Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Michigan, Oakland County
Court-Level Rules, Filing Procedures & Policies
- Rules last changed:
Communication
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Clerk
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Document Format Requirements7 rules
Instruction pages must not be submitted with documents.
DO NOT submit instruction pages with your documents.
Documents exceeding 25 MB must be separated before uploading.
For documents larger than 25mb, separate them prior to uploading.
Different pleadings or documents must be saved and uploaded separately rather than submitted as one PDF.
Do not submit all your different pleadings/documents as one PDF. You MUST separate and save each pleading/document to your PC prior to uploading into MiFILE.
Documents and images should be converted to PDF, scanned at 8.5 by 11 inches, and scanned at about 200 dpi whenever possible.
Documents and images should be scanned documents to a PDF file format whenever possible. They should be scanned at an 8.5” x 11” page size and about 200 dpi.
Do not upload smartphone images directly to MiFILE; convert or scan them into a properly sized PDF first.
Avoid uploading images from smartphones into MiFILE as they tend to be too large when submitted through MiFILE and not the correct page size. Convert or scan them into a PDF first.
Documents must be legible, oriented correctly, scanned at letter size in black and white at 200 dpi, and no larger than 25 MB each.
Review your documents before submitting them. Make sure that your document is legible, that it is scanned at 8.5” x 11” page size, and it is facing the right direction. We recommend that you do not submit your documents in color. Please scan your documents in black and white and at 200 dpi. The maximum file size for each document is 25mb.
To merge documents, upload all pages, then drag the document to be merged onto the lead document; the combined document will be submitted to the court as one document.
To “merge,” upload all pages (Figure 1), then click and drag the document you want merged onto the lead document (Figure 2). You will see a paperclip which means it has been merged into one document and will be submitted to the court as one document.
Document Filing Requirements10 rules
Every pleading or document must bear a wet or scanned ink signature or an electronic signature formatted as “/s/” followed by the filer’s name.
All pleadings/documents are required to be signed with either an ink (wet/scanned) signature or an electronic signature. The electronic signature must include “/s/” prior to your name and be typed as follows: /s/ John Doe.
Document Type
Pleading Document
The Record of Divorce or Annulment form must be filed before or together with the Judgment of Divorce.
A Record of Divorce or Annulment form must be filed prior to, or along with, your Judgment of Divorce.
Document Type
Judgment Of Divorce
The first page of each pleading or document must show both party names, the document title, and the case number, although a new case receives its number only after clerk acceptance.
Each first page of a pleading/document must include a case caption (both parties names), case title (name of the document), and a case number. Note: When filing a new case, a case number will be issued after it has been accepted by the Clerk’s Office.
Document Type
Pleading Document
The first page must identify the case number, parties, and document title, and any instructions appearing on that page must be removed before MiFILE submission.
Remove instructions page – first page of each document must include the case number, case names and title of document. If you have downloaded forms and there are instructions on the first page, you must remove them prior to submitting your document(s) through MiFILE.
Document Type
Document
Each beginning page of a separated document must include the case caption, case title, and case number.
Ensure each beginning page has a case caption, case title, and case number on it.
Document Type
Separated Document
The requester must certify providing notice of the media-coverage request to the parties or their attorneys.
I certify that on this date, I provided notice of this request to the parties or their attorneys indicated above
Document Type
Media Coverage Request
The Record of Divorce or Annulment Form must accompany the judgment of divorce.
Record of Divorce or Annulment Form - This form must be submitted along with your judgment of divorce.
Document Type
Judgment Of Divorce
If not submitted at case initiation, a copy of the verified statement must be provided to FOC before the first assigned hearing date.
If you do not submit a verified statement when starting your case, you must provide a copy to FOC prior to your first assigned hearing date.
Document Type
Verified Statement
The Notice of Filiation form must accompany a judgment or final order of paternity.
Notice of Filiation - This form must be submitted along with your judgment or final order of paternity.
Document Type
Judgment Or Final Order Of Paternity
A Verified Statement is required when initiating any domestic case.
Verified Statement - This form is required at case initiation for all domestic cases (divorce, custody, paternity, etc.).
Document Type
Domestic Case Initiation
Filing & Service rules
Electronic Filing Rules
Electronic filing is mandatory for civil cases, both for initiating a new case and filing in an existing case.
Civil cases remain mandatory and are required for both starting a new case and filing in an existing case.
Page 1 | A. What can be eFiled through MiFILE
A verified statement must be electronically filed with specified domestic new case filings.
A verified statement MUST be eFiled with your new case filing – required on all DC, DM, DS, DP case types and required on DO if requesting spousal support.
