A bill to amend 1961 PA 236, entitled “Revised judicature act of 1961,” (MCL 600.101 to 600.9947) by adding section 1429.
This bill would allow courts the discretion to seal records of eviction proceedings under certain conditions. These conditions include instances where the plaintiff's case was found to be without legal basis, the defendant won or settled the case, or if sealing the records serves the interests of justice without outweighing the public's interest. The bill outlines specific circumstances under which records must be sealed, such as financial hardship on the defendant, ongoing rent payments, or if the public availability of such records would significantly hinder the defendant's ability to secure future housing. Additionally, the bill mandates the sealing of records if the defendant vacated the property before the proceedings commenced or if they did not receive proper notice of the proceedings. The term "records" encompasses all documents filed with the court in the context of eviction proceedings, and "sealed" implies that these records would be made confidential, accessible only to individuals with authorization.
Co-sponsored by Reps.
Referred to the Committee on Economic Development and Small Business
