Mich. Comp. Laws » Michigan Compiled Laws / Chapter 600 / Act 236 of 1961
Michigan Compiled Laws

Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.4963 (2026)

Evaluation by panel; notice; indicating award not unanimous; determination that action or defense is frivolous; posting cash or surety bond; payment of costs and attorney fees; separate awards; treating claims as single claim.

✓ current as of July 2026
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REVISED JUDICATURE ACT OF 1961


Act 236 of 1961


600.4963 Evaluation by panel; notice; indicating award not unanimous; determination that action or defense is frivolous; posting cash or surety bond; payment of costs and attorney fees; separate awards; treating claims as single claim.

Sec. 4963.

    (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2), within 14 days after the mediation hearing, the panel shall make an evaluation and notify the attorney for each party of its evaluation in writing. If an award is not unanimous, the evaluation shall so indicate.

    (2) If the panel unanimously determines that a complete action or defense is frivolous as to any party, the panel shall so state as to that party. If the action proceeds to trial, the party who has been determined to have a frivolous action or defense shall post a cash or surety bond, approved by the court, in the amount of $5,000.00 for each party against whom the action or defense was determined to be frivolous. If judgment is entered against the party who posted the bond, the bond shall be used to pay all reasonable costs incurred by the other parties and any costs allowed by law or by court rule, including court costs and reasonable attorney fees.

    (3) The evaluation shall include a separate award as to each cross-claim, counterclaim, or third-party claim that has been filed in the action. For the purpose of this subsection, all such claims filed by any 1 party against any other party shall be treated as a single claim.

History: Add. 1986, Act 178, Eff. Oct. 1, 1986

Compiler's Notes:

    Section 3 of Act 178 of 1986 provides:

    “(1) Sections 2925b, 5805, 5838, and 5851 of Act No. 236 of the Public Acts of 1961, as amended by this amendatory act, shall not apply to causes of action arising before October 1, 1986.

    “(2) Sections 1483, 5838a, and 6304 of Act No. 236 of the Public Acts of 1961, as added by this amendatory act, shall apply to causes of action arising on or after October 1, 1986.

    “(3) Sections 1629, 1653, 2169, 2591, 2912c, 2912d, 2912e, 6098, 6301, 6303, 6305, 6306, 6307, 6309, and 6311 of Act No. 236 of the Public Acts of 1961, as added by this amendatory act, shall apply to cases filed on or after October 1, 1986.

    “(4) Sections 1651 and 6013 of Act No. 236 of the Public Acts of 1961, as amended by this amendatory act, shall not apply to cases filed before October 1, 1986.

    “(5) Chapter 49 of Act No. 236 of the Public Acts of 1961, as added by this amendatory act, shall apply to cases filed on or after January 1, 1987.

    “(6) Chapter 49a of Act No. 236 of the Public Acts of 1961, as added by this amendatory act, shall apply to cases filed in judicial circuits which are comprised of more than 1 county on or after July 1, 1990 and shall apply to cases filed in judicial circuits which are comprised of 1 county on or after October 1, 1988.”

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1991–2024 · leading case: Wilcoxon v. Wayne Cnty. Neighborhood Legal Servs., 652 N.W.2d 851 (Mich. Ct. App. 2002).
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Wilcoxon v. Wayne Cnty. Neighborhood Legal Servs., 652 N.W.2d 851 (Mich. Ct. App. 2002). · cites it 4× “4915 and MCL 600.4963 set forth procedures to be followed in medical malpractice and tort action mediation, respectively.”
Straman v. Lewis, 559 N.W.2d 405 (Mich. Ct. App. 1997). “MCL 600.4963(2); MSA 27A.4963(2) [tort action mediation] applies, if the evalua *450 tion indicates that the panel unanimously found that a party’s action or defense as to any other party is frivolous, the following provisions apply: (a) The party whose action or defense was…”
Knoke v. Michlin Chem. Corp., 470 N.W.2d 420 (Mich. Ct. App. 1991). “4915(2) or MCL 600.4963(2); MSÁ 27A.4963(2) applies, if the evaluation indicates that the panel unanimously found that a party’s action or defense as to any other party is frivolous, the following provisions apply: (a) The party whose action or defense was found to be frivolous…”
20241218_C365793_46_365793.Opn.Pdf (Mich. Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 7× “4 MCL 600.4963 sets forth procedures to be followed in case evaluation of a tort action.”
— Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.4963(2) — 4 cases
Wilcoxon v. Wayne Cnty. Neighborhood Legal Servs., 652 N.W.2d 851 (Mich. Ct. App. 2002). “4915 and MCL 600.4963 set forth procedures to be followed in medical malpractice and tort action mediation, respectively.”
Straman v. Lewis, 559 N.W.2d 405 (Mich. Ct. App. 1997). “MCL 600.4963(2); MSA 27A.4963(2) [tort action mediation] applies, if the evalua *450 tion indicates that the panel unanimously found that a party’s action or defense as to any other party is frivolous, the following provisions apply: (a) The party whose action or defense was…”
Knoke v. Michlin Chem. Corp., 470 N.W.2d 420 (Mich. Ct. App. 1991). “4915(2) or MCL 600.4963(2); MSÁ 27A.4963(2) applies, if the evaluation indicates that the panel unanimously found that a party’s action or defense as to any other party is frivolous, the following provisions apply: (a) The party whose action or defense was found to be frivolous…”
20241218_C365793_46_365793.Opn.Pdf (Mich. Ct. App. 2024). “4 MCL 600.4963 sets forth procedures to be followed in case evaluation of a tort action.”
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