The 36th District Court is enforcing collection of all outstanding fines and costs due and owing. This informational Notice is being distributed to provide citizens who owe money to the Court an opportunity to pay their fines and costs in full before full enforcement of collections begins and to avoid additional costs being assessed, garnishment of income tax, garnishment of earnings, contact by a Collection Enforcement Officer, or arrest.
36th District Court enforcement initiatives may include but are not limited to the following:
- Suspension of driver’s license
- Show Cause for failure to pay or failure to follow any Order of the Court
- A warrant for your arrest/Incarceration for Contempt of Court
- Additional Warrant and/or Show Cause Fees
- Garnishment of your state income tax refund
- Garnishment of your earnings until the debt is paid in full
- Contact and/or an official visit from a COLLECTION ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
IF YOU ARE SCHEDULED FOR A COURT APPEARANCE, Michigan Court Rule 1.110 requires that ALL FINES AND COSTS MUST BE PAID AT THE TIME OF ASSESSMENT UNLESS GOOD CAUSE IS SHOWN. Under the Michigan Court Rules and state law, failure to pay or show good cause may result in being found in contempt of court and remand to a county jail in the State of Michigan.
Court Clerks do not have the authority to give people time to pay. Payment plans are available after the required financial statement is completed fully and completely, under the penalty of perjury (State Court Administrative Office form MC 287).
The Court will issue an Order to Show Cause to all defendants who fail to pay according to the terms and conditions of their official Payment Plan or Court Order and additional costs to compel appearance will be assessed. Upon arrest on any Bench Warrant, any bond posted will be applied to the outstanding fines and costs. If the bond posted does not pay the fines and costs in full, the defendant will be scheduled for an arraignment on the warrant, which shall be cancelled only if the balance is paid in full prior to the court date. The Court will apply open bonds to any other outstanding fines and costs due and owing to the Court before any bond is refunded. If the defendant is unable to post a bond, the defendant shall be held in custody until an arraignment on the warrant is conducted by the Court.
Search case records on the website at www.36thdistrictcourt.org to learn if you have an outstanding balance owed to the Court.
The cashiers’ windows are open from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For your convenience, other methods of payments are explained on the Court’s website and include on-line, drop box, kiosk, and by mail.
Nancy M. Blount
Chief Judge