Title 28Judiciary and Judicial ProcedureRelease 119-73not60

§102 Michigan

Title 28 › Part I— ORGANIZATION OF COURTS › Chapter 5— DISTRICT COURTS › § 102

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Michigan is split into two federal court districts called the Eastern District and the Western District. The Eastern District is split into a Southern Division and a Northern Division. The Southern Division covers counties in the southeast (for example Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw) and holds court in Ann Arbor, Detroit, Flint, and Port Huron. The Northern Division covers counties in the northern Lower Peninsula (for example Bay, Alpena, Saginaw) and holds court in Bay City. The Western District also has a Southern and a Northern Division. The Southern Division covers many counties in west and southwest Michigan (for example Kent, Kalamazoo, Van Buren) and holds court in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Traverse City. The Northern Division covers counties in the Upper Peninsula (for example Marquette, Houghton, Menominee) and holds court in Marquette and Sault Sainte Marie.

Full Legal Text

Title 28, §102

Judiciary and Judicial Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Michigan is divided into two judicial districts to be known as the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan. Eastern District (a) The Eastern District comprises two divisions. (1) The Southern Division comprises the counties of Genesee, Jackson, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Saint Clair, Sanilac, Shiawassee, Washtenaw, and Wayne. Court for the Southern Division shall be held at Ann Arbor, Detroit, Flint, and Port Huron. (2) The Northern Division comprises the counties of Alcona, Alpena, Arenac, Bay, Cheboygan, Clare, Crawford, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Iosco, Isabella, Midland, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, and Tuscola. Court for the Northern Division shall be held at Bay City. Western District (b) The Western District comprises two divisions. (1) The Southern Division comprises the counties of Allegan, Antrim, Barry, Benzie, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Charlevoix, Clinton, Eaton, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Hillsdale, Ingham, Ionia, Kalamazoo, Kalkaska, Kent, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Missaukee, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Ottawa, Saint Joseph, Van Buren, and Wexford. Court for the Southern Division shall be held at Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Traverse City. (2) The Northern Division comprises the counties of Alger, Baraga, Chippewa, Delta, Dickinson, Gogebic, Houghton, Iron, Keweenaw, Luce, Mackinac, Marquette, Menominee, Ontonagon, and Schoolcraft. Court for the Northern Division shall be held at Marquette and Sault Sainte Marie.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 168 (Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, § 88, 36 Stat. 1114; July 9, 1912, ch. 222, 37 Stat. 190; Mar. 31, 1930, ch. 101, 46 Stat. 138). Provisions of section 168 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., relating to venue, were omitted as covered by section 1391 et seq. of this title. A provision for a special or adjourned term at Bay City for the hearing of admiralty cases, beginning in February of each year, was omitted. Adequate provision is made for such terms by section 141 of this title. Words “and mileage on service of process in said northern division shall be computed from Bay City,” at the end of the section, were omitted as covered by section 553 of this title. Provisions relating to appointment and residence of deputy clerks and deputy marshals and maintenance of offices by such deputies were omitted as covered by section 541 [see 561], 542 [see 561], and 751 of this title. Changes in arrangement and phraseology were made.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1970—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 91–272 provided for holding court at Traverse City. 1964—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 88–627 transferred counties of Genesee and Shiawassee from Northern Division to Southern Division, added Ann Arbor and Flint as places of court for Southern Division, and struck out Flint as a place for holding court. 1961—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 87–36 provided for holding court at Lansing instead of Mason. 1954—Subsec. (a)(1). Act Feb. 10, 1954, § 2(b)(8)(a), struck out counties of Branch, Calhoun, Clinton, Hillsdale, and Ingham, with respect to Southern Division of Eastern District. Subsec. (a)(2). Act Feb. 10, 1954, § 2(b)(8)(b), substituted “Flint” for “Port Huron”, as a place for holding court. Subsec. (b)(1). Act Feb. 10, 1954, § 2(b)(8)(c), inserted a reference to counties of Branch, Calhoun, Clinton, Hillsdale, and Ingham, with respect to composition of Southern Division of the Western District, and provided for holding court at Kalamazoo and Mason.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

28 U.S.C. § 102

Title 28Judiciary and Judicial Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60