Small Claims Court
MCL 600.8401 — up to $7,000, no lawyers, and no appeal
Every district court has a small claims division for cases seeking money. Since January 1, 2024 the limit on the amount claimed is $7,000.
What staying in small claims gives up. Unless a party removes the case before trial, every party is treated as having waived the right to a lawyer, a jury, recovery above the limit, and an appeal. Before trial either side may demand a district judge rather than a magistrate, or move the case to the general civil division, and the judge or magistrate tells both parties about that right first.
Lawyers take no part except on their own behalf, and neither do collection agencies. A business appears through an officer or employee with direct and personal knowledge of the facts. A claim may not be brought by someone it was assigned to, and a person may file not more than 5 claims in 1 week in a district.
Witnesses are sworn and the hearing is informal. The formal rules of evidence and procedure do not bind the judge, apart from those on privileged communications. There is no jury and no verbatim record.
If a magistrate hears the case, either side may appeal to a district judge within 7 days after the decision, for a new hearing. From the district judge's decision there is no further appeal.
Filing fees, the forms, and collecting a judgment after winning are set by court rules and other sections and are not covered here.
Sources for this section (6)
- MCL 600.8401 — Small claims division, and its limit
- MCL 600.8408 — Representation in small claims, and removal
- MCL 600.8412 — Rights waived in small claims
- MCL 600.8411 — How a small claims hearing is conducted
- MCL 600.8407 — Who may file in small claims, and how often
- MCL 600.8427 — Small claims hearings before a magistrate, and appeal
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Michigan attorney.