NEW INNOVATIVE SERVICE

MI Resolve: A New Way to Resolve Disputes Online sponsored by the Michigan Supreme Court Administrative Office

This is a new service supported by the Michigan Supreme Court’s Administrative Office to provide a free, quick and easy way of resolving disputes that are typically filed as a small claims or landlord/tenant case in the district court.

Through MI-Resolve, parties can resolve their disputes online with or without the help of a mediator. Parties can also arrange to meet in person with a mediator or via video conference. Mediation is a process in which a trained neutral person (a mediator) helps parties identify a solution to a dispute that best works for them. Mediators do not take sides, evaluate claims, or provide legal advice.

To use the service, you must:

• • Live, work, or have a dispute in one of the blue service counties. Important: If you do not live or work in these counties, or the dispute did not arise there, you can still use other forms of dispute resolution to resolve your dispute. Please click the applicable county on the following link to be referred the nearest dispute resolution center. Center staff will be able to discuss with you how to resolve your dispute.

  • Have access to the internet and have an active email address.

  • Agree to the terms listed in the Agreement to Mediate.
    The Agreement to Mediate is found on the registration page after parties have completed intake. A link will be sent to the other party to register for MI-Resolve once you have entered the other party’s contact information.

  • All parties must be over the age of 18.

  • You do not need to have a case filed in court to use this service. However if you do have a case pending in court, you can still use this service to try to reach a settlement before your hearing or trial date. In this situation, a mediator will be assigned immediately but you may begin to directly communicate with the other party until the mediator joins you in the conversation space.

  • Currently, there is no fee to use the service.

This service is most helpful for resolving disputes that involve:

A. Claims alleging that money is owed, contract disputes, and neighborhood disputes;

B. Landlord/tenant matters such as rent owed and repairs but that do not involve eviction proceedings;

C. Disputes where people are not represented by lawyers; and,

D. Disputes between only two people.

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About MI-Resolve Family

The MI-Resolve Family System is currently designed to help families work together to create new parenting time agreements, revise current court-ordered plans, or create a plan for making up missed time with the help of a trained mediator.

Conflicts may arise regarding communicating schedule changes, transportation responsibilities, shuttling the child’s clothing or toys back and forth, and vacations and extracurricular activities. In these cases, one parent may feel they have been denied their court-ordered parenting time, and a mediator can help families work together to find a solution.  If the issue is resolved, the mediator will write up an agreement that the parties can sign online and submit to the court.

If your Friend of the Court has suggested you try the MI-Resolve Family System or you have been ordered to mediation, your local CDRP center will first contact you directly to review your case to determine whether mediation through MI-Resolve is appropriate. If the case is suitable for online mediation, center staff will invite you and the other parent to a private portal where a trained mediator will work with you to reach an agreement. If your case has not been ordered to mediation but you are interested in trying MI-Resolve, you should contact your local CDRP center to learn more.

Using the MI-Resolve Family System

After you receive your invitation to register on the system, you will create a username and password that will allow you to access the system from smartphones, tablets, and personal or public computers at any time throughout the process. You will be asked to answer a few questions, and once the other party registers on the system, a mediator will be assigned to your case to begin the conversation.

Through MI-Resolve you can upload photos, schedules, and other documentation that supports your viewpoint and responds to the other party. The mediator will help identify options for resolving the matter and will help move the conversation along. The mediator can also meet separately with each party in a private space, and your discussion with the mediator there is also confidential.

The court will know only whether you participated and/or if the case was resolved. If you are able to resolve your dispute online, other than ensuring that the proper forms are brought to court, you may not need to appear for further court events. The service is free and there is no cost to the parties or court.

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