Notice of Appearance - Michigan

MICHIGAN APPEARANCE PACKAGE

Use the Correct Route

• Ordinary civil appearance: MCR 2.117 and current SCAO Form MC 02.
• Limited-scope civil appearance: MCR 2.117(B)(2)(c), MCR 2.107(B)(1)(e), and current Form MC 516.
• Withdrawal from limited appearance: MCR 2.117(C)(4) and current Form MC 517.
• Probate appearance: MCR 5.117, with service on the interested persons and fiduciary required by that rule.
• Foreign attorney: the sponsoring Michigan attorney must complete the MCR 8.126 process before the foreign attorney appears or practices under temporary admission.

An appearance does not replace an answer, responsive motion, jury demand, temporary-admission motion, or other filing. Calendar each independently.

PART 1 — FILING AND DEADLINE WORKSHEET

Response-Time Warning

MCR 2.108(A) generally provides 21 days after qualifying in-state service under MCR 2.105(A)(1), but provides 28 days for service outside Michigan or when the service method requires the summons and complaint to be sent by registered mail. Do not describe the 28-day route as applying whenever any document was “served by mail.” Publication, posting, later pleadings, special proceedings, statutes, and court orders may use different timing.

Electronic-Filing and Service Gate

• ☐ Confirm that electronic filing has been implemented for this court and case type.
• ☐ Confirm whether attorney e-filing is required under MCR 1.109(G)(3)(f).
• ☐ Confirm any approved exemption or non-electronic-material procedure.
• ☐ Register and use the approved system when required.
• ☐ Serve authorized users through the e-filing system as MCR 1.109(G)(6)(a)(ii) requires.
• ☐ Serve an exempt or unregistered recipient by another method permitted by the Michigan Court Rules.

Electronic service through the court’s e-filing system is distinct from alternative service by ordinary email, text, or secure-site alert under MCR 2.107(C)(4). Do not insert a free-standing “decline e-service” election when mandatory e-service applies.

PART 2 — GENERAL CIVIL APPEARANCE

STATE OF MICHIGAN — [JUDICIAL DISTRICT / JUDICIAL CIRCUIT / COURT]

Case No. [________________________________]

Judge [________________________________]

APPEARANCE

TO: Clerk of the Court, all attorneys of record, and all unrepresented persons entitled to service.

The undersigned appears on behalf of [PARTY] as:

• ☐ Retained attorney.
• ☐ Appointed attorney.
• ☐ Guardian ad litem, if authorized and applicable.
• ☐ Other authorized capacity: [________________________________].

The undersigned requests service of documents as current Michigan Court Rules require.

Other interest represented in this cause, if any: [________________________________].

Date: [__/__/____]

Signature: ______________________________

Attorney name: [________________________________]

State Bar of Michigan No.: P[________________________________]

Firm: [________________________________]

Address: [________________________________]

City, state, ZIP: [________________________________]

Telephone: [________________________________]

Email used for authorized e-service: [________________________________]

Attorney for: [________________________________]

PART 3 — PROBATE APPEARANCE ADDENDUM

Complete this part only for a probate proceeding governed by MCR 5.117.

Matter: In re [________________________________]

Interested person or fiduciary represented: [________________________________]

Capacity:

• ☐ Personal representative.
• ☐ Trustee.
• ☐ Guardian.
• ☐ Conservator.
• ☐ Other fiduciary: [________________________________].
• ☐ Interested person other than a fiduciary: [________________________________].

MCR 5.117(A) provides that an attorney appearing for a fiduciary represents the fiduciary. State any separate representation only after conflict and scope review: [________________________________].

If the appearance was made through an act or document that was not served on the interested persons, promptly file and serve the written appearance as MCR 5.117(B)(2) requires:

• ☐ Known-address interested persons served.
• ☐ Interested persons who are authorized e-filing users served.
• ☐ Fiduciary served.
• ☐ Proof of service filed.

PART 4 — LIMITED-SCOPE APPEARANCE PREPARATION

Use current Form MC 516. The attorney and party must agree to and sign the limited appearance.

A. Scope

Attorney: [________________________________], P[____________]

Party: [________________________________]

Purpose or activity: [________________________________]

Select at least one scope measure used on MC 516:

• ☐ Date or time period: [________________________________].
• ☐ Identified hearing and any continuance: [________________________________].
• ☐ Subject matter: [________________________________].

Amends prior limited appearance dated [__/__/____]: ☐ No ☐ Yes, as follows: [________________________________].

B. Consent and Service

• ☐ Party consents to the stated limited representation.
• ☐ Attorney signs the current MC 516.
• ☐ Party signs the current MC 516.
• ☐ Form is filed before or during the relevant action or proceeding.
• ☐ All parties of record are served with the notice.
• ☐ During the limited appearance, every later-filed document is served on both the self-represented party and limited-scope attorney unless the court orders otherwise under MCR 2.107(B)(1)(e).
• ☐ Communication routing under MRPC 4.2 and 4.3 is communicated to counsel and parties.

