Title 600, REVISED JUDICATURE ACT OF 1961

Sec. 4911. (1) At least 7 days before the mediation hearing date, each party shall submit to the mediation clerk 5 copies of the documents pertaining to the issues to be mediated and 5 copies of a concise brief or summary setting forth that party's factual or legal position on is…

Sec. 4913. (1) A party has the right, but is not required, to attend a mediation hearing. If scars, disfigurement, or other unusual conditions exist, they may be demonstrated to the mediation panel by a personal appearance; however, testimony shall not be taken or permitted of an…

Sec. 4915. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2), within 14 days after the mediation hearing, the panel shall make an evaluation and notify the attorney for each party of its evaluation in writing. The evaluation shall include a specific finding on the applicable sta…

Sec. 4917. (1) Each party shall file a written acceptance or rejection of the mediation panel's evaluation with the mediation clerk within 28 days after service of the panel's evaluation. The failure to file a written acceptance or rejection within the 28 days constitutes accepta…

Sec. 4919. (1) If all the parties accept the mediation panel's evaluation, judgment shall be entered in that amount, which shall include all fees, costs, and interest to the date of judgment. (2) In a case involving multiple parties, judgment shall be entered as to those opposing…

Sec. 4921. (1) If a party has rejected an evaluation and the action proceeds to trial, that party shall pay the opposing party's actual costs unless the verdict is more favorable to the rejecting party than the mediation evaluation. However, if the opposing party has also rejecte…

Sec. 4923. A trial date scheduled in advance of the date set for a mediation hearing shall not be delayed because the mediation hearing was not held, unless the court finds that the interests of justice are served by the mediation proceeding. This section shall not apply if the m…

Sec. 4951. (1) Each civil action based on tort in which it is claimed that damages exceed $10,000.00, except an action alleging medical malpractice, shall be mediated pursuant to this chapter. (2) The judge to whom a civil action as prescribed in subsection (1) is assigned or the…

Sec. 4953. (1) Mediation panels shall be composed of 3 members. (2) The procedure for selecting mediation panel members and their qualifications shall be as prescribed by the Michigan court rules or local court rules. (3) A judge may be selected as a member of a mediation panel, …

Sec. 4955. (1) The court shall designate the clerk of the court, the court administrator, the assignment clerk, or some other person to serve as the mediation clerk. (2) The mediation clerk shall set a time and place for the mediation hearing and send notice to the mediators and …

Sec. 4957. (1) Within 14 days after the mailing of the notice of the mediation hearing, each party shall submit payment to the mediation clerk of a mediation fee of $75.00 in the manner specified in the notice of the mediation hearing. However, if a judge is a member of the panel…

Sec. 4959. (1) At least 7 days before the mediation hearing date, each party shall submit to the mediation clerk 3 copies of the documents pertaining to the issues to be mediated and 3 copies of a concise brief or summary setting forth that party's factual or legal position on is…

Sec. 4961. (1) A party has the right, but is not required, to attend a mediation hearing. If scars, disfigurement, or other unusual conditions exist, they may be demonstrated to the mediation panel by a personal appearance; however, testimony shall not be taken or permitted of an…

Sec. 4963. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2), within 14 days after the mediation hearing, the panel shall make an evaluation and notify the attorney for each party of its evaluation in writing. If an award is not unanimous, the evaluation shall so indicate. (2) I…

Sec. 4965. (1) Each party shall file a written acceptance or rejection of the mediation panel's evaluation with the mediation clerk within 28 days after service of the panel's evaluation. The failure to file a written acceptance or rejection within the 28 days constitutes accepta…

Sec. 4967. (1) If all the parties accept the mediation panel's evaluation, judgment shall be entered in that amount, which shall include all fees, costs, and interest to the date of judgment. (2) In a case involving multiple parties, judgment shall be entered as to those opposing…

Sec. 4969. (1) If a party has rejected an evaluation and the action proceeds to trial, that party shall pay the opposing party's actual costs unless the verdict is more favorable to the rejecting party than the mediation evaluation. However, if the opposing party has also rejecte…

Sec. 501. The state is divided into judicial circuits as provided in this chapter.

Sec. 502. The first judicial circuit consists of the county of Hillsdale and has 1 judge.

Sec. 503. The second judicial circuit consists of the county of Berrien and has 4 judges.

Sec. 504. (1) The third judicial circuit consists of the county of Wayne and has the following number of judges: (a) Until 12 noon, January 1, 2015, 60 judges. (b) Beginning 12 noon, January 1, 2015, 56 judges. The 4 judgeships eliminated from this circuit at 12 noon, January 1, …

Sec. 505. The fourth judicial circuit consists of the county of Jackson and has 4 judges.

