Ingham County, Michigan Court Filing
Fee Lookup

Ingham County, Michigan — home to approximately 285,007 residents and in the top quarter of Michigan jurisdictions by population — handles court filings through the Ingham County Probate Court in Mason. Michigan's court structure (Circuit Court (civil/family) / Probate Court (county-level) / District Court (small claims)) determines which courthouse accepts which case types and what fees apply.

For residents of Ingham County, the filing fee amounts depend on both the state's statutory schedule and any local surcharges added by the county.

Ingham County is home to both Michigan's state capital in Lansing and Michigan State University in East Lansing, making government and higher education the twin pillars of the local economy. These local economic characteristics shape the types of legal proceedings filed in Ingham County — from probate of estates that include commercial property or business interests near Mason to civil disputes arising from the county's primary industries.

The Ingham County Probate Court handles the full range of case types for this community, with filing fees applying uniformly based on case type regardless of the underlying subject matter.

Ingham County is known for landmarks including Michigan State Capitol, Michigan State University, Michigan Historical Museum. For residents and businesses in the areas surrounding these community anchors, knowing the applicable filing fees and court procedures in advance helps legal matters proceed efficiently at the Ingham County Probate Court in Mason.

• Filing fees in Ingham County are based on Michigan's statutory schedule, which applies statewide, plus any local surcharges assessed by the county. For reference, the statewide base fees by case type are: probate and estate filings — $150–$175 (Probate Court — per county)
• civil complaints and appearances — $175–$225 (Circuit Court) / $45–$75 (District Court)
• family law matters (divorce, custody, support) — $175–$225 (Circuit Court — Family Division)
• small claims filings — $30–$70 (District Court small claims). These figures represent the state-level base
• the total amount due at the Ingham County Probate Court in Mason may include additional local charges.

As one of Michigan's larger jurisdictions, Ingham County may assess higher local surcharges than the state's rural counties, reflecting the greater administrative cost of operating a high-volume court in Mason.

• Beyond the initial filing fee, Ingham County litigants and estate administrators should budget for recurring court costs throughout the proceeding: fees for filing subsequent motions and responses, charges for certified copies of letters testamentary or court orders (typically $5 to $25 per document in Michigan), jury demand deposits in civil cases, and in probate matters, fees associated with filing the inventory, accountings, and petition for discharge.
• For a complete picture of expected court costs in Ingham County, request the full fee schedule from the Ingham County Probate Court clerk in Mason before initiating the proceeding.

Michigan has been expanding electronic filing (e-filing) capabilities across its court system. Ingham County is among the jurisdictions where e-filing is more established.

For this major county, the Ingham County Probate Court in Mason likely participates in the state's e-filing system, and represented parties in civil and family matters may be required to file electronically. Contact the Ingham County Probate Court clerk directly to confirm the current e-filing requirements for your specific case type.

When e-filing is available in Ingham County, the system charges a convenience fee per transaction — typically $2 to $8 — in addition to the applicable statutory court fees. This convenience fee is charged by the e-filing service provider rather than the court itself and is generally non-waivable even for litigants who have received a court fee waiver.

Self-represented litigants (pro se filers) are often exempt from mandatory e-filing requirements and may file in paper at the Ingham County Probate Court clerk's window in Mason during regular business hours.

For probate and estate matters in Ingham County, e-filing availability may differ from civil cases. Some Michigan probate courts have been slower to adopt e-filing given the document-intensive nature of estate proceedings — original wills, certified death certificates, and original deeds often require in-person or mail submission regardless of whether other case types accept electronic filing.

Verify with the Ingham County Probate Court in Mason which documents can be e-filed and which require physical originals before planning your filing strategy.

• Ingham County residents who cannot afford court filing fees may apply for a fee waiver under MCL § 600.2963.
• To apply, file a declaration of financial condition with the Ingham County Probate Court clerk's office in Mason at the time of your initial filing.
• The declaration lists all household income sources, monthly expenses, assets, and liabilities.
• A judge or court commissioner reviews the application and issues an order granting or denying the waiver, typically within a few days of submission.

• Eligibility for a fee waiver in Ingham County generally requires that household income fall at or below 125% to 200% of the federal poverty level, or that the applicant is receiving qualifying public benefits — commonly Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or public housing assistance.
• The specific income thresholds and qualifying programs are defined in MCL § 600.2963 and may have been updated by recent legislation.
• Ask the Ingham County Probate Court clerk in Mason for the current income guidelines before completing your declaration.

• A granted fee waiver covers filing fees charged by the Ingham County Probate Court — including initial filing fees and subsequent filings in the same case — but does not cover costs owed to third parties.
• In Ingham County probate proceedings, a fee waiver does not eliminate the cost of publishing a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation (a statutory requirement in most states), service of process fees paid to process servers or the sheriff's office, or costs for court-ordered appraisals.
• Budget for these additional costs separately even when a fee waiver is in effect.