Office of Dispute Resolution

Currently, the system is designed to help resolve money disputes, minor landlord/tenant matters (like the return of a damage deposit), contract matters, and neighborhood disputes.

​​​​Here’s how it works: If you have been sued, or are thinking about suing someone because either someone thinks they owe you money, or you think they owe you money, you can register in M​I-Resolve, and as long as you provide the other person’s email address, the system will invite them to have a conversation online with you to see if you can resolve the matter.

​If your dispute isn’t already filed in court, you have seven days​ to negotiate with the other party, and if you haven’t reached a resolution, a mediator will join the conversation. If you already have a pending court case, a medi​ator​ will be automatically assigned.

Mediators are trained through programs approved by the Michigan Supreme Court Administrative Office and will help all parties come up with some options that may resolve the dispute.  If parties agree on a particular resolution, the system produces an agreement form that is a binding contract.  The system also produces any necessary forms for filing in court.

​MI-Resolve can be accessed 24/7/365, meaning that disputes can be resolved very quickly, often in a matter of days.  It’s always important to know your legal rights be​fore using the system, and MichiganLegalHelp.org is an important source of legal information for persons representing themselves in court.

Using MI-Resolve​ is confidential, meaning that with few exceptions, such as threats of harm, communications shared in the system cannot be used in court.

MI-Resolve is free to use. There are no charges to any persons using the system.

About 80% of the people who use mediation to resolve a dispute reach an agreement they’re comfortable with. People who do not reach an agreement do not give up any rights and can continue pursuing their claims in court.