In a Michigan civil case, you give the other parties formal notice of a motion hearing using Form MC 326, the Notice of Hearing and Motion published by the State Court Administrative Office. To use it, you fill in the court and case information, name the motion and the moving party, enter the hearing date, time, and location you obtained from the judge’s clerk, write the substance of your motion, sign it, then file it with the court (with the $20 motion fee) and serve copies on every other party far enough in advance to meet the court rule’s minimum notice period. The form is free to download from the Michigan One Court of Justice website.1Michigan Courts. Index of Michigan Court Forms
Is MC 326 the Right Form for You?
Use MC 326 for a motion in a circuit court, district court, or Court of Claims civil case.2Michigan Courts. Notice of Hearing and Motion Two quick boundaries. Form MC 01 is sometimes mistaken for a notice of hearing but it is actually a Summons used to start a lawsuit.3Michigan Courts. Summons And if your matter is in probate court (an estate, guardianship, or conservatorship), the right form is PC 562, not MC 326.4Michigan Courts. Michigan Probate Court Form PC 562 – Notice of Hearing
Get Your Hearing Date Before You Start
You cannot finish MC 326 without a hearing date, time, and location, and the court assigns those — not you. Call the assigned judge’s clerk or scheduling coordinator and request a hearing date for your motion. Ask three things: the date and time, whether the hearing is in person or remote, and the courtroom number (or, for a remote hearing, the Zoom or other virtual meeting details).
Michigan’s Virtual Courtroom Standards direct courts to provide adequate notice of remote proceedings, including the meeting code or link needed to join.5Michigan Courts. Michigan Trial Courts Virtual Courtroom Standards and Guidelines If the court is holding your hearing on Zoom, include the connection details on the notice or attach the court’s Zoom instruction sheet. Serving a notice with the wrong location can mean starting over, so confirm the format with the clerk before you fill the form in.
Filling Out MC 326, Field by Field
Top of the Form: Court and Case Information
Enter the judicial circuit or district, the county, the court address, and the court telephone number at the top. Just below, fill in the case number and the assigned judge’s name. Both should already appear on your earlier filings in the case; if you don’t have them, call the clerk’s office.2Michigan Courts. Notice of Hearing and Motion
Case Caption
The caption area has spaces for each party’s name, address, telephone number, and attorney information (including the attorney’s bar number). Fill in the plaintiff’s information on the left and the defendant’s on the right. If there are multiple defendants, or the case involves a non-party such as a garnishee, use the “In the matter of” line.
The Notice of Hearing Section
This part of the form has three numbered fields:
- Motion title. Write the exact name of the motion being heard, such as “Motion for Summary Disposition” or “Motion to Compel Discovery.”
- Moving party. Identify who filed the motion (plaintiff or defendant).
- Hearing date, time, location, and judge. Enter the scheduled date and time, the hearing location (courtroom number, or virtual meeting information for a remote hearing), and the judge’s name and bar number.
The Motion Section and Signature
The bottom half of page one is the Motion section, where you write the substance of what you are asking the court to do. Sign and date it. Page two contains a Certificate of Mailing that you’ll complete after you serve the other parties.2Michigan Courts. Notice of Hearing and Motion
Filing the Completed Form With the Court
If your court uses the MiFILE electronic filing system, upload the notice and pay the fee online. As of March 2026, every listed Michigan court mandates e-filing for attorneys; whether self-represented filers must e-file varies by court.6Michigan Courts. E-Filing Courts in Michigan If your court is not on the MiFILE list and you are not required to e-file, deliver the form to the clerk’s office in person or by mail.
The standard motion filing fee is $20 in both circuit and district court.7Michigan Courts. Circuit Court Fee and Assessments Table Paying through MiFILE adds a 3% credit card processing charge.
If You Cannot Afford the Filing Fee
Request a waiver on Form MC 20 (Fee Waiver Request). The court will grant it if your gross household income falls below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. You also qualify if you receive Food Assistance (SNAP), Medicaid, the Family Independence Program (TANF), WIC, or Supplemental Security Income, or if you are represented by a legal services organization because of indigency.8Michigan Courts. MC 20 – Fee Waiver Request If your income is higher, the court can still waive fees where paying would cause financial hardship. The financial information on the form is confidential and is not shared with the opposing party.
Serving the Other Parties on Time
Filing is only half the job. Every other party (or their attorney) must receive a copy of the notice far enough before the hearing to satisfy Michigan Court Rule 2.119(C). The minimums for a civil motion are:
- At least seven days before the hearing if you serve by personal delivery.
- At least nine days before the hearing if you serve by mail.9Michigan Courts. Michigan Court Rules – Section: Rule 2.119 Motion Practice
These are floors. The court can require more time for good cause. Count the days under Michigan Court Rule 1.108: do not count the day you serve or mail the notice, do count the hearing day, and if a deadline falls on a weekend or court holiday the period extends to the next business day.10Michigan Courts. Michigan Court Rules – Section: Rule 1.108 Computation of Time Miss the window by a day and the other side can ask the judge to adjourn or strike the hearing.
Current Michigan Court Rules generally require electronic service between parties when the case is active in a court that supports it. That means service through the e-filing system, email, or fax. If electronic service is not available, use first-class mail to the other party’s last known address, or personal delivery.
Proof of Service
No judge will hear your motion without proof that the other side actually received the notice. Page two of MC 326 has a built-in Certificate of Mailing where you declare under penalty of perjury that you mailed copies to all parties at their last known addresses.2Michigan Courts. Notice of Hearing and Motion Fill it out after you serve the notice, then file it with the court before the hearing date.
What Happens If a Party Doesn’t Show Up
Serving a notice correctly matters because the consequences of a missed hearing are real. If the moving party fails to appear, the court can dismiss the motion or the entire case for failure to prosecute, with or without prejudice depending on the circumstances. If the opposing party fails to appear after receiving proper notice, the court can enter a default under Michigan Court Rule 2.603. Once a default is entered, the defaulted party cannot take further action in the case until it is set aside, and the moving party can seek a default judgment; where the claim is for a specific dollar amount, the clerk may enter judgment without a hearing.11Michigan Courts. Michigan Court Rules – Section: Rule 2.603 Default and Default Judgment A defaulted party who previously appeared in the case must also get seven days’ notice before a default judgment is entered. Setting a default judgment aside is possible but difficult, and the longer you wait the harder it becomes.