Michigan Pleading Paper Template
Michigan filings use 12 or 13 point body text (footnotes no less than 10 point) on good quality 8.5 by 11 inch paper under MCR 1.109. The case number caption carries a year prefix and a two-letter case-type suffix, and documents must meet SCAO standards.
Introduction
Michigan's distinctive filing requirement is its type-size rule: under Michigan Court Rule 1.109 the body text of a court document must be set in 12 or 13 point, and footnotes no less than 10 point, except for attachments and SCAO-approved forms. Michigan does not use numbered-line pleading paper. MCR 1.109 also requires that all documents prepared for filing be legible, in the English language, comply with the standards established by the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO), and be on good quality 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper, or be transmitted by an approved electronic means and maintained as a digital image. The first-page caption must state the name of the court and the case number, and the case number itself carries a prefix for the year the case was filed and a two-letter suffix for the case-type code from the State Court Administrator's list. The caption must also give the name, business address, telephone number, and state bar number of each attorney appearing, and the name, an address, and telephone number of each self-represented party. Getting the case-type suffix or the type size wrong is a common reason a Michigan clerk returns a document. This page sets out what MCR 1.109 fixes statewide and what it leaves to SCAO standards, so you do not guess at a number the rule does not set. DocDraft drafts your document on properly formatted Michigan court format from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.
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Key Things to Know
- 1
Michigan does not use numbered-line pleading paper. Format is governed by MCR 1.109 and the SCAO standards it incorporates by reference.
- 2
Body text must be 12 or 13 point, and footnotes no less than 10 point, except for attachments and SCAO-approved forms (MCR 1.109).
- 3
Documents must be on good quality 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper, legible, and in the English language, or transmitted by an approved electronic means and maintained as a digital image (MCR 1.109).
- 4
All documents must comply with the standards established by the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) (MCR 1.109).
- 5
The caption case number carries a prefix for the year the case was filed and a two-letter suffix for the case-type code from the State Court Administrator's list (MCR 1.109).
- 6
The caption must give the name, business address, telephone number, and state bar number of each attorney appearing, and the name, an address, and telephone number of each self-represented party (MCR 1.109).
- 7
Electronic filing through MiFILE rolls out court-by-court and case-type-by-case-type and is mandatory for attorneys where implemented, with exemptions (disability, limited English proficiency, incarceration). It is not a single statewide flip.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Pleading Paper in Michigan, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Pleading Paper guide walks through them.
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Michigan Requirements for Pleading Paper
Body and footnote type size
Body text must be 12 or 13 point and footnotes no less than 10 point, except for attachments and SCAO-approved forms (MCR 1.109).
Paper size and quality
Documents must be on good quality 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper, legible and in the English language, or transmitted by an approved electronic means and maintained as a digital image (MCR 1.109).
SCAO standards
All documents prepared for filing must comply with the standards established by the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO), incorporated by reference under MCR 1.109.
Case number format
The caption case number must carry a prefix for the year the case was filed and a two-letter suffix for the case-type code from the State Court Administrator's list (MCR 1.109).
Caption contact block
The caption must state the court name and give the name, business address, telephone number, and state bar number of each attorney appearing, or the name, an address, and telephone number of each self-represented party (MCR 1.109).
Line spacing
MCR 1.109 ties line spacing to the type size; confirm the current SCAO spacing standard for your document. Where a specific spacing value is not stated in the rule text, follow the SCAO document standards and your local court's rules.
Electronic filing
Electronic filing through MiFILE is mandatory for attorneys in case types where it has been implemented in a given court, with exemptions for disability, limited English proficiency, and incarceration. Rollout is court-by-court and case-type-by-case-type.