Michigan § 600.8731 - Violation involving land, building, or other structure; nonpayment of civil fine, costs, or installment; lien.

If a defendant does not pay a civil fine, costs, or assessment or an installment ordered under section 8727 within 30 days after the date on which payment is due under section 8727 in a municipal civil infraction action brought for a violation involving the use or occupation of land or a building or other structure, the plaintiff may obtain a lien against the land, building, or structure involved in the violation by recording a copy of the court order requiring payment of the fines, costs, and assessment with the register of deeds for the county in which the land, building, or structure is located. The court order shall not be recorded unless a legal description of the property is incorporated in or attached to the court order. The lien is effective immediately upon recording of the court order with the register of deeds.

The court order recorded with the register of deeds shall constitute notice of the pendency of the lien. In addition, a written notice of the lien shall be sent by the plaintiff by first-class mail to the owner of record of the land, building, or structure at the owner's last known address.

The lien may be enforced and discharged by a county, city, village, or township in the manner prescribed by its charter, by the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.1 to 211.157, or by an ordinance duly passed by the governing body of the county, city, village, or township. However, property is not subject to sale under the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.1 to 211.157, for nonpayment of a civil fine, costs, or assessment or an installment ordered under section 8727 unless the property is also subject to sale under the general property tax act, 1893 PA 206, MCL 211.1 to 211.157, for delinquent property taxes.

A lien created under this section has priority over any other lien unless 1 or more of the following apply:

The other lien is a lien for taxes or special assessments.

The other lien is created before May 1, 1994.

Federal law provides that the other lien has priority.

The other lien is recorded before the lien under this section is recorded.

A political subdivision may institute an action in a court of competent jurisdiction for the collection of the judgment imposed by a court order for a municipal civil infraction. However, an attempt by a county, city, village, or township to collect the judgment by any process does not invalidate or waive the lien upon the land, building, or structure.

A lien provided for by this section shall not continue for a period longer than 5 years after a copy of the court order imposing a fine, costs, or assessment is recorded, unless within that time an action to enforce the lien is commenced.