The court appointed a terminally ill attorney as GAL (2021), and then failed to closely monitor work. Resulting in numerous errors in reports. read more

They need a negative amount of stars for reviews. Everybody working up front need to be fired and they start from scratch. The office is ghetto. The forms are outdated. The "supervisors" wouldn't know professionalism if it kicked them in the rear end. This is the first time I've ever been to a court where staff are dressed in Walmart pajamas, completely ungroomed, and talking to people like they're complete idiots because their forms are outdated and staff are incompetent. Needless to say, I've been down there 4 times for the same issue and each time I'm hearing something different from the same minion. She told me to get a lawyer to file a simple application that originally went through but once I told her she was wrong she got offended and somehow revoked it smh I hate this court! Hate! read more

I am writing this review based on my experiences so that it may help others avoid difficulties when trying to obtain guardianship and conservatorship at this court. First, the location: it is in the Coleman A. Young building near the GM building by the Detroit River, so there is access to hotels and restaurants in walking distance. There is no parking at this building. The closest lot is across the street and runs about $25 for the day. Despite the price, this is a good option because there is an attendant and it is safe. I have used parking apps in the past to find more affordable lots. The closest was 8 blocks away, but there was no attendant and I was not sure about safety (fortunately, my car was ok). Second, the court: When you enter the building, there are 2 security lines, one for lawyers and one for everyone else. Both you and any bags you bring will be scanned before you are allowed access to elevators. There are 2 floors for probate court. All petitions filings, bond services and the cashier are on the 13th floor. For filing petitions, the hours are 8:30am-11:30am, then 1:30pm-4:30pm. I recommend arriving early because there is usually a line of people waiting. Once inside, there is a check in area for lawyers and one for everyone else. Here, they make sure you have all of the proper paperwork and forms. If so, you are sent to a waiting area to meet with a clerk to process the filing and finalize the paperwork. You are then sent to the cashier, open from 8:30am-noon, then 1:30pm-4pm. All court proceedings are held in court rooms on the 12th floor. FYI: there are no public restrooms on either of these floors; you must go to the 11th floor. Third, for guardianship: The forms you will need for filing a petition for guardianship can be accessed, filled in, and printed from the Wayne County Probate court website. Although you can obtain these onsite, it saves time to do them in advance. Once your petition accepted, you make payment with the cashier: $175. They only accept cash or Mastercard for payment. Your hearing court date will then be autogenerated by their computer system, typically 4 weeks later. If a different date is needed, you must go to the 12th floor, speak to the clerk, and request a different hearing date. This changed date may or may not be honored; mine was rescheduled (which cost me flight change fees). You must be present for the hearing date, or guardianship will not be granted. The day of the guardianship hearing, it is best to arrive at 8:30am to check in with the court clerk. The lawyer that the court appoints must also check in before the proceedings start. FYI: if the lawyer checks in "late," meaning after all the other lawyers, your case will be heard last. This means that you will be sitting in the court room all morning, or possible have to come back after lunch recess. Once your case is heard and guardianship is granted, a statement from the court is given to you which must be taken to the cashier on the 13th floor. Here, you receive the guardianship letter with the official seal. The cost is $16 per letter. Fourth, for conservatorship: The form filing process and hearing scheduling is the same as mentioned above. What is different, however, is what happens after the hearing. Unless your represent a bank, the judge will issue a bond depending on the amount of the person's estate. This must be set up before obtaining the conservatorship letter. After leaving court, a statement for the bond is given to you. The bond office is on the 13th floor. Unbeknownst to me until I arrived there, the bond companies will NOT process your bond unless you are represented by a lawyer! This information is not revealed in any prior step of the conservatorship process, not even from the judge. The other option is to try to get a bond from your car or homeowner's insurance. I was lucky and was able to flag find a lawyer who happened to be near the bond office, and convince him to help me (for a fee of course). When processing the bond application, they run a report of your credit. Based on that and the amount the judge ordered for the bond, you will pay a percentage of that as a yearly premium as long as you are the conservator. The first payment must be paid at the time of the application. Once this is done, you must complete an inventory form of assets with copies of corresponding financial statements, and an acceptance of conservatorship form, all of which the lawyer must sign off on. Once all of this has been completed, a letter of conservatorship with an official seal is issued; the cost is $12/letter. Overall, the process is tedious and not designed to be efficient. It is also disheartening to sit and listen to other cases during court proceedings instead of just attending when it is time for you case to be heard. There are also people with mental health issues that congregate in the halls. Probate court is NOT fun! read more

