2026 state court fee data · Michigan

Michigan Legal Processes

Filing fees, waiting periods, and procedural requirements for 12 common civil processes routed through Michigan Courts. Plain-language reference, refreshed against state court fee schedules.

See all processes → Methodology

Fee rank is not wait rank

According to PlainCivil's compiled state court fee schedules, Michigan ranks #9 of 10 surveyed states by average maximum filing fee (highest avg max = #1). Civil Lawsuit is largest of 2 at $400 among 12 civil filings in Michigan; that is not the longest wait: Divorce records 60 days on a $250 ceiling.

12
processes tracked
$400
highest fee · Civil Lawsuit
60 days
longest wait · Divorce
2
free-to-file

Fee rank and wait-time rank are tracked separately: this page sorts by average maximum filing fee, not by waiting period. See how we rank states.

Michigan vs tracked states by average maximum filing fee

Where this state's average max filing fee sits among the 10 states on PlainCivil's civil-process schedule

$210 9th of 10 higher than 1 of 10 states

Tracked states, banded by average maximum civil filing fee

Each bar is a $0.001K-wide band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainCivil compiled state court fee schedules · 2026

Michigan civil-process accessibility score

One verdict number from PlainCivil's own compiled filing-fee and waiting-period schedule across the 12 process types tracked for Michigan, benchmarked against every other state PlainCivil covers.

C+ 64/100
  • Average filing fee A $148 Averaged across 12 documented process types
  • Average waiting period D 12.1 days Mandatory waiting period, averaged across 12 process types
  • Longest single wait C- 60 days The slowest mandatory waiting period among this state’s documented processes

Lower fees and shorter waits score higher. A dimension with no documented data for this state drops out and its weight redistributes across the rest - it never silently lowers the score. Full method: civil-process accessibility score.

A practical reading of the schedule · CLERK

What changes the cost of filing in Michigan

Start with the filing fee

This page covers 12 civil process types tracked for Michigan, all routed through the Michigan Courts. Across those processes, the average maximum filing fee is $210, and 2 can be filed at no cost. The highest listed fee is for civil lawsuit, which can reach $400 in complex cases.

Then allow for timing and local charges

Divorce has the longest mandatory waiting period on this page at 60 days, so the court cannot issue a final order before that window expires. Actual resolution commonly takes longer because of court backlogs, response deadlines, and service requirements. County courthouses may also add charges for service of process, motions, certified copies, or a jury demand.

How Michigan compares

Peer states tracked on the same civil-process schedule

Michigan tracks 12 civil-process types with an average maximum filing fee of $210. Use the peer comparison to gauge whether Michigan courts run pricier or cheaper than neighboring jurisdictions, and whether procedural complexity (number of process types tracked) is broadly typical.

Selected

MI

Michigan

$210 avg. max filing fee
Processes tracked
12

GA

Georgia

$221 avg. max filing fee
Processes tracked
12

OH

Ohio

$223 avg. max filing fee
Processes tracked
12

All Legal Processes in Michigan

12 types 2 free

Fee profile

Maximum filing fees across Michigan processes

Highlighted bar is the highest recorded maximum on this state schedule (Civil Lawsuit, $400). Average maximum across tracked processes: $210.

Process Filing Fee Details
Civil Lawsuit
Circuit Court for most civil claims.
 $150–$400 Civil Lawsuit schedule details
Court Mediation
Mediation Tribunals available. Court-ordered in most civil cases over $1,000.
 $0–$300 Court Mediation schedule details
Divorce
Wayne County ~$225. Ottawa County ~$150. Fee waivers for low-income filers.
 $150–$250 Divorce schedule details
Domestic Violence Protection
Free. Personal Protection Order through Circuit Court.
 Free Domestic Violence Protection schedule details
Eviction
$45-$150 in District Court. Service by officer ~$25-$75 additional.
 $45–$150 Eviction schedule details
Guardianship
Probate Court. Guardian ad litem fee $75-$150/hr typical.
 $175–$300 Guardianship schedule details
Name Change
Probate Court. No publication required for adults.
 $150–$200 Name Change schedule details
Probate
Probate Court.
 $150–$350 Probate schedule details
Property Dispute
Circuit Court. Land title disputes in equity division.
 $150–$400 Property Dispute schedule details
Restraining Order
Personal Protection Orders free in Circuit Court.
 Free Restraining Order schedule details
Small Claims
$30-$75 depending on claim amount.
 $30–$75 Small Claims schedule details
Tenant Rights
Security deposit in District Court Small Claims.
 $30–$100 Tenant Rights schedule details

Take this with you

Where to go next from Michigan's civil filing fees.

Filing fees and requirements change; verify current figures with your local court before filing.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified. National civil trial-rate context also lives there.

According to published Michigan court schedules compiled in the PlainCivil state-process database. See our methodology for source categories and vintage.

Fee and timeline figures on PlainCivil are rendered from the portal's state-process database compiled from published court schedules, no fee is invented for a ranking. State hub aggregates process rows for Michigan from the portal database. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-09-01. PlainCivil does not rate, rank-recommend, or advise on legal strategy, it reports what published schedules and court materials contain.