Evictions. Effective September 4, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an order temporarily halting evictions to stop the spread of COVID-19. The order remains in effect through March 31, 2020. See 85 Fed Reg 55292 (September 4, 2020); 86 Fed Reg 8020 (February 3, 2021). The State Court Administrative Office has prepared FAQs to help district court judges and administrators respond to the order. Additional information is available at Michigan Legal Help, including a DIY toolkit to help defendants sign the declaration that covered persons must present to landlords.
Summary Proceedings. Administrative Order No. 2020-17 (amended on June 24, 2020, October 22, 2020, and December 29, 2020) sets forth several provisions regarding landlord/tenant actions once courts are able to begin conducting summary proceedings. Among other things, AO 2020-17 addresses the prioritization and scheduling of hearings, pleadings, and required notifications to the parties in an effort to “help limit the possibility of further infection while ensuring that landlord/tenant cases are able to be filed and adjudicated efficiently.” AO 2020-17 “is effective until further order of the Court.” See also the guidance document issued in conjunction with and the FAQs on AO 2020-17.