Civil procedure: evictions; pretrial and trial; require pretrial, and allow trial and pretrial to be conducted by magistrate. Amends secs. 5735 & 8511 of 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.5735 & 600.8511).

This bill requires that eviction cases go through a pretrial process before a trial can occur. It also allows these pretrial and trial proceedings to be handled by a magistrate instead of a judge. This aims to streamline the eviction process in Michigan's civil courts.

Supporters of the bill argue that it will make the eviction process more efficient, reducing delays and helping landlords and tenants resolve disputes more quickly. By allowing magistrates to handle these cases, the bill is seen as a way to alleviate the burden on judges and improve access to justice for all parties involved.

Critics of the bill may contend that it undermines the rights of tenants by speeding up the eviction process without adequate protections. They might also argue that having magistrates, who may have less experience than judges, oversee such significant cases could lead to unfair outcomes for vulnerable individuals facing eviction.