The attorney must remain within the filed scope. If representation exceeds it, opposing counsel by motion or the court by order to show cause may seek a hearing to establish the actual scope under MCR 2.117(B)(2)(d).

C. Ending the Limited Appearance

Use current Form MC 517 after the representation is complete and all necessary limited-scope actions have been taken.

• ☐ State every MC 516 filing date.
• ☐ State the party’s current service address and telephone number, or provide protected information separately when required.
• ☐ File and serve MC 517 on all parties of record.
• ☐ If the party signs MC 517, withdrawal is effective immediately upon filing and service.
• ☐ Without the party’s signature, calendar 14 days after filing and service and monitor for an objection that the agreed services were not completed.
• ☐ After effectiveness, remove the attorney from continued service as MCR 2.117(E) provides.

PART 5 — FOREIGN-ATTORNEY TEMPORARY ADMISSION

Do not use an appearance alone to admit a foreign attorney.

A. Eligibility

• ☐ Foreign attorney is licensed in another qualifying jurisdiction.
• ☐ Foreign attorney is not a Michigan Bar member.
• ☐ Foreign attorney is not disbarred or suspended anywhere.
• ☐ Ordinary five-cases-in-365-days limit reviewed.
• ☐ Any pending admission-without-examination exception reviewed.

B. Sponsoring-Attorney Filing Package

The sponsoring Michigan attorney must appear as counsel of record and prepare an MCR 8.126 motion supported by:

• ☐ Certificate of good standing issued within the last 30 days by a jurisdiction where the foreign attorney is licensed and eligible.
• ☐ Foreign-attorney affidavit listing present and former licensure or licensure applications.
• ☐ Good-standing, discipline, and pending-disciplinary-action statements.
• ☐ Familiarity statement covering Michigan professional-conduct, evidence, and court rules.
• ☐ Any required pending-admission application statement.
• ☐ Copies of disciplinary dispositions, if any.
• ☐ Sponsoring-attorney statement required by MCR 8.126(C)(1)(d).

Before filing the motion with the tribunal, file the motion and supporting materials with the State Bar of Michigan and pay or properly request waiver of the current rule fee. The tribunal may not grant admission until it receives the Bar’s report.

C. Order and Continuing Duties

• ☐ Bar report received.
• ☐ Tribunal order granting temporary admission entered.
• ☐ Foreign attorney files a copy of the order with the Bar within seven days.
• ☐ Dismissal or closure before decision reported if applicable.
• ☐ Any loss of good standing reported to the Bar and tribunals within seven days.
• ☐ Sponsoring attorney remains able and authorized to conduct the matter unless the tribunal waives the continuing requirement after admission.

PART 6 — JURY-DEMAND CHECK

In an ordinary civil action, MCR 2.508(B)(1) generally requires a separate written jury demand within 28 days after filing the answer or a timely reply, with the jury fee paid when the demand is filed. Failure to file the demand or pay the fee waives jury trial under MCR 2.508(D)(1).

• ☐ Jury-triable issue identified.
• ☐ Triggering answer or timely reply filed on [__/__/____].
• ☐ Separate demand deadline: [__/__/____].
• ☐ Applicable jury fee confirmed and paid with demand.
• ☐ Removal, transfer, appeal, added-party, or specified-issue rules separately reviewed.

Exception warning: for a party appealing from a municipal court to circuit court, MCR 2.508(B)(2) places that party’s jury demand in the claim of appeal and another party’s demand in that party’s notice of appearance. Do not apply the ordinary separate-document sentence without checking the procedural route.

PART 7 — PROOF OF SERVICE

I state that on [__/__/____], I served this appearance and any attached filing on the persons listed below by a method authorized for this recipient and case:

Service method:

• ☐ Electronic service through the approved e-filing system.
• ☐ Delivery under MCR 2.107(C)(1) or (2).
• ☐ First-class mail under MCR 2.107(C)(3).
• ☐ Alternative electronic service under a filed agreement satisfying MCR 2.107(C)(4).
• ☐ Court-directed or case-specific method: [________________________________].

I declare under the penalties of perjury that this proof of service is true to the best of my information, knowledge, and belief.

Date: [__/__/____]

Signature: ______________________________

Printed name: [________________________________]

VERIFIED SOURCES

• Michigan Courts, Michigan Court Rules PDF, updated July 31, 2026 — MCR 1.109, 2.107, 2.108, 2.117, 2.508, 5.117, and 8.126
• Michigan Courts, SCAO Form MC 02 — Appearance
• Michigan Courts, SCAO Form MC 516 — Notice of Limited Scope Appearance
• Michigan Courts, SCAO Form MC 517 — Notice of Withdrawal from Limited Scope Appearance

This package does not itself extend a response or jury-demand deadline, admit a foreign attorney, end a general appearance, or authorize ordinary email service without the rule-required basis.