Farmington Hills, Michigan, Probate & Estate Administration Lawyers

Last updated on October 20, 2026

At Brown Borkowski & Morrow, our attorneys are experienced in providing clients with comprehensive probate and trust estate administration services. Our goal is to make the administration as seamless as possible by doing the hard work for you.

We understand that the allocation of a family member’s estate can be draining and emotional. To relieve some of the stress, our attorneys will walk you through the legal process at your pace. We have represented a variety of clients, some with very high-value estates and some with more modest ones, and we have helped them talk openly about their concerns to ensure that the estate administration process goes as smoothly as possible.

Brown Borkowski & Morrow provides convenient appointments. Call to schedule a free consolation at 888-757-1681.

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“A loved one passed away without a trust, and you have to navigate probate court. Doing it alone is confusing; we will hold your hand, handle the filings efficiently, save you time, and guide you through local county courts.”

Providing Experienced Probate Administration Services

Michigan probate laws require a structured approach to transfer property and pay final debts. When a loved one passes away without a trust, families must enter the probate court system to settle the estate. Doing this alone often feels confusing. Our team provides clear, step-by-step guidance for standard, uncontested probate cases. We assist the personal representative with court filings, asset inventory and creditor resolution. We guide you through the legal process so you can focus on your family instead of court paperwork.

What To Do When Someone Dies Without A Will In Michigan

Dying without a will means dying intestate. Michigan law uses Intestate Succession rules to determine who inherits the property. You might wonder if you need a lawyer to settle an estate. While some families try to handle it alone, a Farmington Hills probate lawyer helps you avoid filing errors and court delays. We explain the rules in plain English and help you understand exactly how the court distributes assets. Our firm filters out high-conflict family battles to focus on efficient, uncontested administration.

Understanding Which Assets Go Through Probate

Not all property requires a judge’s oversight. We help you distinguish between assets that pass directly to beneficiaries and those that require formal probate administration. Property held in a trust, joint bank accounts and life insurance policies with named beneficiaries often bypass the court. For everything else, we secure the official Letters of Authority so you can legally manage and transfer the remaining physical property and accounts.

How Long Does Probate Take In Local County Courts?

Families frequently ask about the timeline for settling an estate. A standard administration typically takes several months to complete. This timeline includes a mandatory four-month creditor notice period. Publishing the Notice to Creditors gives the Personal Representative time to resolve valid claims and shields the estate from future liability. We offer organized probate checklists to keep you informed about these deadlines without unexpected bills. Our attorneys represent clients across local venues, including the Oakland County Probate Court, the Wayne County Probate Court and the Macomb County Probate Court.

Our Step-By-Step Estate Settlement Process

We value prompt communication and transparency at every stage of the legal process. Our Detroit probate attorney team handles the heavy lifting for uncontested estates. Our team manages the required filings to keep your case moving forward. We guide families through these specific legal steps:

• Court petition filing: We open the estate and secure your legal authority to act.
• Asset inventory submission: We help you file the Inventory Filing for bank accounts and real estate.
• Creditor resolution: We manage valid debts and protect the estate from improper claims.
• Asset distribution: We obtain the final Order of Discharge and transfer property to the rightful heirs.

Completing these filings allows us to close the estate efficiently.

Addressing Contested Estate Matters

Our lawyers have extensive experience representing clients when disputes arise over a trust, will or other aspects of estate administration. We will work hard to protect your interests and carry out your loved one’s wishes in accordance with the law.

Do you handle wills, trusts or both?

At Brown Borkowski & Morrow we handle both probate administrations from Will as well as trust administrations from revocable and irrevocable trusts. We can advise a fiduciary how to administer the probate or trust administrations.

Are you prepared to deal with a will contest? There is some disagreement in our family over the estate.

Disagreements about estates are all too common. When we represent clients in will contest situations, we offer our advice based on many years of experience working with many families. Litigation is sometimes unavoidable and in some cases may involve third parties such as creditors or business partners. When family members gear up to fight each other in a will contest, we remind them that money can be replaced, but a family relationship (brother or sister) is irreplaceable. As attorneys and counselors we often ask, is it truly worth it to you to fight with your brother or sister for the sake of financial gain — but to lose valuable relationships in the process

Contact Us For Your Estate Administration Needs

You can rely on our experience to guide you through the local court system. We understand that settling a family member’s estate takes an emotional toll. Our attorneys provide the clear direction you need to manage the legal requirements and protect the estate. Call 888-757-1681 for help. Use our online form or call the firm to speak with a probate attorney about your case.