Electronic (Preferred)
Domestic Case Filings System
Available Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (not available evenings, weekends, or court holidays).
Website: www.3rdcc.org/agency-resources
Eligible case types
- DC – Custody (excluding Collaborative Law)
- DM – Divorce with minor children
- DO – Divorce without minor children
- DP – Paternity
- DS – Family Support
- DZ – Miscellaneous family domestic
- NC – Name Change (use “alias name” for the requested new name)
Not eligible for electronic filing (must file in person or by mail)
- Collaborative Law cases
- Emancipation cases
- Infectious Disease (ID)
- UIFSA initiation, registration, or modification
- Waiver of Parental Consent (see Below)
- Personal Protection Orders
Important notes
- PDF format only; black-and-white documents
- Motions and exhibits must be combined into a single PDF
- Internet Explorer is not supported
- The system does not perform service; parties are responsible for proper service
- Technical assistance: helpdesk@3rdcc.org
In-Person
Wayne County Clerk – Room 201
Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
Two Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226
Hours: Mondays and Thursdays only
8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00–4:00 p.m. (must be in line by 3:30 p.m.)
All documents must be complete at the time of filing.
Mail
Mail filings to:
Wayne County Clerk
Room 201, Coleman A. Young Municipal Center
Two Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48226
If filing a motion by mail, parties must monitor the case through Odyssey Public Access to confirm filing and then request a hearing date as required.
Filing Fees and Fee Waivers
Filing Fees
- Electronic filings: Fees must be paid in advance at www.allpaid.com using code 6223. Include the receipt with your filing.
- In-person filings: Credit card, cash, money order, or attorney check (with P-number).
- Mail filings: Money order or attorney check only.
Fee Waivers
Fee waivers must be submitted and approved before filing:
- In person: Chief Judge’s Courtroom, 701 CAYMC, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 2:00–4:30 p.m.
- Electronically through the Domestic Case Filings System. If denied, fees must be paid or a review requested within 14 days
Emergency Filings
- Emergency pleadings must be clearly marked “Emergency” on the first page.
- After filing with the Clerk and resolving fees or waivers:
In-person filings must also be emailed to the assigned Judge’s courtroom email. - The Court will contact parties if deficiencies exist and will issue orders following judicial review.
Motion Hearing Dates/ePraecipe
- Review the Domestic Relations Docket Directive to determine if your motion needs to be heard by a Judge or Referee.
- Judge Motions:
- Once the Motion is filed fill out a Family Domestic Praecipe online.
- Once your ePraecipe has been processed, you will receive a completed copy back with your hearing date on it.
- Friend of the Court Referee Motions:
- Once the Motion is filed with the Clerk or you have received an email from the Domestic Case Filing System stating your Motion has been accepted, you can either:
- Fill out the Friend of the Court Praecipe online to receive your hearing date.
- Once you have completed the ePraecipe and your ePraecipe has been processed, you will receive a completed copy back with your hearing date on it.
- NOTE: For FOC Praecipe, be sure to select the FOC Praecipe checkbox in Step 3 to ensure your motion is properly scheduled.
- OR you may give the Clerk in 201 CAYMC a time stamped “Motion Praecipe” form, your original financial information form, and a copy of your Motion for them to send to the Friend of the Court. If you submit a copy of your motion in person to the Clerk’s office for FOC scheduling, you will receive your hearing date in the mail.
- Motion to Set Aside DP (FDFOC 4038) and Motion to Set Aside DS (FDFOC 4021)
- These Motions must be emailed to the Courtroom of the Presiding Judge JudgeFarhat-Court@3rdcc.org after they have been filed with the Clerk's Office.
- The Presiding Judge's Courtroom will schedule the motion for hearing and you will receive notice of your hearing date.
Stipulated, Proposed, 7-Day and Ex-Parte Orders
- All Stipulated, Proposed, 7-Day and Ex-Parte Orders shall be submitted to the Assigned Judge's general e-mail address, which can be found at courtroom-zoom-info, for review.
Waiver of Parental Consent
- If you have a case for a waiver of parental consent, please send an email to Presiding Judge Helal A. Farhat at JudgeFarhat-Court@3rdcc.org with the initials of the Petitioner and the Petitioner’s date of birth. Someone from the Court will contact you back within 24 hours of receipt of the email.
