Once it is determined what county the case will be filed in, a Complaint for Divorce (hyper link) is drafted, signed by the Plaintiff, under oath, and filed with the proper county’s Family/Circuit Court  Clerk’s office.  In Michigan, the divorce must be accompanied by a Summons, which is a form which notifies the Defendant that the Complaint has been filed; where; who the Plaintiff’s attorney is, and how long they have to file their response with the court clerk. 

A filing fee must be paid to the Court Clerk at the commencement of the case.  Filing fees may vary depending on the type of action.  The filing fee for a divorce filed in Wayne, Oakland, Livingston and Washtenaw County is $150.00.  Additional fees may be required such as when a Friend of the Court investigation is sought and/or children are involved (usually $80), or a request for modification of custody ($100).

For more information on divorce, please refer to:

• Divorce Overview
  
• Pre-Divorce Procedure
  
• Complaint for Divorce
• Determining Jurisdiction and Filing the Complaint
• Grounds for Divorce
• Ex Parte Orders
• Serving the Defendant
• Answering the Complaint for Divorce
• Discovery
• Mediation
• Arbitration
• Trial
• Trial Procedure
• Mandatory Waiting Period
• Judgment on Divorce
• Consent Judgment on Divorce
• Entry of the Judgment of Divorce
• Enforcement of the Terms of the Judgment of Divorce