Breach of contract and commercial disputes in Michigan circuit courts, the business courts, and federal court.
The firm represents business owners, investors, fiduciaries, and creditors in the full range of commercial disputes that arise outside the bankruptcy context. The common thread is financial complexity: matters where the outcome turns not only on contested facts, but on the ability to trace money, structure, and conduct with precision.
General breach-of-contract litigation is the backbone of any commercial practice. The firm handles disputes arising from supply agreements, distribution contracts, services agreements, commercial leases, franchise disputes, and financing arrangements, in both state court and the Business Court divisions of the Michigan Circuit Courts.
Michigan circuit courts with three or more judges maintain a specialized business docket under MCL 600.8031 et seq. for disputes among businesses and their owners. Cases that meet the requirements for federal jurisdiction may be filed in, or removed to, the United States District Court. The forum affects the judge, the pace of the case, and the procedural rules, and it is one of the first decisions in a new matter.
Many Michigan civil cases pass through case evaluation under MCR 2.403 or facilitative mediation under MCR 2.411 before trial. The firm prepares for those steps as it prepares for trial, because the strength of the trial position is what a settlement discussion is measured against.
The firm has obtained multiple successful jury verdicts in business litigation. When the matter requires it, Patrick tries the case. This is not a firm that files complaints and waits for settlement. Appellate work is handled in coordination with trial work, with briefs filed before the Michigan Court of Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts.
The general limitations period for breach of contract in Michigan is six years from the breach, under MCL 600.5807. Contracts for the sale of goods are governed by the Uniform Commercial Code, which generally sets a four-year period. A contract can sometimes shorten these periods, so the agreement itself should be checked early.
Usually only if the contract or a statute provides for it. Michigan follows the “American rule,” under which each side pays its own attorney fees. Many commercial contracts include a fee-shifting clause, which can change the economics of the case for both sides.
Michigan circuit courts with three or more judges maintain specialized business court dockets under MCL 600.8031 et seq. for disputes among businesses and their owners, managers, and certain others. Business court judges hear commercial cases regularly, which can make case management more predictable.
Case evaluation under MCR 2.403 is a process in which a panel of three attorneys reviews written summaries and places a dollar value on the case. Each party decides whether to accept or reject the evaluation. Since 2022, rejecting an evaluation no longer carries the cost-shifting sanctions it once did, but the evaluation remains a useful reality check.
Arbitration clauses are generally enforced under federal and Michigan law, so a dispute covered by the clause will usually be sent to arbitration if either side insists. The scope of the clause, any carve-outs, and whether a party has waived arbitration can all be contested. Courts also frequently order mediation under MCR 2.411 before trial.
These answers are general information about Michigan and federal law, not legal advice about your situation. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.
The firm handles new matters on a consultative basis. Call the office, or send us a message through our contact form.