Guides & handbooks

Everything on this site — organized, printable, and built for the courtroom.

This site gives you the free content on this site to get started. These guides package it into something you can hold in your hands, take to the courthouse, and reference when the pressure is on.

Every guide is educational — it explains the process, what to expect, and how to prepare. For the actual court documents you'll need to file, we recommend Michigan Legal Help (michiganlegalhelp.org), a free tool maintained by Michigan's legal aid community that generates forms specific to your case.

The quick-start checklist

PDF — 8 pages

You just got served and you need to know what to do this week. This checklist walks you through the first 21 days — what to read, what to gather, where to go, and what deadlines matter. Designed to print on standard paper and pin to your wall.

What's inside:

Day-by-day timeline from service to Answer deadline
Document checklist — what to collect before you go to the courthouse
Key questions to answer about your case before you respond
Quick-reference glossary of the 15 terms you'll actually hear
Direct links to Michigan Legal Help's free document tools

Buy Now — $9

COMPLETE GUIDE

The defendant's handbook for Michigan district court

$29

PDF

The complete guide to defending yourself in a debt collection case in Michigan district court — from the day you're served through trial. Written in the same plain English as this website, by someone who went through it.

What's inside:

Day-by-day timeline from service to your Answer deadline
Understanding who's suing you — original creditors vs. debt buyers
How the Answer works and what defendants typically include
Common affirmative defenses explained in plain language
Discovery — what it is, why it matters, and how it works
Negotiation strategies and what settlement typically looks like
Courtroom preparation — what to bring, how to present yourself
What happens after judgment — payment plans, garnishment, credit impact, and recovery
Resource directory with legal aid contacts and official court links

Buy Now — $29

BEST VALUE

The Michigan defendant's complete kit

$49

PDF bundle — printable

Includes the $9 Quick-Start Checklist and the $29 Defendant's Handbook — plus fillable worksheets, a printable case organizer, and quick-reference court sheets for all 103 Michigan district courts. Everything you need from summons to courtroom, in one kit.

What's inside:

Complete defendant's handbook (45+ pages)
Fillable timeline worksheet — track every deadline from service to trial
Settlement calculation worksheet — figure out what to offer
Financial disclosure prep worksheet — organize income, expenses, and assets before your hearing
Court day checklist — what to bring, what to wear, what to review
Printable case organizer with section dividers — build a binder that keeps everything in order
Court quick sheets for all 103 Michigan district courts — address, phone, hours, parking, check-in, Zoom availability, e-filing, jurisdictional coverage — one page per court, print the one you need

Buy Now — $49

What these guides are — and what they aren't

These guides are educational resources that explain how the legal process works in Michigan district courts. They are written in plain language for people without legal training.

They are NOT legal forms, NOT legal advice, and NOT a substitute for a licensed attorney. They don't tell you what to file — they help you understand the process so you can make informed decisions.

For the actual court documents you need, visit Michigan Legal Help at michiganlegalhelp.org — a free, court-endorsed tool that generates filings based on your specific situation.

Satisfaction and refund policy

If a guide doesn't help you, email us within 14 days for a full refund. No questions asked.