Rule 2.501.Scheduling Trials; Court Calendars

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

In one sentenceRule 2.501 requires a Michigan court to move every case toward a conference, ADR process, trial, or other productive order, gives custody and other priority cases precedence on the trial calendar, and generally guarantees 28 days' notice of a trial date.

Full Text of Rule 2.501

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

(A) Scheduling Conferences or Trial.

(1) Unless the further processing of the action is already governed by a scheduling order under MCR 2.401(B)(2), the court shall

(a) schedule a pretrial conference under MCR 2.401,

(b) schedule the action for an alternative dispute resolution process,

(d) enter another appropriate order to facilitate preparation of the action for trial.

(2) A court may adopt a trial calendar or other method for scheduling trials without the request of a party.

(B) Expedited Trials.

(1) On its own initiative, the motion of a party, or the stipulations of all parties, the court may shorten the time in which an action will be scheduled for trial, subject to the notice provisions of subrule (C).

(2) In scheduling trials, the court shall give precedence to actions involving a contest over the custody of minor children and to other actions afforded precedence by statute or court rule.

(1) a rule or statute provides otherwise as to a particular type of action,

(2) the adjournment is of a previously scheduled trial, or

(3) the court otherwise directs for good cause. Notice may be given orally if the party is before the court when the matter is scheduled, or by mailing or delivering copies of the notice or calendar to attorneys of record and to any party who appears on his or her own behalf.

(D) Attorney Scheduling Conflicts.

(1) The court and counsel shall make every attempt to avoid conflicts in the scheduling of trials.

(2) When conflicts in scheduled trial dates do occur, it is the responsibility of counsel to notify the court as soon as the potential conflict becomes evident. In such cases, the courts and counsel involved shall make every attempt to resolve the conflict in an equitable manner, with due regard for the priorities and time constraints provided by statute and court rule. When counsel cannot resolve conflicts through consultation with the individual courts, the judges shall consult directly to resolve the conflict.

(3) Except where a statute, court rule, or other special circumstance dictates otherwise, priority for trial shall be given to the case in which the pending trial date was set first.

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

A case doesn't drift indefinitely; unless a scheduling order under Rule 2.401 already governs what happens next, the court has to schedule a pretrial conference, send the case to an ADR process, set it for trial, or otherwise enter an order that moves the case toward trial, and courts can adopt their own trial calendars without waiting for a party to ask. Courts can also shorten the usual runway to trial, on their own initiative, a party's motion, or everyone's stipulation, so long as the notice rules are still followed, and custody disputes involving minor children get priority on the calendar, along with anything else a statute or rule says should jump the line.

Whatever the timeline, attorneys and parties are generally entitled to 28 days' notice of a trial date, whether given orally in court or by mail, though that period can shrink for a particular kind of case, an adjournment of an already-scheduled trial, or good cause the court identifies. And because trial calendars inevitably collide, the rule expects courts and lawyers to work out scheduling conflicts themselves, with the case that had its trial date set first generally getting priority, and the judges themselves stepping in directly if the lawyers can't sort it out.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much notice do I get before my trial date?

Generally 28 days, unless a rule or statute sets a different period for that kind of case, the trial is being adjourned from an earlier date, or the court directs otherwise for good cause.

Do custody cases get priority for trial scheduling?

Yes. Actions involving a contest over the custody of minor children get precedence on the trial calendar, along with any other case a statute or court rule gives priority.

What happens if my trial date conflicts with my attorney's other trial?

Counsel is expected to notify the court as soon as the conflict becomes evident, and the courts and attorneys involved try to resolve it equitably; if they can't, the judges consult directly, and priority generally goes to whichever case had its trial date set first.

Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the official Michigan Court Rules (MCR 2.501). 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: trial scheduling Michigannotice of trial Michiganexpedited trial Michigantrial date conflict Michigan attorney