Michigan district courts

Attorney magistrates may also hear small claims cases or perform other duties described in the statute, as directed by the Chief Judge.

[2] A person aged 18-years or older who is charged with a crime will begin his or her case with an appearance before a district court judge.

In felony cases (generally, cases that are punishable by more than one year in prison), the district court will set the bail amount and hold a preliminary examination to determine if a crime was committed and if there is probable cause to believe the defendant committed the crime.

For these cases, the parties must agree to waive their right to a jury, representation by a lawyer, rules of evidence and to appeal the decision of the district judge.

If the parties do not agree to these terms, the case is heard in the district court’s general civil division.