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Rule 2.225.Joinder of Party to Control Venue

Current through May 1, 2026 · Last verified July 6, 2026

In one sentenceRule 2.225 forces a change of venue when a defendant shows that a plaintiff achieved proper venue only by joining a codefendant in bad faith, purely to keep the case in a favorable county.

Full Text of Rule 2.225

Text sizeJump to: (A) (B) (C)

(A) Joinder Not in Good Faith. On a defendant's motion, venue must be changed on a showing that the venue of the action is proper only because of the joinder of a codefendant who was not joined in good faith but only to control venue.
(B) Order for Change of Venue; Case Records.
(1) The transferring court must enter all necessary orders pertaining to the certification and transfer of the action to the receiving court. The court must order the plaintiff to pay the applicable statutory filing fee directly to the receiving court, unless fees have been waived in accordance with MCR 2.002. The court may also order the plaintiff to pay reasonable compensation and attorney fees to the defendant when necessary to accomplish the transfer.
(2) The transferring court must serve the order on the parties and send a copy to the receiving court. The clerk of the court must prepare the case records for transfer in accordance with the orders entered under subrule (1) and the Michigan Trial Court Records Management Standards and send them to the receiving court by a secure method.
(3) The receiving court shall temporarily suspend payment of the filing fee and open a case pending payment of the filing fee and costs as ordered by the transferring court. The receiving court must notify the plaintiff of the new case number in the receiving court, the amount due, and the due date.
(C) Payment of Filing and Jury Fees After Transfer.
(1) The plaintiff must pay to the receiving court within 28 days of the date of the transfer order the applicable filing fee and any expenses or attorney fees as ordered by the transferring court or the receiving court will dismiss the action.
(2) If a jury fee has been paid, the clerk of the transferring court must forward it to the clerk of the receiving court as soon as possible after the case records have been transferred.
End

Amendment History

Michigan tracks the orders that adopt and amend its Court Rules in a separate administrative record rather than printing a history note beneath each rule in the compiled rules text reproduced here. The text above is verified current through the source’s own May 1, 2026 update; for the full order-by-order history of this rule, see the Michigan Supreme Court’s rules and orders page.

Plain-English Summary

On a defendant's motion, venue must be changed on a showing that it is proper in the current court only because of the joinder of a codefendant who wasn't joined in good faith, but only to control where the case would be heard. That showing made, the same transfer mechanics apply as for an ordinary improper-venue transfer: a state-approved transfer order, service on the parties and the receiving court, and a requirement that the plaintiff pay the receiving court's filing fee — and, where necessary to accomplish the transfer, the defendant's reasonable compensation and attorney fees — generally within 28 days of the transfer order or the receiving court dismisses the case, with any jury fee already paid forwarded along with it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "joinder to control venue"?

It's when a plaintiff names a codefendant, in bad faith, for the real purpose of keeping a case in a county that would not otherwise be a proper venue.

What do I have to prove to get venue changed on this ground?

That venue is proper in the current court only because of the codefendant's joinder, and that the codefendant was joined in bad faith rather than as a genuine party to the dispute.

Who pays if the court finds bad-faith joinder?

The plaintiff pays the receiving court's filing fee, and possibly the defendant's attorney fees and expenses, generally within 28 days of the transfer order.

Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the official Michigan Court Rules (MCR 2.225). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Michigan (Mich. Const. 1963, art. VI, § 5). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 6, 2026. · Official source
Also known as: bad faith joinder venue Michiganjoinder to control venue Michigancollusive joinder Michigan