The next area of Probate Court jurisdiction, is that of decedents' estates. These estates are handled differently, depending on how much, and what kind of assets are involved, whether Court supervision is required or desired, whether there is a will or not, and on other factors too numerous, and case-specific to list out here.
Do you want to know more about decedents' estates?
We will go over how they are handled
Learn more about Michigan Probate Laws & Protections.
Property distributed by intestate succession, is distributed to intestate heirs, as described below, in the following order:
.. Continue reading.
As adults, we all make personal decisions for ourselves, like where we will live, what medical decisions we make, etc. When someone cannot make those decisions for themselves, they need someone to make those decisions for them; when that decision-maker is appointed by the court, they are referred to as a "Guardian". The case is called a "Guardianship", and the protected/legally disabled person is sometimes called a "ward"... Continue reading.
A Guardian Ad Litem, or GAL, is not really a guardian, but is instead someone (usually an attorney) hired to be “the eyes and ears of the judge”. A GAL is appointed to protect the interests of vulnerable persons, such as the elderly, or minors, who may have an interest in a court proceeding. The GAL is usually required to visit at the home of that vulnerable person, to find out the true “on the ground” facts behind a Petition, and to report to the Probate Judge... Continue reading.