Mich. Ct. R. 2.225

As amended through May 22, 2024
Rule 2.225 - Joinder of Party to Control Venue
(A) Joinder Not in Good Faith. On a defendant's motion, venue must be changed on a showing that the venue of the action is proper only because of the joinder of a codefendant who was not joined in good faith but only to control venue.
(B) Order for Change of Venue; Case Records.
(1) The transferring court must enter all necessary orders pertaining to the certification and transfer of the action to the receiving court. The court must order the plaintiff to pay the applicable statutory filing fee directly to the receiving court, unless fees have been waived in accordance with MCR 2.002. The court may also order the plaintiff to pay reasonable compensation and attorney fees to the defendant when necessary to accomplish the transfer.
(2) The transferring court must serve the order on the parties and send a copy to the receiving court. The clerk of the court must prepare the case records for transfer in accordance with the orders entered under subrule (1) and the Michigan Trial Court Records Management Standards and send them to the receiving court by a secure method.
(3) The receiving court shall temporarily suspend payment of the filing fee and open a case pending payment of the filing fee and costs as ordered by the transferring court. The receiving court must notify the plaintiff of the new case number in the receiving court, the amount due, and the due date.
(C) Payment of Filing and Jury Fees After Transfer.
(1) The plaintiff must pay to the receiving court within 28 days of the date of the transfer order the applicable filing fee and any expenses or attorney fees as ordered by the transferring court or the receiving court will dismiss the action.
(2) If a jury fee has been paid, the clerk of the transferring court must forward it to the clerk of the receiving court as soon as possible after the case records have been transferred.

Mich. Ct. R. 2.225

Amended September 18, 2019, effective 1/1/2020.