Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Michigan, Oakland County Document Format Requirements

Format

PAPER

Preliminary jury instructions must use plain paper and contain no case-law citations.

Preliminary jury instructions must be submitted to the Court on plain paper, without citation to case law, no later than one week prior to the scheduled date of trial.

All exhibits must be marked and agreed to by the parties before trial begins.

All exhibits must be marked and agreed to by the parties prior to the start of trial.

Plaintiff exhibits must use numeric labels, while defense exhibits must use alphabetic labels.

Exhibits shall be labeled as follows: Plaintiff – numbers; Defense – letters.

Format

PAPER

Preliminary jury instructions must be submitted on plain paper and contain no case-law citations.

Preliminary jury instructions must be submitted to the Court on plain paper, without citation to case law, no later than one week prior to the scheduled date of trial.

Each tab must pair a motion in limine with its corresponding response rather than using separate binders for each side.

Each tab should include a motion and the corresponding response, not separate binders from both sides.

Zoom-hearing participants must label their devices with their name and case number.

Participants MUST have their devices properly labeled with their name and case number.

In non-e-filing cases, at least one original handwritten signature is required, with other signatures reproduced through original photocopies.

On all other cases, the Court requires at least one original, handwritten signature with other original photo-copied signatures if applicable.

A motion for reconsideration must not be accompanied by a praecipe or Notice of Hearing, and no hearing occurs unless the Court orders one.

Do not file a praecipe or Notice of Hearing. Pursuant to the Court Rules, a hearing will not be held unless ordered by the Court.

In non-e-filing cases, at least one original handwritten signature is required, with photocopies of other original signatures when applicable.

On all other cases, the Court requires at least one original, handwritten signature with other original photo-copied signatures if applicable.

Applies to

Consent judgment

All parties must sign the final documents in a consent judgment.

On consent judgments, all parties must sign the final documents.

Stipulated exhibits must use numbers for plaintiffs and letters for defendants before trial begins.

All stipulated to exhibits must be marked with numbers (Plaintiff) and letters (Defendant) prior to the start of trial.

Every motion must have a succinct title stating the relief requested.

All motions must have a title succinctly stating the requested relief.

A motion titled merely “motion” or a substantially similar generic title may be dismissed.

Motions titled “motion,” or containing a substantially similar title, may be dismissed by the court.

The hearing date must appear on the first page of a motion.

The hearing date shall be printed on the first page of the motion.

Format

PDF

Exhibits may not be combined into one PDF document.

Parties may not provide every exhibit combined into a single PDF document.

Format

PDF

Proposed-exhibit filenames must follow the prescribed party, exhibit-number or letter, and PDF naming format.

The file names of proposed exhibits shall only contain the following information: “Plaintiff’s Ex. 1.pdf,” “Plaintiff’s Ex. 2.pdf,” “Defendant’s Ex. A.pdf,” or “Defendant’s Ex. B.pdf,” etc.

Every page of a proposed exhibit must be marked with its current page number and total page count.

Every page of proposed exhibit must contain the notation “Page _ of _” and contain the current page and total number of pages in the exhibit.

Format

PDF

Documents, photographs, and non-audio/video exhibits must be submitted as individual PDF files.

The parties shall submit all documents, photographs, and non-audio/video exhibits in individual PDF documents.

All orders require an original signature, although an electronic signature is acceptable when authenticating software is used.

Original signatures must appear on all orders. Electronic signatures are acceptable but must be done through software that ensures the authenticity of the electronic signature.

Jury instructions must be filed and delivered to chambers at least seven days before trial in a three-ring binder.

In jury trial jury instructions shall be filed and delivered to chambers at least 7 days before trial in a 3-ring binder.

Jury instructions delivered to chambers must be bound in a three-ring binder.

Jury instructions are due one week prior to trial and must be delivered to chambers in a 3-ring binder.

Format

DOCX

In criminal cases, jury instructions must be presented and emailed to chambers in Word format by the first day of trial.

In criminal cases, jury instructions must be presented and emailed to chambers in Word format no later than the first day of trial.

The Court strictly enforces the page limitations, font size, and spacing requirements of MCR 2.119(A)(2).

The Court additionally strictly enforces MCR 2.119(A)(2), including but not limited to page limitations, font size, and spacing.

The Court strictly enforces the page-limit, font-size, and spacing requirements of MCR 2.119(A)(2).

the Court additionally strictly enforces MCR 2.119(A)(2), including but not limited to page limitations, font size, and spacing.

Trial exhibits must be numbered for plaintiffs and lettered for the defense.

Exhibits shall be labeled as follows: Plaintiff - numbers; Defense - letters.

Preliminary jury instructions must use 14-point type, one instruction per page, double spacing, and no case citations, and must be submitted by noon on the preceding business day.

Preliminary jury instructions must be submitted to the Court on plain paper, 14 point font, one instruction per page, double spaced, without citation to case law, no later than noon of the business day preceding the scheduled date of trial.

All trial exhibits must be marked and agreed to by the parties.

all exhibits must be marked and agreed to by the parties.

Plaintiff exhibits must use numeric labels, while defense exhibits must use letter labels.

Exhibits shall be labeled as follows: Plaintiff - numbers; Defense - letters.

Summary disposition pleadings must comply with the Michigan Court Rules’ formatting requirements.

The pleadings' format must comply with the Michigan Court Rules.

