Current through May 1, 2026 · Last verified July 6, 2026
In one sentenceRule 2.110 defines exactly which documents count as a Michigan 'pleading' -- complaint, cross-claim, counterclaim, third-party complaint, answer, and reply -- says when each requires a response, and explains how to handle a counterclaim or cross-claim that is not clearly labeled as one.
(A)Definition of “Pleading.” The term “pleading” includes only:
(1)a complaint,
(2)a cross-claim,
(3)a counterclaim,
(4)a third-party complaint,
(5)an answer to a complaint, cross-claim, counterclaim, or third-party complaint, and
(6)a reply to an answer. No other form of pleading is allowed.
(B)When Responsive Pleading Required. A party must file and serve a responsive pleading to
(1)a complaint,
(2)a counterclaim,
(3)a cross-claim,
(4)a third-party complaint, or
(5)an answer demanding a reply.
(C)Designation of Cross-Claim or Counterclaim. A cross-claim or a counterclaim may be combined with an answer. The counterclaim or cross-claim must be clearly designated as such.
(1)A responsive pleading is not required to a cross-claim or counterclaim that is not clearly designated as such in the answer.
(2)If a party has raised a cross-claim or counterclaim in the answer, but has not designated it as such, the court may treat the pleading as if it had been properly designated and require the party to amend the pleading, direct the opposing party to file a responsive pleading, or enter another appropriate order.
(3)The court may treat a cross-claim or counterclaim designated as a defense, or a defense designated as a cross-claim or counterclaim, as if the designation had been proper and issue an appropriate order.
Amendment History
Michigan tracks the orders that adopt and amend its Court Rules in a separate administrative record rather than printing a history note beneath each rule in the compiled rules text reproduced here. The text above is verified current through the source’s own May 1, 2026 update; for the full order-by-order history of this rule, see the Michigan Supreme Court’s rules and orders page.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 2.110 draws a tight boundary around the word 'pleading.' Only six documents qualify: a complaint, a cross-claim, a counterclaim, a third-party complaint, an answer to any of those, and a reply to an answer. Nothing else counts, which matters because other rules attach specific deadlines and requirements to 'pleadings' as opposed to motions or other filings.
The rule also says which of these documents call for a response. A complaint, counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party complaint each demands an answer; an answer only demands a reply if it itself makes a demand for one. A counterclaim or cross-claim can be folded into an answer, but it must be clearly labeled as such. If it is not labeled, no responsive pleading to it is required — though the court has options if it looks like a party meant to raise one anyway: it can let the pleading be amended, order the opposing party to respond as if it had been properly designated, or issue another order to sort out the mislabeling. The same flexibility runs in the other direction, letting a court treat a defense that was mislabeled as a counterclaim, or vice versa, as if it had been labeled correctly from the start.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a 'pleading' under Michigan's rules?
Only six documents: a complaint, a cross-claim, a counterclaim, a third-party complaint, an answer to any of those, and a reply to an answer. No other filing qualifies as a pleading.
Do I have to respond to every pleading filed against me?
You must answer a complaint, counterclaim, cross-claim, or third-party complaint. An answer itself only requires a reply if it specifically demands one.
What if a counterclaim is buried in an answer without being labeled as one?
No response to it is technically required, but the court can still treat it as properly raised — by ordering an amendment, requiring a response, or entering another appropriate order.
Source & verification. The rule text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Michigan Court Rules (MCR 2.110). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Michigan (Mich. Const. 1963, art. VI, § 5). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 6, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as:definition of pleading Michiganwhat counts as a pleadingcounterclaim labeling requirement