Third Judicial Circuit Court of Michigan Document Format Requirements
34 rules from official source documents
Font, margin, spacing, and file format requirements for court filings.
CRITICALCivil cases
- Format
- DOCX
Counsel must email joint jury instructions as a Word document 48 hours before the final pretrial conference, with separate specified indexes and each instruction on its own page in 14-point font, tailored to the case and gender.
48 hours prior to the Final Pretrial Conference, Counsel shall email a Word Document copy of the joint jury instructions to the Judicial Attorney at Victoria.Lencione@3rdcc.org . The instructions shall include separate indexes titled “Preliminary Jury Instructions” and “Final Jury Instructions,” each index listing the JI number and title. Each instruction shall be on its own separate page, in size 14 font, case specific, and gender specific.
CRITICALCivil cases
- Format
- DOCX
Please provide a Judge's copy in word format for review.
Please provide a Judge's copy in word format for review.
CRITICAL
Exhibits must be tabbed to be accepted by the court.
Exhibits must be tabbed to be accepted by the court.
CRITICAL
The hearing date must be placed in the upper right-hand corner of every judge's copy of a motion, response, reply, or supplemental pleading.
The HEARING DATE of the Motion must be placed in upper right-hand corner of every Judge's copy of a Motion, Response, Reply, or supplemental pleading e-filed.
CRITICAL
- Format
Documents submitted to the Court must be in PDF format.
Documents submitted to the Court must be sent via email to JudgeElassal-Court@3rdcc.org in PDF format.
CRITICALCivil cases
Motions, responses, replies, briefs, and exhibits must be bound together as one single document; binder clips, rubber bands, or boxes are rejected, while staples or two-prong fasteners suffice.
All motions, responses, and replies, along with any corresponding brief and any and all exhibits, must be bound together as one (1) single document. Merely using a binder clip, rubber band, or box is insufficient and will be rejected by the Court. Staples or two prong fasteners are sufficient.
CRITICALCivil cases
All exhibits attached to a brief must be tabbed, or the entire brief may be stricken.
Any and all exhibits attached to a brief must be tabbed. Failure to comply may result in the entire brief being stricken.
CRITICALCivil cases
The Final Joint Pretrial Order must be bound together as one single document.
The FPTO must be bound together as one (1) single document.
CRITICALCivil cases
Provide the court with a tabbed binder containing all exhibits to be presented to the jury on the morning of trial.
A tabbed binder of all Exhibits to be presented to the Jury must be provided to the Court on the morning of Trial.
CRITICAL
Joint jury instructions must include separate indexes for preliminary and final instructions, list JI number and title, and each instruction must be on a separate page in size 14 font, case specific and gender specific.
Instructions shall include separate indexes for "Preliminary Jury Instructions" and "Final Jury Instructions," and list the JI number and title. Each instruction must be on separate page, in size 14 font, case specific, and gender specific.
CRITICAL
Each jury instruction must occupy a separate page, use 14-point font, and be case- and gender-specific.
Each instruction must be on separate page, in size 14 font, case specific, and gender specific.
CRITICALCivil cases
Orders submitted through e-filing for signature must not contain firm lettering or they will be rejected.
ORDERS SUBMITTED VIA E-FILE FOR SIGNATURE SHOULD NOT CONTAIN FIRM LETTERING. ORDERS THAT CONTAIN FIRM LETTERING WILL BE REJECTED.
CRITICAL
All trial exhibits must be tabbed and placed in a binder.
All exhibits must be tabbed, in a binder.
CRITICAL
- Format
Documents sent to the Court must be in PDF format, attached as separate PDFs, and include the case number in the document name and email subject line.
Any documents for consideration by the Court must be sent in .pdf format. Each document must be attached in an email as a separate PDF. Additionally, please include the case number in the document name and in the subject line of every email.
WARNINGCivil cases
- Format
Proposed orders should be emailed to JudgeGlendening-Court@3rdcc.org in pdf format for the Court's review.
Proposed orders should be emailed to JudgeGlendening-Court@3rdcc.org in pdf format for the Court's review.
WARNINGCivil cases
All judge's copies must be bound.
ALL JUDGE'S COPIES MUST BE BOUND.
WARNINGCivil cases
- Applies to
- Brief
Do not underline portions of briefs.
Please refrain from underlining portions of briefs.
WARNINGCivil cases
Orders must not be submitted on letterhead; such orders will be rejected.
DO NOT SUBMIT ORDERS ON LETTERHEAD If you submit an order on letterhead, the court will reject it.