Format

PAPER

Preliminary jury instructions must be submitted on plain paper in 14-point type, double-spaced with one instruction per page and no case-law citations, by noon on the preceding business day.

Preliminary jury instructions must be submitted to the Court on plain paper, 14 point font, one instruction per page, double spaced, without citation to case law, no later than noon of the business day preceding the scheduled date of trial.

The Judge’s Copy of proposed and stipulated exhibits must be tabbed and bound in a binder.

A Judge’s Copy of proposed and stipulated exhibits must be delivered to chambers in a tabbed binder no later than one week prior to the hearing.

All litigants and attorneys must sign the final order for a consent judgment.

On consent judgments, all parties (litigants and attorneys) must sign the final orders.

A withdrawal or substitution stipulation generally must be signed by every party, but only opposing counsel must sign when the opposing party is represented.

When filing a withdrawal or substitution of counsel, all parties must sign the stipulation including withdrawing counsel’s client and opposing party/parties. If the opposing party is represented by counsel, only counsel’s signature is needed on the stipulation.

Plaintiff exhibits must use numerical labels, while defense exhibits must use letter labels.

Exhibits shall be labeled as follows: Plaintiff – numbers; Defense – letters.

Counsel must mark exhibits before trial.

Exhibits must be marked by counsel prior to trial

A plaintiff or petitioner must number its trial exhibits.

Plaintiff/Petitioner is to mark its exhibits with numbers.

A defendant or respondent must letter its trial exhibits.

Defendant/Respondent is to mark its exhibits with letters.

Applies to

Exhibits

Plaintiff must label exhibits with numbers and Defendant must label exhibits with letters.

When labeling exhibits, Plaintiff is to use numbers and Defendant is to use letters.

Captions in e-filing cases should include the email addresses of counsel of record and applicable in pro per parties.

For e-filing cases, pleading and document captions should include email addresses for counsel of record and/or in pro per parties (if applicable).

Electronic signatures are permitted, but only the judge may affix the judge's signature.

Please note, pursuant to MCR 1.109(E), electronic signatures are permitted, but only the Judge can affix her own signature.

Exhibits should be marked before trial, with plaintiffs using numbers and defendants using letters.

Exhibits should be marked prior to trial (Plaintiff – numbers; Defendant – letters).

Dropbox and other file-sharing links are not accepted without prior permission.

The court does not accept Dropbox or other file sharing links (such as Google Drive) without prior permission.

Each page of a proposed exhibit must include a page-number notation showing the current page and total exhibit pages.

Every page of proposed exhibit must contain the notation “Page _ of _” and contain the current page and total number of pages in the exhibit.

Digital exhibits do not require exhibit stickers, but all physical exhibits must have exhibit stickers.

Exhibit stickers are not needed on each digital exhibit but are required for all physical exhibits.

Audio exhibits should use MP3 or M4A format, video exhibits should use MP4 or MOV format, and both must follow the exhibit file-naming scheme.

Audio files should be in .mp3 or .m4a format while video files should be in .mp4 or .mov format and conform to the same file naming scheme as documents.

Proposed exhibit files must use the prescribed party-specific exhibit naming format.

The file names of proposed exhibits shall only contain the following information: “Plaintiff’s Ex. 1.pdf,” “Plaintiff’s Ex. 2.pdf,” “Defendant’s Ex. A.pdf,” or “Defendant’s Ex. B.pdf,” etc.

Audio files should use MP3 or M4A, video files should use MP4 or MOV, and both must follow the document naming scheme.

Audio files should be in .mp3 or .m4a format while video files should be in .mp4 or .mov format and conform to the same file naming scheme as documents.

The court accepts PDF, MP3, M4A, MP4, and MOV files; parties seeking other formats must contact chambers promptly.

The court can accept files in .pdf, mp3, .m4a, .mp4, and .mov formats. Parties should contact chambers as soon as possible if they wish to use other formats.

Non-confidential proposed exhibits should be appended to the motion filing, with plaintiffs using sequential numbers and defendants using sequential letters.

Non-confidential proposed exhibits should be appended to the motion filing with Plaintiff using sequential numbers and Defendant using sequential letters to separate each exhibit.

Exhibits should be marked before trial using numbers for plaintiffs and letters for defendants, counsel should attempt to stipulate them, and a binder of exhibits must be delivered to chambers at least seven days before trial.

Exhibits should be marked prior to trial (Plaintiff – numbers; Defendant – letters). Counsel shall attempt to stipulate exhibits before the trial date. Please deliver a binder containing the exhibits to chambers at least 7 days before trial.

Before trial, exhibits should be marked with numbers by plaintiffs and letters by defendants.

Exhibits should be marked prior to trial (Plaintiff – numbers; Defendant – letters).

The Court accepts electronic signatures in e-filing cases.

On e-filing cases, the Court will accept electronic signatures.

The Court accepts electronic signatures in e-filing cases.

On e-filing cases, the Court will accept electronic signatures.

Format

PDF

The court accepts PDF, MP3, M4A, MP4, and MOV files, and parties should contact chambers promptly to request another format.

The court can accept files in .pdf, mp3, .m4a, .mp4, and .mov formats. Parties should contact chambers as soon as possible if they wish to use other formats.

The Court accepts electronic signatures in the form “/s/NAME” as well as wet signatures.

SIGNATURES: The Court will accept electronic signatures (i.e. /s/NAME) in addition to wet signatures.