Calculate your Answer deadline
Uses Michigan Court Rules 2.108, 1.108, and 8.110 (court holidays), and MCL 600.8401 (small claims). Free.
The day the papers reached you. Don't worry about counting — the day you were served is not counted, and we handle that.
In Michigan, your deadline depends on how you were served, not whether you're in District or Circuit Court. The one exception is small claims, which sets a hearing date instead.
Enter your email to see your deadline.
Pick the date, enter your email, and check the box to calculate.
This calculator gives general information based on Michigan's court rules. It cannot give you an official date — only the court can. To be sure, call the court clerk at the phone number on your papers.
What happens if you miss the deadline
If you don't file a written Answer in time, the company suing you can ask the court to win automatically. That is called a default judgment, and it is how most of these cases end. About 95% of people never respond. Once the company has a judgment, it can ask to take money from your paycheck or freeze your bank account.
Filing an Answer stops the automatic win. It makes the company prove its case. Debt buyers often can't, because the paperwork gets lost as debts are sold from company to company.
Official rules
Common questions
Does the day I was served count?
No. The court rules say to skip the day you got the papers and start counting the next day. Day 1 is the day after you were served.
Do weekends and holidays count?
Yes, every day counts, including weekends and holidays. There is one exception: if your last day lands on a Saturday, Sunday, or court holiday, you get until the next day the court is open. The calculator handles this for you.
What if the papers were left with someone at my home?
The clock usually starts the day the papers were left, even if you were not there. If you got the papers some other way, by mail or through a notice in a newspaper, the start date can be different. Call the court clerk at the number on your papers and ask when your response is due.
What if my deadline has already passed?
Act fast, but don't give up. Courts often accept an Answer right up until the company suing you asks the court to win automatically (a "default judgment"). Even after a default judgment, it can sometimes be undone if you move quickly.
Why do I get 28 days instead of 21?
Michigan gives you 21 days when the papers are handed to you in Michigan. You get 28 days when they come by certified or registered mail, or when you're served outside Michigan. Either way, the day you were served doesn't count; start counting the next day.
Does it matter whether I'm in District Court or Circuit Court?
Not for this deadline. Debt cases up to $25,000 are usually in District Court and bigger ones in Circuit Court, but both follow the same 21-day and 28-day rules. The only different track is small claims, which sets a hearing date instead of asking for an Answer.
My papers say small claims and give a hearing date. Do I file an Answer?
No. Michigan small claims cases don't use a written Answer. Go to the hearing on the date in your papers, with any proof you have. If you don't appear, the company can win automatically. You can also ask to move the case out of small claims at or before the hearing; if you do, the court gives you 14 days to file a written Answer.
Do local court holidays change my date?
They can. Michigan's statewide list closes courts on days many other states don't, including Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, and the day after Thanksgiving, and the calculator knows those. But each court can adopt its own holiday schedule, and we can't see those. The date shown counts only the statewide holidays, so it is never later than your real deadline.
Need to file an Answer?
CaseDefender walks you through writing your own Answer, question by question, in plain English, so you can file it before your deadline.
Start my AnswerOne important thing
CaseDefender is an online provider of legal fill-in-the-blank forms and general information. CaseDefender is not a law firm, does not act as your attorney, is not affiliated with any law firm, and does not provide legal advice or legal representation. CaseDefender's forms, courses, and other products are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. No attorney-client relationship and no attorney-client privilege is created by using this service. You are representing yourself. Any document you produce is your own document: you are solely responsible for reviewing it for accuracy, for every legal decision you make, for confirming it complies with the rules of your court, and for filing and serving it on time. Court rules, deadlines, and the law vary by state and by court, and they are strict. CaseDefender cannot guarantee any result and is not responsible for the outcome of your case. If you want advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state; your state bar association maintains a referral directory.