Bill Text: MI HB6435 | 2025-2026 | 103rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Civil procedure: civil actions; cause of action for deed fraud; provide for. Amends 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.101 - 600.9947) by adding sec. 2980.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-10-28 - Bill Electronically Reproduced 10/21/2026 [HB6435 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2025-HB6435-Introduced.html
HOUSE BILL NO. 6435
A bill to amend 1961 PA 236, entitled
"Revised judicature act of 1961,"
(MCL 600.101 to 600.9947) by adding section 2980.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 2980. (1) A person that is a victim of deed theft may bring an action in circuit court against a deed thief who has committed deed theft against the real property of the person.
(2) In an action under subsection (1), a person that is a victim of deed theft may recover all of the following from the deed thief:
(a) Five thousand dollars.
(b) Three times the actual damages sustained.
(c) Reasonable attorney fees.
(3) As used in this section:
(a) "Deed theft" means the act of taking, transferring, or encumbering title to residential or commercial real property without the owner's approval or knowledge, or through fraudulent or deceitful means. Deed theft includes, but is not limited to, an action taken by a person by which the person does any of the following:
(i) Alters, falsifies, forges, or misrepresents any written instrument involved in the conveyance or financing of real property, such as a residential or commercial deed or title, with the intent to deceive, defraud, or unlawfully transfer or encumber the ownership rights or a portion of the ownership rights of residential or commercial property.
(ii) Misrepresents the person to be the owner or authorized representative of the owner of residential or commercial real property to induce others to rely on the false information in order to obtain ownership or possession of the real property.
(iii) Takes, obtains, or transfers title or ownership of residential or commercial real property by counterfeiting, false pretenses, falsification, forgery, fraud, or larceny.
(b) "Deed thief" means a person that commits deed theft.
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days after the date it is enacted into law.