If I could give zero stars I would. They won't answer the phone, they won't answer your emails. They just keep adding on to what you owe for probate and won't answer as to were they got the figures from. Attorneys said it's easier to just pay them, because it's not their money. So sick of Wayne County. Bunch of no good workers. I have emailed them over 10 times and can't get one email back. Hope karma comes back to bite them in the a$$. read more

The process with the Wayne county probate is the worst ever most horrifying experience I have ever had with any court proceedings. From their new forms to be used not up on their website. Their worker sending me the correct forms and apologizing, then getting in trouble for calling to talk to me about sending me the correct forms to receiving the same forms back for my brothers case and being told they are the incorrect forms, but not for my mothers case that has since been finalized. Then the judge presiding over mothers case apologizing for the treatment from the office and having me send same paperwork to his office personally to be brought before him in MAY!! to STILL not having anything done for my brothers simple case that could be finished in 4 miniates like my mothers was in MAY 2022!!! Horrible!! read more

I am a guardian and my guardianship was scheduled to expire in May. Due to Covid19 the court was closed and I couldn't reach anyone by phone. I completed my annual report and mailed it to the court along with my fee. I was pleasantly surprised that my paperwork was processed so quickly. I received my new letters of guardianship in the mail last week. It was a great experience! read more

Won't accept the will. Why have a will if the court still has to approve real estate sales? My wife's been dead over a year and issue still not resolved. We had a professionally will written with an attorney. read more

You suck need talk to person it's hard to get the run to system especially for disabled person only just talk to person you can't get through very aggravating read more

They need to change the hours they post on the internet. They say 12:30 to 1:30 but don't expect any service after 12:15 as the intake clerks start checking their phones, putting their stamps away, checking their hair. Anything not to service a customer who now gets the privilege of sitting in the hallway until 1:30. Maybe they need a time clock........ read more

Terrible service just as with any service in Downtown Detroti. I called to get info on handling my fathers estate. I only got a recording directing me to an email or their webpage or come down there...but only at 8 am as I may be down there ALL DAY before I am assisted. Terrible service or I will say nonexistent service. read more

Got a notice, in the mail, for the hearing on my dad's estate. I got the notice only a week in advance, and was not going to make it due to travel plans. I called the Court, to see if I had to be at the hearing a,d this is what I dealt with: 1. They never answer the phone. 2. Instead, you get a pre-recorded message that tells you to either visit the court's website or email them, depending on your need. They tell you that emails will get a reply within three business days. 3. I emailed them, but got no response. This was three weeks ago. 4. I called back, but got the same recording. Horrible service. Reminds me why I moved out of Wayne County. read more

If I could give them a negative 1000, I would. How can it be COVID-19 and NO one responses to emails or answers the phones? My lawyer can't even get through. I absolutely hate this place, which I feel is a scam from the beginning; the entire system is set up to make money not to help. How can someone have a trust and will and it be contested? How can someone have power of attorney over their parent and when someone sues for guardianship, they place them with a court appointed guardian, who mind you, never called to check up on my mom who was placed in my custody, but wanted to collect a fee?, to the judge who inflicted his own personal morals and values onto my case as well as others. He wants people to have relationships with family members who are toxic---not me! Then when I was awarded guardianship in November 2, 2020, knowing that I would need original paperwork for SS benefits, I cannot not get in contact with anyone to get the paperwork sent to me. read more