Page 3 | E. Domestic new case filings
A Praecipe must be submitted through the e-praecipe system for a motion to be heard and for a court date to be scheduled.
Motions – a Praecipe must be submitted through the e-praecipe system in order for your motion to be heard and a court date to be scheduled.
Page 4 | F. Miscellaneous
Praecipes must be submitted through the Oakland County ePraecipe application.
Praecipes must be submitted through the Oakland County ePraecipe application.
Page 1 | eFiling
Every filer must register with MiFILE.
Every filer must register with MiFILE.
Page 1 | eFiling
Electronic filing is unavailable for the listed case types, which must be filed in person or mailed to the Clerk's Office.
Excluded eFiling case types are: AP, EM, NC, UD, UE, UF, UI, UM, UN. Filings on these cases must be filed in person or mailed to the Clerk's Office.
Page 1 | eFiling
An FY or FX case must be changed by court order to a valid FC, FH, or FJ case code before using the stated e-filing process.
If your case type is an FY or FX, you will need to contact your assigned judge and ask if they will submit an order to change the case type to a valid FC, FH or FJ code.
Page 1 | A. What can be eFiled through MiFILE
Additional personal protection order motions and filings should be electronically filed using MiFile.
Additional PPO motions and filings should be efiled using MiFile.
Page 1 | Personal Protection Orders
MiFILE permits electronic filing for all Circuit Court case types except NC and EM, and strongly encourages e-filing.
All Circuit Court case types have been added to allow for eFiling, except for NC and EM. eFiling is strongly encouraged for all filings.
Page 1 | A. What can be eFiled through MiFILE
Registration and electronic filing are performed through the MiFILE portal, which is powered by TrueFiling.
Log into https://mifile.courts.michigan.gov/login to register and eFile. This eFiling application is also referred to as MiFILE, which is powered by TrueFiling.
Page 2 | C. Registration, service and notifications
Electronic filing is available for most case types, including case initiation and subsequent civil, domestic, and criminal filings.
eFiling is available for most case types for case initiation and subsequent filings on civil, domestic, and criminal cases.
Page 1 | eFiling
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Electronic filings have a midnight deadline cutoff, and documents submitted after midnight on Friday or the day before a holiday are accepted as of 8:00 a.m. the following business day.
Filing deadlines are extended to midnight. Documents submitted after midnight on Friday or the day before a holiday will be accepted as of 8:00 a.m. the following business day.
Page 4 | F. Miscellaneous
Filings submitted after 11:59 p.m. on Friday, on a weekend, or on a holiday are accepted the following business day.
Filings submitted after 11:59 pm on a Friday, or a weekend, or if submitted on a holiday, will be accepted the following business day.
Page 1 | eFiling
Filings submitted by 11:59 p.m. are accepted as filed on that business day.
Filings that are submitted up to 11:59 pm will be accepted as of that business day.
Page 1 | eFiling
A document already filed or accepted by the clerk should not be resubmitted, although later filing it as an exhibit or attachment to another filing or matter is acceptable.
Documents already accepted – do not re-submit documents if they have already been filed and/or accepted by the Clerk’s Office. However, it is acceptable if the documents are later filed as exhibits or attachments to a different filing/matter.
Page 2 | B. Rejection reasons (most common)
A request for film or electronic media coverage must be filed three days before the court proceeding using the specified form.
Film or Electronic Media Coverage of Court Proceedings request must be filed three (3) days prior to the proceeding in accordance with MSC AO 1989-1(2)(a)(i) by using the following form:
Page 1 | Media Advisory
Service and Proof of Service Rules
A MiFILE user must register and be added as a case contact to receive electronic service of court-issued documents.
It is important that you register with MiFILE and that you add yourself as a “case contact” to your case to receive service. If you are not listed as a service recipient, you will not receive copies of documents that are issued by the court.
Page 2 | C. Registration, service and notifications
When electronic service is selected, service occurs at checkout, and MiFILE generates and files a proof of service in the court file.
If service is selected during file submission, service on the selected parties is made at the time of Checkout (at the time you submit your filings). The MiFILE system will generate a Proof of Service document that will be filed into the court file.
Page 2 | C. Registration, service and notifications
The plaintiff must serve the defendant with a copy of the OIE Order together with the summons and complaint.
Plaintiff is responsible for serving a copy of the OIE Order with the Summons and Complaint onto the defendant.
Page 3 | E. Domestic new case filings
When electronic service is selected during filing, service occurs at submission and the system generates and files a proof of service.
If Service is selected during file submission, service on the selected parties is made at the time of submission. The system will generate a Proof of Service document that will be filed into the court file.
