The jurisdictional amount for Small Claims cases can not exceed $6,500. Venue may be proper in more than one District Court location. A case may be filed either where the defendant resides, is employed or where the action arose.
There are no lawyers or juries and no right to appeal.
Small Claims cases proceed to District Court ordered Mediation through The Dispute Resolution Center (DRC) by Zoom. Mediation is an effective method of resolving disputes that provides parties with the opportunity to reach mutually-satisfactory agreements in a non-adversarial manner.
If you received a money judgment through a Small Claims suit, you have the right to collect the money. See the page Collect Judgment, for more information.
Filing Fees:
All checks need to be made payable to the 53rd District Court. *If you are agovernmental agency, please contact us for filing fees.
| $1 - $600 | $30.00 + Service Fee |
| $601 - $1,750 | $50.00 + Service Fee |
| $1,751-$6,500 | $70.00 + Service Fee
|
Service Fees
Certified Mail: $15.00 per person. Note: Subject to change without notice, due to United States Post Office postal increases.
Personal Service: $26.00 per person + mileage billed by Process Server.
Visit Michigan Legal Help for assistance regarding your Small Claims case.