Rule 3.203 - Service of Notice and Court Documents in Domestic Relations Cases(A) Manner of Service. Unless otherwise required by court rule or statute, the summons and complaint must be served pursuant to MCR 2.105. In cases in which the court retains jurisdiction (1) notice must be provided as set forth in the statute requiring the notice. Unless otherwise required by court rule or statute, service by mail shall be to a party's last known mailing address, and(2) court documents and notice for which the statute or court rule does not specify the manner of service must be served as provided in MCR 2.107, except that service by mail shall be to a party's last known mailing address.(3) Alternative Electronic Service. A party or an attorney may file an agreement with the friend of the court to authorize the friend of the court to serve notices and court papers on the party or attorney in accordance with MCR 2.107(C)(4).
(B) Place of Service; After Entry of Judgment or Order. When a domestic relations judgment or order requires the parties to inform the friend of the court office of any changes in their mailing address, a party's last known mailing address means the most recent address(1) that the party provided in writing to the friend of the court office, or(2) set forth in the most recent judgment or order entered in the case, or(3) the address established by the friend of the court office pursuant to subrule (D).(C) Place of Service; Before Entry of Judgment or Order. After a summons and complaint has been filed and served on a party, but before entry of a judgment or order that requires the parties to inform the friend of the court of any changes in their mailing address, the last known mailing address is the most recent address (1) set forth in the pleadings, or(2) that a party provides in writing to the friend of the court office.(D) Administrative Change of Address. The friend of the court office may change a party's address administratively pursuant to the policy established by the state court administrator for that purpose when:(1) a party's address changes in another friend of the court office pursuant to these rules, or(2) notices and court documents are returned to the friend of the court office as undeliverable or the friend of the court determines that a federal automated database has determined that mail is not deliverable to the party's listed address.(E) Service on Nonparties. Notice to a nonparty must be provided as set forth in the statute requiring the notice. Absent statutory direction, the notice may be provided by regular mail. Absent statutory direction, court documents initiating an action against nonparties to enforce a notice must be served in the same manner as a summons and complaint pursuant to MCR 2.105.(F) Confidential Addresses. When a court order makes a party's address confidential, the party shall provide an alternative address for service of notice and court documents.(G) Notice to Friend of the Court. Except where electronic filing is implemented, if a child of the parties or a child born during the marriage is under the age of 18, or if a party is pregnant, or if child support or spousal support is requested, the parties must provide the friend of the court with a copy of all pleadings and other documents filed in the action. The copy must be marked "friend of the court" and submitted to the court clerk at the time of filing. The court clerk must send the copy to the friend of the court. Where electronic filing is implemented, the court and the friend of the court shall determine the manner in which the court will make pleadings and other documents filed in the action available to the friend of the court. The court and friend of the court shall not require the parties to provide paper copies of electronically filed pleadings.(H) Notice to Prosecuting Attorney. In an action for divorce or separate maintenance in which a child of the parties or a child born during the marriage is under the age of 18, or if a party is pregnant, the plaintiff must serve a copy of the summons and complaint on the prosecuting attorney when required by law.(I) Notice to Attorneys. (1) Copies of notices required to be given to the parties also must be sent to the attorneys of record.(2) The notice requirement of this subrule remains in effect until 21 days after judgment is entered or until postjudgment matters are concluded, whichever is later.(J) Service of Informational Pamphlet. If a child of the parties or a child born during the marriage is under the age of 18, or if a party is pregnant, or if child support or spousal support is requested, the plaintiff must serve with the complaint a copy of the friend of the court informational pamphlet required by MCL 552.505(1)(c). The proof of service must state that service of the informational pamphlet has been made.Amended June 21, 2017, effective 9/1/2017; amended effective 3/21/2018; amended August 30, 2018, effective 9/1/2018; amended March 20, 2019, effective 5/1/2019; amended August 14, 2019, effective 8/14/2019.