Page 1 | eFiling
Notice of a media-coverage request must be provided personally, by ordinary mail, by telephone, or by e-filing, with the notice method certified.
I certify that on this date, I provided notice of this request to the parties or their attorneys indicated above personally. by ordinary mail. by telephone. by e-filing.
Page 1 | NOTICE TO PARTIES/ATTORNEYS
Electronic filing automatically adds the filer as a service contact.
By eFiling a document, you are automatically added as a service contact.
Page 2 | C. Registration, service and notifications
A filer is automatically added as a service contact when filing a document electronically.
Note: by eFiling a document, you are automatically added as a service contact.
Page 2 | C. Registration, service and notifications
Filing Fees and Waivers
The applicable statutory filing fee type must be selected on the complaint for a domestic new case filing.
Make sure the statutory filing fee type is selected on the complaint.
Page 3 | E. Domestic new case filings
Filing-fee payment is charged to the filer’s credit card at checkout, but a rejected filing’s payment is refunded.
Payment is applied to the filer’s credit card when you Checkout (at the time you submit your filing); if a document is rejected, the payment will be refunded.
Page 2 | C. Registration, service and notifications
MiFILE ordinarily has no e-filing charge, but statutory filing fees apply to complaints, motions, garnishments, and other designated documents and are paid by credit card with a transaction fee up to 3%.
There are no fees required to eFile through MiFILE, except for when filing certain documents that require statutory filing fees (such as complaints, motions, garnishments, etc.). Statutory filing fees are paid through MiFILE and subject to a credit card transaction fee up to 3%.
Page 2 | C. Registration, service and notifications
Filing payment is charged to the filer's credit card at submission and is refunded if the document is rejected.
Payment is applied to the filer's credit card at the time of submission. If a document is rejected, the payment will be refunded.
Page 1 | eFiling
Statutory document filing fees carry a 3% credit card transaction fee.
Statutory document filing fees are subject to a credit card transaction fee of 3%.
Page 1 | eFiling
Filing Bundling Requirements
Each distinct pleading or document must be saved and uploaded separately rather than combined into one PDF.
Documents need to be separated – do not submit all your different pleadings/documents as one PDF. You MUST separate and save each pleading/document to your PC prior to uploading into MiFILE.
Page 1 | B. Rejection reasons (most common)
Distinct documents cannot be combined and filed in a single electronic file.
Distinct documents cannot be filed together in a single file – see #3 above.
Page 1 | B. Rejection reasons (most common)
Pages belonging to one document and any attachments to that document must be combined before MiFILE submission rather than uploaded separately.
Combine documents – do not submit individual pages separately. You must combine them prior to uploading or “merge” them after you have uploaded each page. Any attachments to a pleading/document need to be combined with the main document before submitting through MiFILE.
Page 1 | B. Rejection reasons (most common)
The Record of Divorce or Annulment form may not be attached to the Judgment of Divorce.
The Record of Divorce or Annulment form cannot be attached to the judgment.
Page 2 | B. Rejection reasons (most common)
Each pleading or document must be submitted as a distinct document, with its pages combined rather than uploaded separately.
Submit each pleading/document as its own document. Do not submit each “page” separately.
Page 2 | D. Requirements for filing documents
All required documents in a domestic new case filing must be uploaded in one bundle as separate documents.
Submit all required documents into the same bundle – make sure each document is uploaded as a separate document.
Page 3 | E. Domestic new case filings
A Record of Divorce or Annulment form and Judgment of Divorce may be submitted together in one bundle only as separate documents.
If filing both documents at the same time, they may be submitted in the same bundle but as separate documents.
Page 2 | B. Rejection reasons (most common)
Multiple pleadings or documents may be submitted together in a single submission bundle.
You may submit multiple pleadings/documents in one submission (called a bundle).
Page 2 | D. Requirements for filing documents
A summons may be filed in the same bundle as the complaint, but it must be uploaded as a separate document.
The summons may be filed in the same bundle as the complaint but as a separate document.
Page 3 | E. Domestic new case filings
Chambers Communication Rules
If a case cannot be located in MiFile, contact the Clerk's Office by phone at 248-858-0582 or by email at efiling@oaklandcountymi.gov.
If you cannot locate your case in MiFile, contact the Clerk's Office at 248-858-0582 or efiling@oaklandcountymi.gov.
Page 1 | eFiling
The 6th Circuit Court provides a phone number and lists contact hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
6th Circuit Court 248-858-0344 1200 N Telegraph Rd Department 404 Pontiac, MI 48341-0404 8:30am - 4:30pm
Page 1 | Contact Info