House Ownership After Death Without Will

Question: My mother just passed away almost two months ago. I don't think she had a will, and she owned a house on Lake Michigan. Her husband of thirteen years was not listed on the mortgage papers but they were together up to her death. Is he allowed to keep the house without thing being tied up in probate court?

Answer: If your mother put the home in "Joint tenancy with right of survivorship" then her husband would succeed to the ownership without the need for probate court. If you have an address and a Michigan Real Estate Tax Code, we could probably do a quick check for you.

Attorney: Mark A. Miller