I am trying to locate a public record for a will my grandmother wrote.?

Question:

I am trying to locate a public record for a will my grandmother wrote.?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: When a person writes a will, the only copies are given to the attorney who wrote it and the client. The client has the choice whether to give a copy to the person named as the executor or not.

At the time of death, either the attorney or the executor files a copy of the will with the Probate court of the county of the person's legal residence...though there are exceptions. The notable exception is when a person owns more than one home. Legally, any one of those residences (primary or not) can be sufficient to open the probate in another county. It happens often when you have a person with a home in Florida and another in Michigan. The probate case can be opened in either state. If they own a house in Detroit and another in Grand Rapids, the probate could be opened in either Wayne County or Kent County.

Beyond that, the will is public record as soon as it is filed. Everyone (including creditors) has a right to review and get a copy of it. You simply contact the Clerk of the Probate Court, write the person's name, date of birth and date of death in your request for a copy. I personally call the Clerk's office ahead of time to make sure it is on file, get the docket number, and have them tell me how many pages...you pay for the copy by number of pages. Send your letter with a check to cover the amount and you'll have a copy in a matter of days.

In most states, it's actually illegal for the executor to release a copy of the will. It's a legal document and only the court is allowed to control its distribution.