Information for filers

Please note that to open Decedent’s Estates, two (2) copies of the death certificate are now required, 1 redacted and 1 unredacted: 

One copy must have the Personal Identifying Information redacted.  (ie, redact the information that goes on Form MC 97, the date of birth and all or partial SSN).  One copy must NOT be redacted.) 

If the Decedent’s Will has Personal Identifying Information in it, two (2) copies of the Will, 1 redacted and 1 unredacted, are also now required. 

This is a change to Michigan Court Rule 5.302(A)(1)-(2), effective January 1, 2024. The relevant portion of MCR 5.302 is as follows: 

MCR 5.302 Commencement of Decedent Estates

(A) Methods of Commencement. A decedent estate may be commenced by filing an application for an informal proceeding or a petition for a formal testacy proceeding. A request for supervised administration may be made in a petition for a formal testacy proceeding.

(1) When filing either an application or petition to commence a decedent estate, two copies of the death certificate must be filed with the application or petition. If the death certificate is not available, the petitioner may file two copies of alternative documentation of the decedent’s death. In either instance, the petitioner must redact from one of the copies being filed all protected personal identifying information as required by MCR 1.109(D)(9). The unredacted copy of the death certificate or alternative documentation must be maintained by the court as a nonpublic record.

(2) If a will that is being filed with the court for the purposes of commencing an estate contains protected personal identifying information, the filer must provide the will being filed for probate and a copy that has the protected personal identifying information redacted as required by MCR 1.109(D)(9). The unredacted version of the will must be maintained by the court as a nonpublic record.

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The Michigan Court Rules can be found at the Michigan Courts website Court Rules page.