Michigan SCAO Guardianship Forms: Complete Filing Checklist

Which Forms You Actually Need (and Why the Wrong Set Gets You Rejected)

Michigan probate courts require every guardianship filing to use standardized forms published by the State Court Administrative Office. You can't substitute your own formatting, and missing a single required attachment — particularly the confidential information sheets — is the most common reason clerks reject a guardianship packet outright.

The problem is that Michigan runs two completely separate guardianship tracks with different form sets. Filing the wrong petition form can lead to rejection or delay, and you may need to restart the filing under the statute you actually need.

Here's the breakdown by track.

The Developmental Disability (DD) Track Forms

If your adult child's disability began before age 22 and causes substantial limitations in three or more major life activities, you file under Chapter 6 of the Michigan Mental Health Code (MCL 330.1600 et seq.). This track has no filing fee.

Required forms:

• PC 658 — Petition for Appointment of Guardian, Individual with Alleged Developmental Disability. This is your initiating document. It asks for the individual's diagnosis, living situation, and the specific powers you're requesting.

• PC 659 — Report to Accompany Petition. This is the clinical evaluation that must be completed by a multidisciplinary team within the past 12 months. At least one evaluator must be a licensed physician or psychologist competent in developmental disabilities, and that evaluator must testify at the hearing. If you file PC 658 without PC 659, the court orders the county Community Mental Health agency to conduct an evaluation — adding significant time to your timeline.

• PC 571 — Acceptance of Appointment. The proposed guardian signs this to formally accept the legal duties. It is part of the post-hearing fiduciary-qualification step; follow the court's instructions for when to file it.

• MC 97 — Protected Personal Identifying Information. Contains the alleged incapacitated individual's Social Security number, date of birth, and driver's license number. This form is kept confidential and separated from the public court file.

• MC 97a — Addendum to Protected Personal Identifying Information. Same confidential treatment, but for the proposed guardian's personal data.

The Legally Incapacitated Individual (LII) Track Forms

If the cognitive impairment arose after age 22 — from a brain injury, progressive illness, or mental health condition — you file under EPIC (MCL 700.5303). This track carries a $175 filing fee.

Required forms:

• PC 625 — Petition for Appointment of Guardian of Incapacitated Individual. Similar structure to PC 658 but governed by different statutory standards.

• PC 571 — Acceptance of Appointment (same form, both tracks).

• MC 97 and MC 97a — Same confidential information sheets.

There's no equivalent of the PC 659 clinical report form for the LII track, but the court still requires medical evidence of incapacity. You'll need physician letters or evaluations establishing that the individual cannot make decisions, though the one-year recency requirement is specific to the DD track.

Filing Procedures: MiFILE vs. In-Person

Most Michigan counties now accept or require electronic filing through the MiFILE system (mifile.courts.michigan.gov). Wayne County, Oakland County, and Kent County all route filings through MiFILE. However, the system can be unforgiving — follow the county's current instructions for pagination, file format, and whether forms must be uploaded separately.

Some rural counties still accept walk-in paper filings. Call the probate court register before assuming either way, because showing up with paper at a mandatory-electronic county (or emailing documents to a paper-only county) wastes everyone's time.

Additional Forms You'll Need After Filing

Once the petition is filed, the process generates additional paperwork:

• PC 564 — Proof of Service. You must personally serve the respondent at least 7 days before the hearing and file this form proving it.

• PC 626 — Notice of Rights. The court or Guardian ad Litem provides this to the respondent, explaining their right to attend the hearing, contest the petition, demand a jury trial, and request an independent evaluation.

After appointment, ongoing reporting uses:

• PC 663 — Annual Report of Guardian (DD track), due within 56 days of the appointment anniversary.
• PC 634 — Annual Report of Guardian (LII track), same 56-day deadline.
• PC 584 — Annual Account of Conservator, if a conservatorship was also established ($20 filing fee per account).

Wayne County's Extra Requirements

Wayne County Probate Court adds two local forms:

• WCPC 99 — Petitioner Filing Coversheet
• MC 505 — Contact Information Form

If you're filing in Wayne County without these, the clerk may return the packet regardless of how perfectly you completed everything else.

Where to Download Everything

All SCAO forms are available at micourt.courts.michigan.gov under the "Forms" section. Search by form number (PC 658, PC 625, etc.) rather than browsing categories — the guardianship forms span multiple sections. Fee waiver requests use Form MC 20, available from the same portal.

For a complete filing timeline, required evidence list, and county-specific procedures for Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, and Kent counties, the Michigan Adult Guardianship & Alternatives Guide walks through each form field-by-field with common mistakes flagged.

See more Michigan guides →