A defendant's resource · Statewide Michigan
Sued for Debt in Michigan? You Have Options.
Free legal information for self-represented defendants across all Michigan district courts. Find your court, understand your rights, and learn how to respond — from people who went through it themselves.
You're not alone
Most Debt Cases End Without a Fight
The majority of debt collection cases filed in Michigan district courts end in a default judgment. That doesn't mean the defendant lost on the merits. It means the defendant never responded, never filed paperwork, never showed up. The bank wins without proving anything — because nobody was on the other side.
This site exists to make sure that doesn't happen to you. Whichever Michigan district court you're facing, the first steps are the same: understand the summons, know your deadline, and respond in writing.
Find your court
Which Michigan District Court Are You Facing?
DefendMich covers every Michigan district court. Find the court listed on your summons in our statewide directory — organized by county, with addresses, contact information, and court-specific resources.
The process
Start Wherever You Are Right Now
The core process is the same across Michigan's district courts:
Before the Lawsuit
Collectors calling? Threatening to sue? Know your options before anything is filed.
You Got Served
Summons in hand? Here's what it means and the first thing to do.
Responding
How defendants prepare and file a written response with the court.
Negotiating
When to negotiate, how it works, and what defendants commonly explore.
Going to Court
What happens in the courtroom and how to prepare.
Built From a Defendant's Experience
This site was built by someone who received a summons, called every attorney in the phone book, and was told over and over that nobody takes consumer debt cases. So they learned the process themselves — and now it's here, written in plain language, for the next person in that same spot.