estate, trust, guardianship, and other case information. Search results show the case number and the assigned judge. The case number is required for document orders.
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Party Name | Yes | Party-name index per Probate Court page. |
| Case Number | Optional | Use if known. |
| Judge | Result field | Returned with the case. |
| Search | Yes | Runs the lookup on CourtView. |
Macomb County Probate Court Fees
The Probate Court fee schedule publishes the filing and copy fees below. Inventory fees are set by MCL 600.871 and scale with the value of the estate.
| Filing or Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Guardianship | $175 |
| Conservatorship | $175 |
| Protective order | $175 |
| Decedent estate | $175 + inventory fee |
| Trust supervision | $175 |
| Civil action | $175 |
| Electronic system filing fee | $25 |
| Subsequent petitions, motions, objections | $20 |
| Accounts and amended accounts | $20 |
| Claims | $20 |
| Will filed for safekeeping | $25 |
| Small estates | $25 + inventory fee |
| Certified copies of Letters of Authority | $12 each |
| Inventory fee | $5 and up under MCL 600.871 |
| Guardianship of individual with developmental disability | No fee |
| Petition for involuntary psychiatric treatment | No fee |
| Certified or exemplified multi-page documents other than Letters | $12 first page + $1 each additional page |
| Photocopies | $1 per page |
Macomb County Decedent Estate Process
Probate of a decedent estate in Macomb County follows the steps below. Michigan SCAO forms and any Macomb local forms are required for filings.
- Identify the proceeding type (decedent estate, trust, guardianship, conservatorship, protective proceeding, or commitment).
- Complete SCAO and Macomb forms.
- File in person or by accepted paper method (no email or fax).
- Pay the base filing fee and any electronic system fee.
- Serve notices on interested persons.
- Attend hearings for formal probate or contested matters.
- File inventory, accountings, claims, and responses as required.
- Pay the inventory fee under MCL 600.871 before the final account.
- Request certified Letters of Authority as needed at $12 per certified copy.
Guardianships and Conservatorships
Guardianship is the probate proceeding for personal care and decision-making authority over a minor or an incapacitated adult. Conservatorship is the proceeding for managing another person's finances and property. Both carry a $175 base filing fee in Macomb County, with no fee for the guardianship of an individual with a developmental disability. Filings include the petition, notice to interested persons, a guardian or conservator bond when ordered, periodic reports, and final accountings. Macomb's Probate Court accepts these filings in person at the 5th Floor counter at 40 N. Main Street. Email and fax filings are not accepted.
Confidential Mental Health Commitment Records
Mental-health commitment proceedings are within the Probate Court's jurisdiction, but the files include protected medical and mental-health information. Commitment records are not treated like ordinary public civil records. Adoption files are confidential under MCL 710.67. The petition for involuntary psychiatric treatment is filed with no fee.
Objections, Petitions, and Claims
After the initial probate filing, interested persons can file petitions, motions, objections, accounts, and claims at $20 each. Common motions include petitions to remove a personal representative, objections to an account, claims by creditors, and petitions for instructions. Each filing follows the court's notice requirements; service on interested persons matters because the court can disregard a filing that lacks proof of service. Probate disputes are resolved at scheduled hearings before the assigned probate judge. The Macomb Probate Court page describes case evaluation as a tool for resolving contested matters.
Small Estate Filings in Macomb Probate Court
Small estate filings are a streamlined option for decedent estates that fall under the Michigan small estate threshold. The base small estate fee is $25 plus the inventory fee under MCL 600.871. The petitioner files in Macomb Probate Court using the SCAO small estate form and supporting documents. The Probate Register processes the filing and issues a small estate order if the case qualifies. Small estates save filing time and fees compared to formal probate, but they cover only a narrow band of estates that meet statutory limits.
Trust Supervision in Macomb Probate Court
Trust supervision is filed in Probate Court for trusts that need court oversight. The base filing fee is $175. Trusts under court supervision file accountings, notices, and orders on the same schedule as decedent estates. Trustees who need certified copies of orders can order them from the Probate Register at $12 per certified copy. Trust supervision differs from decedent estate administration because the trust itself, rather than a deceased person, holds the assets. Macomb Probate Court accepts trust supervision filings in person; email and fax filings are not accepted.
Macomb County Probate Court Judges
The official Probate Court page lists three judges: Sandra A. Harrison, Sara A. Schimke, and Aaron J. Hall. Each judge hears probate cases assigned by the court's case management. Probate dockets include estate hearings, guardianship reviews, conservatorship accountings, and commitment hearings. The Probate Court page describes the court as having exclusive legal and equitable jurisdiction in decedent estates, guardianships, conservatorships, protective proceedings, and commitments. The court's case lookup returns the assigned judge along with the case number, so anyone searching probate by party name will see who sits on the file.
Probate Register and Court Staff
The Probate Register is the clerk for the Probate Court and is separate from the elected County Clerk. The Probate Register handles probate filings, accepts inventories, processes accountings, and issues certified Letters of Authority. Probate Court staff also include estate examiners, juvenile officers (where the court hears juvenile commitment matters), and administrative personnel. Filings are not accepted by email or fax. Mail filings go to 40 N. Main Street, 5th Floor, Mount Clemens, MI 48043, but the court still requires paper filing or in-person delivery within the posted hours.
Probate Court Technology and Newsletters
The Probate Court publishes newsletters, online forms, and estate packets through its information page. The court page also asks users to take a 2026 Satisfaction Survey about recent court experiences, fairness, equality, respect, and service improvement. CourtView is the case lookup tool; the Probate Court page says results show the case number and the assigned judge. The court does not run an email or fax filing channel, so probate users should plan paper filings even when other Michigan courts allow eFiling.
Probate Glossary
Probate uses several terms that are unfamiliar to many people. Knowing the basics speeds up filings and reduces back-and-forth at the counter.
- Testator
- A person who made a valid will.
- Personal Representative
- Person appointed to administer an estate; the Michigan term for executor or administrator.
- Intestate
- Dying without a valid will; the estate follows Michigan intestacy rules.
- Letters of Authority
- Court order authorizing a personal representative or guardian to act on behalf of an estate or ward.
- Inventory
- Filing that lists the estate's assets and their values; supports the inventory fee.
- Guardianship
- Probate appointment for personal and care decisions.
- Conservatorship
- Probate appointment for financial decisions.
Macomb County Probate Court Contact
The Probate Court counter is on the 5th Floor of the 40 N. Main court building. Filings stop at 4:00 p.m. and emergency filings stop at 3:00 p.m. in person.
Macomb County Probate Court
40 N. Main Street, 5th Floor
Mount Clemens, MI 48043
586-469-5290
Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m.–noon, 1:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
For Circuit Court matters, see Macomb County Circuit Court. For Clerk-side document orders, see County Clerk. For docket entries on a probate file, see court dockets.