A couple of years ago I was doing some research in Livingston County, which is right next to Oakland County. I went to the county clerk's office to look for a death record from 1872 with the intent of going to the probate court. The county clerk told me I would be required to have a death certificate in order to request the probate file. I did get the death certificate and the court did ask to see it so this apparently isn't just in Oakland County. Wanda