WARNINGCivil cases
All hard copies must be securely bound; loose pages or binder clips will be rejected.
All hard copies must be securely bound (staple, metal fastener, or binder). Loose pages or copies with binder clips will be rejected and must be resubmitted.
WARNINGCivil cases
- Format
Written discovery must be served in both PDF and Word or native format.
Written discovery shall be served in both a PDF and Word (or native) format.
WARNINGCivil cases
Electronically produced documents must presumptively be produced in native format with load files preserving all metadata.
Presumptively, all documents produced electronically shall be produced in native format and with the load files preserving all metadata.
WARNINGCivil cases
- Format
Written discovery must be served in both PDF and Word (or native) format.
Written discovery shall be served in both a PDF and Word (or native) format.
WARNINGCivil cases
All Exhibits should be tabbed individually.
All Exhibits should be tabbed individually.
WARNING
- Format
Exhibits must be labeled and sent as individual PDFs or photos; multiple exhibits must not be combined into one document.
Exhibits shall be labeled and sent as individual PDF’s or photos so each exhibit may be considered on its own. DO NOT send multiple exhibits as one document.
WARNING
Trial exhibits must be electronic, labeled, and separated per the final pretrial order, emailed to chambers, with videos/audio in MP3/MP4 and large exhibits sent via a free cloud drive.
Exhibits: All exhibits are to be in electronic form, labeled, and separated per the final pretrial order and emailed to JudgeCholack-Court@3rdcc.org. Any videos or audio that needs to be submitted must be in MP3/MP4. If your exhibit cannot be emailed due to the size, then sending through a free cloud drive (that does not require an account/sign-in) is the easiest way for the Court to obtain a copy.
WARNINGCivil cases
A tabbed binder of all trial exhibits must be provided to the Court on the morning of trial.
A tabbed binder of all Exhibits to be presented to the Jury must be provided to the Court on the morning of Trial.
WARNINGCivil cases
MCR 2.119(A)(2) is strictly enforced as to form and typography.
MCR 2.119(A)(2) is also strictly enforced as written as to form and typography.
WARNINGCivil cases
Motions must be set forth in separately numbered paragraphs, each limited to a single assertion.
All motions MUST be set forth in separately numbered paragraphs, limited as far as practicable to a single assertion. See MCR 2.113(B).
WARNING
All exhibits must be tabbed in a binder.
All exhibits shall be tabbed in a binder.
WARNINGCivil cases
- Format
- DOCX
Proposed joint jury instructions and the proposed joint verdict form must be submitted in Word Document Format.
Counsel are required to email the same in Word Document Format to lisa.damphousse@3rdcc.org.
WARNING
- Applies to
- Trial brief
Trial briefs must be bound and tabbed.
Parties shall submit trial briefs (bound and tabbed) to the Court and to opposing counsel no later than seven (7) days before trial, unless otherwise ordered by the Court.
WARNING
Exhibits must be tabbed and labeled with numbers or letters.
All exhibits must be tabbed with numbers or letters.
WARNING
- Format
Documents for the Court must be in PDF format, attached as separate PDFs, with the case number in the document name and email subject line.
Any documents for consideration by the Court must be sent in .pdf format. Each document must be attached in an email as a separate PDF. Additionally, please include the case number in the document name and in the subject line of every email.
WARNINGCivil cases
The form and typography requirements of MCR 2.119(A)(2) are strictly enforced.
11. MCR 2.119(A)(2) is also strictly enforced as written as to form and typography.1
What formatting rules apply to filings in Third Judicial Circuit Court of Michigan?
Judge Yvonna C. Abraham's formatting rule includes binding tabbed 3-ring. All trial exhibits must be tabbed and placed in a binder.
Judge Paul J. Cusick's formatting rule includes 14 point type, each instruction must be on a separate page., and instructions must be case specific and gender specific.. Each jury instruction must occupy a separate page, use 14-point font, and be case- and gender-specific.
Judge John H. Gillis Jr.'s formatting rule includes exhibits must be tabbed. Exhibits must be tabbed to be accepted by the court.
22 more rules answer this question.
Related categories
Back to all rules for this courtPage & Word Limits
Maximum page counts and word limits for motions, briefs, and other filings by judge.
Courtesy Copy Requirements
When and how to deliver courtesy copies to chambers, including triggers, timing, and formatting.
Electronic Filing Rules
Electronic filing requirements, permitted filing channels, EFSP portals, and exceptions.
Filing Timing and Cure Windows
Filing cutoffs, deemed-filed rules, rejection handling, cure periods, and outage procedures.