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HB 6204

Financial institutions: mortgage brokers and lenders; appeals under the revised judicature act of 1961; modify. Amends sec. 2529 of 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.2529). TIE BAR WITH: HB 6177'26

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Mark Tisdel

HB 6204 would raise and restructure civil filing, appeal, jury demand, and related court fees to fund state and county court programs, with waivers for indicent litigants.

bill electronically reproduced 07/03/2026
#civilprocedure:appeals #financialinstitutions:mortgagebrokersandlenders
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Bill Summary · HB 6204

Overview

HB 6204 (Michigan, 2025-2026) proposes amendments to section 2529 of the Revised Judicature Act of 1961 (as amended by 2023 PA 35) to modify court filing and related fees, including appeals, jury demand, custody/support actions, and various other court-related charges. The bill is tied to HB 6177 and would take effect only if HB 6177 becomes law.

Main purpose and intent

  • Recalibrate and update the fee schedule that accompanies civil actions filed in circuit court and related appellate and motion proceedings.
  • Create new or adjusted revenue streams to fund court operations and related programs (e.g., civil filing fee fund, juror compensation reimbursement, and services not title IV-D related).

Key provisions and changes

  • Court filing fees (Sec. 2529(1)(a)):

    • Before filing a civil action (excluding certain actions listed), a fee of $150 is charged.
    • End-of-month remittance: $31 of each monthly fee to the county treasurer; the remainder to the state treasurer for deposit into the civil filing fee fund (Sec. 171).
    • Exclusions: actions under certain sections (e.g., 2950 series, extreme risk protection order act, habeas corpus, and certain residential mortgage licensing actions) are exempt from this filing fee.

  • Appeals and motions (Sec. 2529(1)(b)):

    • Before filing a claim of appeal or motion for leave to appeal in various tribunals, a fee of $150 is charged.
    • Remittance: $31 to county treasurer; the balance to the state treasurer for the civil filing fee fund.

  • Jury demand (Sec. 2529(1)(c)):

    • A jury demand fee of $85 is due at the time the demand is made.
    • If a judgment for costs is awarded, the fee can be taxed in favor of the paying party.
    • $25 per fee collected is allocated to the state treasurer for the juror compensation reimbursement fund.

  • Custody, support, and parenting time actions (Sec. 2529(1)(d)):

    • Custody or parenting time determination/modification: $80 fee.
    • Child support determination/modification: $40 fee.
    • The fee is waived if a fee under (d)(i) is paid.

  • Motions (Sec. 2529(1)(e)):

    • General motion fee of $20 upon filing (with specific exceptions for certain motions related to protective orders, international actions, and income withholding challenges).
    • Exemptions: certain motions linked to 2950/2950a actions and foreign protective orders do not incur the fee.
    • $10 per fee collected is deposited into the state treasurer for the state court fund.

  • Other court services (Sec. 2529(1)(f)):

    • Fees for court-directed services related to safekeeping, security, or miscellaneous court-ordered financial management. The court sets the “allowance and compensation.”

  • Appeals to higher courts (Sec. 2529(1)(g)):

    • An additional $25 due upon appeal to the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court.

  • Garnishments and related processes (Sec. 2529(1)(h)):

    • A service fee of $15 is charged per writ of garnishment, attachment, or execution and per judgment debtor discovery subpoena.

  • Fee structure and collection (Sec. 2529(2)-(8)):

    • The listed fees are the total costs for clerk, entry, and judgment-related processes from filing through final process, and are taxable as costs.
    • General rule: fees are paid to the county treasurer unless otherwise required by law.
    • Monthly distribution: specified portions allocated to county treasurers and state funds; the county distribution supports services not funded by Title IV-D; certain funds exist for dedicated uses (e.g., juror compensation).
    • Courts may waive or suspend fees upon indigency or inability to pay (upon affidavit).
    • In some cases involving public officers acting in official capacity, fee waivers may apply, with possible allocation to other parties if contested.
    • Fee waivers or suspensions can be offset by shifting the fee burden to other party in the action.
    • Certain actions involving child protective or delinquency matters are exempt from these fees (per subsection (11)).

  • Enacting clause:

    • The act does not take effect unless HB 6177 (request no. H05171'25) is enacted into law.

Who would be affected

  • Plaintiffs and defendants involved in civil actions in circuit court and related proceedings.
  • Parties seeking appeals or leave to appeal (district/probate/municipal courts and administrative tribunals).
  • Parties demanding a jury trial.
  • Parties involved in custody/support actions or motions related to those actions.
  • Public officers and government entities in cases where the officer acts in official capacity (potentially affected by fee waivers in certain contexts).
  • County treasurers and state-level funds (e.g., civil filing fee fund, juror compensation reimbursement fund, state court fund).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date contingent on passage of HB 6177.
  • Fee collection occurs at specific stages: filing, motions, appeals, jury demands, custody actions, and garnishments, with monthly transfers to county and state funds.
  • Some fees are designated as payable upon filing and are then allocated by the clerk to appropriate funds.
  • Fees may be waived or suspended for indigent filers; judges retain authority to enforce partial payment when appropriate.
  • The bill includes a structured pathway for distributing revenue to the civil filing fee fund and other state or county funds, outlining how amounts are split monthly.

Potential impact considerations

  • Increased upfront costs for civil actions and related filings could influence filing decisions, especially for routine or low-stakes cases.
  • Revenue would bolster state and county court funding streams and specific programs (e.g., juror compensation, non-Title IV-D services).
  • Exemptions and waivers provide relief for indigent litigants and certain protective or specialized actions.
  • The tying to HB 6177 creates a synchronized policy change, requiring concurrent enactment to take effect.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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