Michigan § 600.4963 - Evaluation by panel; notice; indicating award not unanimous; determination that action or defense is frivolous; posting cash or surety bond; payment of costs and attorney fees; separate awards; treating claims as single claim.

Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2), within 14 days after the mediation hearing, the panel shall make an evaluation and notify the attorney for each party of its evaluation in writing. If an award is not unanimous, the evaluation shall so indicate.

If the panel unanimously determines that a complete action or defense is frivolous as to any party, the panel shall so state as to that party. If the action proceeds to trial, the party who has been determined to have a frivolous action or defense shall post a cash or surety bond, approved by the court, in the amount of $5,000.00 for each party against whom the action or defense was determined to be frivolous. If judgment is entered against the party who posted the bond, the bond shall be used to pay all reasonable costs incurred by the other parties and any costs allowed by law or by court rule, including court costs and reasonable attorney fees.

The evaluation shall include a separate award as to each cross-claim, counterclaim, or third-party claim that has been filed in the action. For the purpose of this subsection, all such claims filed by any 1 party against any other party shall be treated as a single claim.