Michigan Small Claims Judgment Collection Forms: Complete SCAO List

Every Form You Need to Collect a Michigan Judgment

Michigan's State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) publishes the approved forms for post-judgment collection. You can download them free from the Michigan Courts website (courts.michigan.gov). Here's each form in the order you'll typically use them, with the filing fees and what each one does.

Discovery and Asset Identification

Form MC 11 — Subpoena (Order to Appear and/or Produce)

What it does: Compels the debtor to appear in court under oath and disclose their assets — bank accounts, employer, income sources, real property, vehicles.

When to use it: After the 21-day post-judgment waiting period, when you don't know where the debtor's money is.

Fees: $15 court filing fee + $38 personal service fee + $12 witness attendance fee ($6 half-day) + witness mileage at $0.725/mile and applicable civil-process mileage at $1.0875/mile.

Key requirement: Must be signed by a District Court judge, not just the clerk. Include the page 2 affidavit swearing the judgment is unsatisfied.

Garnishment Forms

Form MC 12 — Request and Writ for Garnishment (Periodic)

What it does: Garnishes recurring income — wages, commissions, rental payments, land contract payments. Attaches to all pay periods within the writ's 182-day life.

Fees: $15 court filing fee + $35 garnishee disclosure fee ($6 if the garnishee is the State of Michigan).

Include with service: Two copies of the writ, blank copies of Form MC 14, and the disclosure fee.

Form MC 13 — Request and Writ for Garnishment (Nonperiodic)

What it does: Freezes and captures funds in a bank account at the moment of service. One-shot — it doesn't attach to future deposits.

Fees: $15 court filing fee + $35 disclosure fee to the bank.

Note: Banks must automatically protect two months of direct-deposited federal benefits (Social Security, SSI, VA) under 31 CFR Part 212.

Form MC 14 — Garnishee Disclosure

What it does: The garnishee (employer or bank) uses this to report what they're holding or withholding. You include blank copies when serving MC 12 or MC 13.

Deadline: The garnishee must complete and file MC 14 within 14 days after service of the writ.

Fee: None — the garnishee fills it out. You already paid the disclosure fee with the writ.

Form MC 52 — Request and Writ for Garnishment (Income Tax Refund/Credit)

What it does: Intercepts the debtor's Michigan state income tax refund through the Department of Treasury.

Fees: $15 court filing fee + $6 disclosure fee to the State Treasurer.

Limitation: Michigan state refunds only — cannot be used for federal IRS refunds or municipal tax refunds.

Property Seizure and Liens

Form MC 19 — Request and Order to Seize Property

What it does: Authorizes a court officer or sheriff to seize the debtor's non-exempt personal property (vehicles, equipment, inventory) for public auction.

Fees: $15 court filing fee + $55 levy/service fee + mileage + creditor-advanced costs for towing, storage, and auction advertising.

Note: Only a court officer or sheriff can execute the seizure — you cannot seize property yourself.

Form MC 94 — Notice of Judgment Lien

What it does: Records a lien against the debtor's real property in the county where the property is located. Forces payment when the property sells, transfers, or refinances.

Fees: $15 court certification fee + $30 Register of Deeds recording fee.

Duration: 5 years from recording, renewable once for another 5 years if rerecorded at least 120 days before expiration. Cannot be foreclosed — it's a cloud on title, not a forced-sale mechanism.

Objections and Installment Payments

Form MC 49 — Objections to Garnishment and Notice of Hearing

What it does: Filed by the debtor to contest a garnishment. Valid grounds include statutory exemptions, procedural defects, payment in full, or an existing installment order.

Fee: None.

Timeline: File within 14 days after the writ is served on the debtor; the court sends hearing notice within 7 days and sets the hearing within 21 days after the objection is filed.

Form MC 15 — Motion and Affidavit for Installment Payments

What it does: Filed by the debtor to request a structured payment schedule. Stays wage garnishment if granted.

Fee: $20 filing fee.

Creditor deadline: You have 14 days from mailing to file written objections with the court and serve them on the debtor. If you miss it, the order is entered automatically.

Form MC 16 — Motion to Set Aside Order for Installment Payments

What it does: Asks the court to set aside an installment order after the debtor fails to pay as agreed.

When to use it: File the motion with the court and mail a copy to the debtor. If the debtor does not request a hearing within 14 days after mailing, the order may be set aside.

Fee: $20 motion fee.

Case Closing Forms

Form MC 17 — Certificate of Satisfied Judgment

What it does: Officially records that the judgment has been paid in full. The creditor signs and files it with the court.

Fee: None.

When to file: Immediately upon receiving full payment (principal + interest + enforcement costs).

Form MC 50 — Garnishment Release

What it does: Stops all active garnishment withholding. Served on every active garnishee (employers, banks, Treasury).

Fee: None.

When to file: After full satisfaction or upon any event requiring release (bankruptcy stay, court order). For periodic garnishments, provide the release to the garnishee and debtor within 21 days after full payment.

Quick Reference

Putting the Forms in Order

Knowing which form to file is half the work. Knowing the sequence — and the deadlines that chain each form to the next — is the other half. The Michigan Judgment Collection Guide walks through the complete enforcement workflow from the 21-day waiting period through satisfaction, with every form, fee, and deadline mapped to the step where you'll use it.

See more Michigan guides →