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Michigan Form PC 559: Petition for Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative
What this form does, who files it, what it costs, and how to avoid the errors that get Michigan filings rejected.
Reviewed and updated by the Clear Path document team. Informational only — not legal advice.
Quick Answer
What is Michigan form PC 559?
Form PC 559 opens a formal probate case in Michigan. It asks the probate judge to admit a will (testate) or determine there is no will (intestate), and to appoint a personal representative to settle the estate.
Who files it
An interested person — often the nominated personal representative, a surviving spouse, or an heir.
Where it goes
The probate court in the county where the decedent lived at death.
Filing fee
$175 filing fee in most Michigan probate courts, plus certification and publication costs.
What you need before you start
- The death certificate
- The original will and any codicils, if one exists
- Names and addresses of all heirs and devisees
- An estimate of the estate's value
How to complete and file form PC 559
- 1
Confirm the requested formal-probate procedure with the probate register or a licensed Michigan attorney.
- 2
Complete PC 559 with the heir and asset information.
- 3
File with the probate court and pay the fee.
- 4
Serve notice on interested persons and attend the hearing.
- 5
The judge signs the order and issues Letters of Authority (PC 572).
Mistakes that get PC 559 rejected
- Choosing a procedure without first confirming the legal requirements with the probate register or a licensed Michigan attorney
- Leaving heirs off the petition, which forces re-notice
- Filing in the wrong county — venue is the decedent's county of residence
Form PC 559 Questions
Related probate forms
- Form PC 556 — Petition and Order for Assignment (Small Estate)
- Form PC 598 — Affidavit of Decedent's Successor for Delivery of Certain Assets Owned by Decedent
- Form PC 558 — Application for Informal Probate and/or Appointment of Personal Representative
- Form PC 650 — Petition for Appointment of Guardian of Minor