Is independent probate (an informal procedure with little if any court involvement) still an option?
Yes. One of the most popular aspects of the old probate code was its adoption of “independent probate,” which in contrast to “supervised” administration allowed a decedent’s estate to be administered free from day-to-day involvement with the probate court. Today, the majority of estates in Michigan are administered by independent proceedings. EPIC retains this concept, but has further streamlined the process, which it refers to as “unsupervised administration.” Under EPIC, unsupervised administration becomes the default procedure for administering an estate. If your personal representative (the person you name in your will to administer your probate estate) believes there will be disputes over his or her appointment as administrator or disagreement over decisions involving settling your estate (the sale of your home, for example), he or she may petition the court for supervised administration. In that case, a probate court judge will review all documents and decisions made in regard to