Sec. 506. (1) except as provided in subsection (2), the fifth judicial circuit consists of the counties of Barry and Eaton and has 2 judges. (2) If the county of Barry approves the reformation of the fifth judicial circuit pursuant to law and the county of Eaton approves the crea…

Sec. 507. (1) The sixth judicial circuit consists of the county of Oakland and, except as otherwise provided in this section, has 19 judges. (2) Subject to section 550, this circuit has 18 judges during the period beginning 12 noon, January 1, 2011 and ending 12 noon, January 1, …

Sec. 5070. (1) This chapter provides for and governs arbitration in domestic relations matters. Arbitration proceedings under this chapter are also governed by court rule except to the extent those provisions are modified by the arbitration agreement or this chapter. This chapter…

Sec. 5071. Parties to an action for divorce, annulment, separate maintenance, or child support, custody, or parenting time, or to a postjudgment proceeding related to such an action, may stipulate to binding arbitration by a signed agreement that specifically provides for an awar…

Sec. 5072. (1) The court shall not order a party to participate in arbitration unless each party to the domestic relations matter acknowledges, in writing or on the record, that he or she has been informed in plain language of all of the following: (a) Arbitration is voluntary. (…

Sec. 5073. (1) Arbitration under this chapter may be heard by a single arbitrator or by a panel of 3 arbitrators. The court shall appoint an arbitrator agreed to by the parties if the arbitrator is qualified under subsection (2) and consents to the appointment. An arbitrator appo…

Sec. 5074. (1) An arbitrator appointed under this chapter shall hear and make an award on each issue submitted for arbitration under the arbitration agreement subject to the provisions of the agreement. (2) An arbitrator appointed under this chapter has all of the following power…

Sec. 5075. (1) An arbitrator, attorney, or party in an arbitration proceeding under this chapter shall disclose any circumstance that may affect an arbitrator's impartiality, including, but not limited to, bias, a financial or personal interest in the outcome of the arbitration, …

Sec. 5076. (1) As soon as practicable after the appointment of the arbitrator, the parties and attorneys shall meet with the arbitrator to consider all of the following: (a) Scope of the issues submitted. (b) Date, time, and place of the hearing. (c) Witnesses, including experts,…

Sec. 5077. (1) Except as provided by this section, court rule, or the arbitration agreement, a record shall not be made of an arbitration hearing under this chapter. If a record is not required, an arbitrator may make a record to be used only by the arbitrator to aid in reaching …

Sec. 5078. (1) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties and arbitrator in writing or on the record, the arbitrator shall issue the written award on each issue within 60 days after either the end of the hearing or, if requested by the arbitrator, after receipt of proposed findings o…

Sec. 5079. (1) The circuit court shall enforce an arbitrator's award or other order issued under this chapter in the same manner as an order issued by the circuit court. A party may make a motion to the circuit court to enforce an arbitrator's award or order. (2) The plaintiff in…

Sec. 508. The seventh judicial circuit consists of the county of Genesee and has 9 judges. Subject to section 550, this judicial circuit may have 1 additional judge effective January 1, 2007.

Sec. 5080. (1) Subject to subsection (2), the circuit court shall not vacate or modify an award concerning child support, custody, or parenting time unless the court finds that the award is adverse to the best interests of the child who is the subject of the award or under the pr…

Sec. 5081. (1) If a party applies to the circuit court for vacation or modification of an arbitrator's award issued under this chapter, the court shall review the award as provided in this section or section 5080. (2) If a party applies under this section, the court shall vacate …

Sec. 5082. An appeal from an arbitration award under this chapter that the circuit court confirms, vacates, modifies, or corrects shall be taken in the same manner as from an order or judgment in other civil actions.

Sec. 509. The eighth judicial circuit consists of the counties of Ionia and Montcalm and has 2 judges.

Sec. 510. (1) The ninth judicial circuit consists of the county of Kalamazoo and has 5 judges. (2) Subject to section 550, this judicial circuit may have 1 additional judge effective January 1, 2025. If this judgeship is added to the ninth judicial circuit, the initial term of of…

Sec. 511. The tenth judicial circuit consists of the county of Saginaw and has 5 judges.

Sec. 512. The eleventh judicial circuit consists of the counties of Alger, Luce, and Schoolcraft and has 1 judge. Beginning April 1, 2003, the eleventh judicial circuit court consists of the counties of Alger, Luce, Mackinac, and schoolcraft and has 1 judge.

Sec. 513. The twelfth judicial circuit consists of the counties of Baraga, Houghton and Keweenaw and has 1 judge.

Sec. 514. The thirteenth judicial circuit consists of the counties of Antrim, Grand Traverse and Leelanau and has 2 judges.

Sec. 515. (1) The fourteenth judicial circuit consists of the county of Muskegon and has 4 judges. (2) Subject to section 550, this judicial circuit may have 1 additional judge effective January 1, 2023. If this judgeship is added to the fourteenth judicial circuit, the initial t…

Sec. 516. The fifteenth judicial circuit consists of the county of Branch and has 1 judge.