Why Oakland County Probate Hearings Get Adjourned: The #1 Reason You Can Actually Control

Make sure you "serve" the documents by 1st-class mail to the estranged family member (ex. offspring, sibling, parent, and spouse) and e-file the "Proof of Service" with the court before the hearing.

Probate practitioners, fiduciaries, and families all share the same frustration: you prepare for a hearing, clear your schedule, maybe even take time off work—only to learn the matter has been adjourned. It feels like lost momentum, wasted time, and unnecessary stress.

But here’s the part most people don’t realize: in Oakland County Probate Court, the most common reason hearings are adjourned is completely preventable.

Let’s break it down in a way that’s useful for attorneys, legal assistants, and clients alike.

⭐ The #1 Reason: Missing or Incomplete Filings

If you talk to any Oakland County probate judge, register, or clerk, you’ll hear a consistent theme: Hearings are most often adjourned because required documents weren’t filed—or weren’t filed correctly.

This includes:

• Missing proofs of service

• Notices not served properly

• E-Filed documents rejected for technical errors

Probate is a document-driven court. If the file isn’t complete, the court simply can’t proceed. And unlike some other dockets, probate judges rely heavily on written materials to confirm statutory compliance before they ever call the case.

When something essential is missing, the hearing stalls.

Why This Happens So Often

It’s rarely intentional. More commonly, adjournments stem from:

• A misunderstanding of what must be filed

• eFiling rejections that go unnoticed

• Service mistakes (especially with certified mail or out-of-state parties). For example, you must “serve” the estranged sibling, child, and spouse. Yes, even if you haven’t had contact in decades, or they live in a foreign country. If you don’t have their address to either mail or hand-deliver the documents, you must pay an additional fee to the Oakland County Legal News to publish notice of the hearing.

• Parties assuming the court “already has” something they never actually submitted

In a busy practice—or for self-represented individuals—these details are easy to miss. But the court can’t overlook them.

Other Common (But Secondary) Reasons for Adjournment

While incomplete filings top the list, other factors do contribute:

• Attorney scheduling conflicts

• Parties not appearing

• Mediation not completed

• Need for additional evaluations or reports

• Stipulated adjournments between counsel

These happen, but not nearly as consistently as missing paperwork.

How to Prevent Adjournments in Oakland County Probate Court

A few simple habits dramatically reduce the risk:

📌 1. Use a pre-hearing checklist

Confirm every required document is filed, accepted, and visible in MiFILE.

📌 2. Double-check service

Make sure notices are served correctly and proofs are uploaded.

📌 3. Monitor eFiling status

Rejected filings are the silent killers of probate hearings.

The Bottom Line

Adjournments feel unpredictable, but in Oakland County Probate Court, the biggest cause is one you can control: incomplete or missing filings. When the file is complete, hearings almost always move forward. When it’s not, the court has no choice but to delay.