Guides & handbooks

Everything on this site — organized, printable, and built for the courtroom.

This site gives you the free content on this site to get started. These guides package it into something you can hold in your hands, take to the courthouse, and reference when the pressure is on.

Every guide is educational — it explains the process, what to expect, and how to prepare. For the actual court documents you'll need to file, we recommend Michigan Legal Help (michiganlegalhelp.org), a free tool maintained by Michigan's legal aid community that generates forms specific to your case.

The quick-start checklist

PDF — 8 pages

You just got served and you need to know what to do this week. This checklist walks you through the first 21 days — what to read, what to gather, where to go, and what deadlines matter. Designed to print on standard paper and pin to your wall.

What's inside:

Day-by-day timeline from service to Answer deadline
Document checklist — what to collect before you go to the courthouse
Key questions to answer about your case before you respond
Quick-reference glossary of the 15 terms you'll actually hear
Direct links to Michigan Legal Help's free document tools

Buy Now — $9

COMPLETE GUIDE

The defendant's handbook for 52-3 District Court

$29

PDF — 45+ pages

The complete guide to defending yourself in a debt collection case — from the day you're served through trial. Written in the same plain English as this website, but organized into a single printable document you can reference at every stage. Includes preparation worksheets you can fill in by hand.

What's inside:

Full walkthrough of the debt case lifecycle in Michigan district court
Understanding who's suing you — original creditors vs. debt buyers
How the Answer process works and what defendants typically include
Common affirmative defenses explained in plain language
Discovery — what it is, why it matters, and how it works
Negotiation strategies and what settlement typically looks like
Courtroom preparation — what to bring, how to present yourself
Worksheets: case information organizer, deadline tracker, hearing prep sheet, financial snapshot for payment plan proposals
Resource directory with legal aid contacts and official court links

Coming soon

BEST VALUE

Handbook + video walkthrough

$49

PDF + streaming video access

Everything in the handbook plus a video series walking you through each stage. Hear someone explain the process out loud — what the courtroom looks like, what the judge typically asks, what to expect when you walk through the door. For people who learn better by watching and listening than by reading.

What's inside:

Complete defendant's handbook (PDF)
Video: Understanding your summons and complaint
Video: Preparing your response — what to think about
Video: What to expect at the pre-trial conference
Video: Negotiating a resolution
Video: Courtroom walkthrough — what happens when your name is called

Coming soon — videos in production

What these guides are — and what they aren't

These guides are educational resources that explain how the legal process works in Michigan district courts. They are written in plain language for people without legal training.

They are NOT legal forms, NOT legal advice, and NOT a substitute for a licensed attorney. They don't tell you what to file — they help you understand the process so you can make informed decisions.

For the actual court documents you need, visit Michigan Legal Help at michiganlegalhelp.org — a free, court-endorsed tool that generates filings based on your specific situation.

Satisfaction and refund policy

If a guide doesn't help you, email us within 14 days for a full refund. No questions asked.