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Michigan Court Rules (2026)

We publish four Michigan court rule sets totaling 1029 rules. The Michigan Court Rules govern practice and procedure across all Michigan courts, and the Michigan Rules of Evidence control the admissibility of testimony, documents, and other evidence at trial. Each rule includes the full text, a plain-English summary, committee notes, amendment history, and cross-references to related rules.

Practice guide Full-length reference · 10 sections

Michigan Court Rules & Rules of Practice

How this jurisdiction's courts and rules are organized, written for lawyers new to it: the court system, every ruleset a litigator touches, and how a case actually moves. Last verified September 2, 2026. For informational purposes only.

  1. Court System Overview
  2. The Ruleset Map
  3. Civil Litigation Mechanics
  4. Criminal Practice Mechanics
  5. Evidence
  6. Appellate Mechanics
  7. Rules of Professional Conduct
  8. Attorney Discipline & Enforcement
  9. Newcomer Orientation Notes
  10. Sources & Verification
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Mich. Ct. R. 625 rules

Michigan Court Rules

The Michigan Court Rules govern practice and procedure in all courts established by the Michigan Constitution and laws of the State of Michigan. Organized in nine chapters covering general provisions, civil procedure, special proceedings, district court, probate, criminal procedure, appellate rules, administrative rules, and professional disciplinary proceedings.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Mich. R. Evid. 65 rules

Michigan Rules of Evidence

The Michigan Rules of Evidence govern the admissibility of evidence in Michigan courts. Modeled on the Federal Rules of Evidence, they establish standards for the admissibility of testimony, documents, and other evidence in civil and criminal proceedings, with Michigan-specific provisions including MRE 202 on judicial notice of law.

Updated 2026 Edition

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MRPC 61 rules

Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct

The Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct govern the ethical duties of lawyers practicing in Michigan. Promulgated separately from the Michigan Court Rules, they cover the client-lawyer relationship, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, duties to the tribunal and to opposing parties, law firm responsibilities, advertising, and professional misconduct. Each rule is published with its official commentary.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Mich. AO No. 278 rules

Michigan Supreme Court Administrative Orders

The orders by which the Supreme Court of Michigan administers the courts, 279 of them from 1968 to 2026, published in one volume beside the Michigan Court Rules and cited by year and number. They are where much of Michigan practice actually lives: AO 1989-1 governs film and electronic media coverage of court proceedings, AO 1990-2 the Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts program and the distribution of its funds, AO 2003-3 the appointment of counsel for indigent criminal defendants, AO 1988-4 the sentencing guidelines that still govern offences committed before January 1, 1999, and AO 1987-1 access to juror personal history questionnaires. Later orders run to electronic filing, remote and video proceedings, the submission of case data to the Judicial Data Warehouse, and the concurrent jurisdiction plans by which a county's circuit, district and probate courts share work. Seventy-eight have been rescinded and are published marked as such, so that a citation in an older opinion still resolves and says what became of the order.

Updated 2026 Edition

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which Michigan courts and proceedings do these rules cover?
The Michigan Court Rules apply to proceedings in the Michigan Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, circuit courts, district courts, probate courts, and several other state tribunals. The Michigan Rules of Evidence govern what evidence may be introduced in those same courts. Together, these two rule sets cover the full range of civil, criminal, family, and probate matters heard across the state.
How are Michigan's court rules organized on this site?
The site separates Michigan's rules into two distinct collections: the Michigan Court Rules and the Michigan Rules of Evidence, with 688 individual rules between them. Each collection is broken into chapters or articles, and you can browse by section number or search by keyword to find a specific rule quickly. This structure mirrors the official organization used by the Michigan Supreme Court.
What information is available for each rule?
Each rule page includes the official rule text along with a plain-English summary that explains what the rule means in practical terms. Many entries also include cross-references to related rules, so you can follow the connections between procedural requirements and evidentiary standards without losing your place. Where available, staff committee notes and historical context are included to help you understand why a rule is written the way it is.
How current are the Michigan rules on this site?
The Michigan Supreme Court amends its court rules and evidence rules on a rolling basis throughout the year, and this site is updated to reflect official amendments as they take effect. Each rule page displays the date it was last reviewed, so you can see at a glance whether you are working with current language. For high-stakes matters, it is always good practice to cross-check against the Michigan Supreme Court's official published orders.