63rd District Court

Landlord Tenant Division

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Filing Fees

What is Landlord Tenant Court?

The landlord tenant division is responsible for handling all real property disputes up to $25,000.  Real property is considered land, and generally whatever is built on, growing on, or affixed to that land.  Most commonly, the landlord tenant division handles cases involving non-payment of rent, termination of tenancy, land-contract forfeitures, and evictions after the redemption period on a mortgage foreclosure. 

There are different reasons that a landlord may wish to evict a tenant.  The grounds that a landlord may cite are:

A landlord must specify the grounds to evict. The grounds a landlord may cite to evict a tenant are the following:

  1. Nonpayment of rent;
  2. Extensive and continuing physical injury to property;
  3. Serious and continuing health hazard;
  4. Illegal drug activity and formal police report filed (lease provisions must allow for termination on these grounds);
  5. Violation of a lease provision and the lease allows for termination;
  6. Forceful entry or peaceful try, but forceful stay or trespass;
  7. Holding over after natural expiration of lease term;
  8. Assault of a landlord;
  9. Just cause for terminating tenant of mobile home park (MCL 600.5775); and
  10. Just cause for terminating tenant of government-subsidized housing (MCL 125.694a and 600.5714).

**Properties that are considered Corporations or Limited Liability Corporations must be represented by an attorney.

How to start the eviction process at the 63rd District Court:

The first step in starting the eviction process is to serve the tenant with a notice.  The purpose of this notice is to inform the tenant in writing of the reasons the landlord may be filing a LT case, and to state the time limit for the tenant to take remedial action.  If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord may then file to start the eviction process at the district court in which the rental property is located.

Below is a chart showing the different types of eviction notices that may be served upon a tenant, and a brief description of the different situations in which each is used.  You may click on the notice type to bring up that form.  Service on the tenant may be made personally, by mailing, or by posting at the address of the rental property.

Notice Period Grounds for Eviction – Types of Notices
24 Hours Illegal drug activity
7 Days Nonpayment of rent; Extensive and continuing physical injury to property; or Serious and continuing health hazard.
15 Days Land contract forfeiture
30 Days Violation of a lease provision and the lease allows for termination; Forceful entry or peaceful try, but forceful stay or trespass; Holding over after natural expiration of lease term;
Just cause for terminating tenant of mobile home park; or Just cause for terminating tenant of government-subsidized housing.

Non-Payment of Rent

A demand for possession non-payment of rent case may be filed after the landlord has served the tenant with the appropriate notice, and the tenant has not complied with that notice.  This is a 7-day notice in which the tenant has seven full days to pay the landlord the unpaid rent, or to move out.  If the tenant complies with the notice, the tenant has the right to stay.  If the tenant does not pay or move out within the seven days, then on the eighth day, the landlord may start the lawsuit at the court by filing the Summons and Complaint for Non-Payment of Rent.  The landlord will also need to provide:

  • Summons (Original + 4 copies)
  • Complaint for Non-Payment of Rent (Original + 4 copies)
  • 4 Copies of the notice (the 2nd page is to be served to the tenant)
  • 3 Copies of the lease (if applicable) plus 2 additional copies for each additional tenant to be served
  • A hearing may be scheduled ahead of time by calling (616) 632-7773

Notice to Quit

A notice to quit to recover possession of property may be filed after the landlord has served the tenant with the appropriate notice, and the tenant has not complied with that notice.  This is a 30 day or one rental period notice in which the tenant has the allotted time to move out.  If the tenant fails to comply with the notice within the 30 full days or the rental period, the landlord may start the lawsuit at the court by filing the Summons and Complaint to Recover Possession of Property.  The landlord will also need to provide:

  • Summons (Original + 4 copies)
  • Complaint to Recover Possession of Property (Original + 4 copies)
  • 4 Copies of the first page of the notice (the 2nd page is to be served to the tenant)
  • 3 Copies of the lease (if applicable) plus 2 additional copies for each additional tenant to be served
  • A hearing may be scheduled ahead of time by calling (616) 632-7773

The two types of cases explained above are the most common type of landlord/tenant case filed, but there are other cases that may be filed for evictions as well.  To read more about these situations, please visit the housing self help at Michigan Legal Help.  You may also wish to consult with an attorney if you are unfamiliar with the eviction process.  All corporations and LLC’s are required to be represented by an attorney.

Landlord tenant cases may be filed for either possession of the property only, or for an additional money judgment.  By filing for a money judgment in addition to possession, the landlord is given the right to try and collect monies from the tenant that may be awarded to them by the judge/magistrate.  In order to receive a money judgment, the tenant must receive the summons and complaint by personal service, or by attending the hearing.