Rule 5.143 Alternative Dispute Resolution

If you have a dispute in a Michigan probate or family court case, the judge can send it to mediation or another process to try to resolve it without a full trial. This gives both sides a chance to work things out with help from a neutral person.

If your case goes through "case evaluation," the court follows standard Michigan rules for that process. A panel reviews the case and suggests a settlement amount or outcome. There can be financial consequences if a party rejects the suggestion and then does poorly at trial.