A landlord kept your deposit, a contractor walked off the job, a dry cleaner ruined your coat. In Michigan you can sue for up to $7,000 in the Small Claims Division of the District Court, without hiring a lawyer. Check your case below, then follow six steps.
Answer a few questions. The result updates as you type.
Michigan doesn't require a demand letter, but the court suggests trying to settle first, and a written demand is good evidence. A short, dated demand letter is the best proof. Use the generator below and keep a copy.
File at the district court where the problem happened or where the defendant lives, works or does business. You must sign the claim under oath in front of the clerk or a notary, so don't sign it in advance. Bring 4 copies and photo ID.
Affidavit and Claim, Small Claims. The clerk sets the date when you file, often about 6 weeks out.
$30 for claims up to $600, $50 up to $1,750, and $70 above that. Service costs extra: about $15 by certified mail, or up to $26 plus mileage for personal delivery. If you win, your costs can be added to the judgment. If you can't afford it, ask for a fee waiver: Fee Waiver Request (form MC 20).
The court clerk arranges service, and you pay for it: certified mail with restricted delivery, or personal delivery by a process server or court officer. The defendant must get notice at least 7 days before the hearing; otherwise the clerk sets a new date and serves again at no extra cost.
Bring receipts, photos, texts, the contract and your demand letter, with three copies of each. The court doesn't collect for you. Starting 21 days after the judgment, you can garnish wages or bank accounts or seize property; each step needs its own forms and fees.
Want every detail? The full filing guide walks you through all 7 stages, from finding the defendant's legal name to collecting your money, with a checklist.
Open the filing guideFill in the details, then download the letter as a PDF or Word file, or copy the text. Send it by certified mail or email so you can prove the date.
Miss this date and the court will dismiss your case, however strong it is. Sales of goods have 4 years. Fraud and libel claims generally can't be brought in small claims, except bad checks and consumer protection violations.
| Type of claim | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Broken written contract (lease, invoice, signed agreement) | 6 years |
| Broken verbal agreement | 6 years |
| Damaged property | 3 years |
| Personal injury | 3 years |
| Fraud | 6 years |
| Libel or slander | 1 year |
| Claims against a government agency | You can't sue the State of Michigan or a state agency in small claims; those claims go to the Court of Claims. |
No. Lawyers can't represent anyone in small claims, and collection agencies can't file. A business sends an owner, officer or employee who knows the facts. If either side wants a lawyer, the case must move to the general civil division.
The limit is $7,000 for people and businesses. If you're owed more, you give up the extra for good, and you can't split one claim into several cases. Claims from $7,000 to $25,000 go to the district court's general civil division. Small claims can only award money. Otherwise, you can give up the amount above the limit, or file a regular civil case where the rules are stricter.
If a magistrate decides your case, either side can appeal to a district judge within 7 days, and the judge hears it again; that decision is final. If a judge hears the case first, there is no appeal at all. Before the hearing, either side can move the case to the general civil division (form DC 86), where lawyers, juries and appeals are allowed.
Courts provide foreign-language and sign-language interpreters. Contact the clerk or ADA coordinator as soon as you get your hearing notice.