LANSING, Mich. — Ottawa, Allegan, and Barry counties have been added to a new system in Michigan that brings disputes like small claims and landlord/tenant cases online, bringing to 47 the number of counties included.
The system is called MI-Resolve, and it’s an outgrowth of the Michigan Supreme Court Office of Dispute Resolution. When all 83 counties are in the system, it will make Michigan the nation’s first state to have dispute resolution available to every citizen online.
“Opening up online dispute resolution to Ottawa, Allegan, and Barry county residents represents a huge step toward achieving that goal,” said Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget McCormack in a release. “Keeping the virtual doors of justice open to everyone in Michigan has never been more important.”
Parties in a dispute can now negotiate online directly or have a mediator involved. The system generates the necessary forms to file if a dispute is resolved.
The use of the online dispute resolution tool is free.
The Office of Dispute Resolution listed the types of cases the system is designed to handle:Repayment of vehicle and personal loans;
- Non-delivery or quality of goods and services;
- Car accident (attempts to collect the deductible);
- Landlord/Tenant (return of security deposit and disputes over the amount of security
- deposit withheld, completion of repairs on rental homes);
- Return of private property between parties ending a domestic relationship;
- Completion of repairs or home improvements (contractor/home repairs); and,
- Neighbor use of property that doesn’t belong to them; building fence on neighbor lot.
