Hodge v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company

At issue here is the subject-matter jurisdiction of the district court, which is exclusive in “civil actions when the amount in controversy does not exceed $25,000.00.” MCL 600.8301(1). I join the majority because I agree that “amount in controversy” as used in MCL 600.8301(1) refers to the “prayer for relief set forth in the plaintiffs pleadings . ...” I further agree that a trial court may be ousted of subject-matter jurisdiction when “fraud upon the court is apparent” from pleadings made in “bad faith.” I write separately only to identify circumstances that, in my view, might raise…