Terms Used In Michigan Laws 600.2978

  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  (1) An individual who is a victim of female genital mutilation may bring an action, in a court of competent jurisdiction, for damages sustained because of the female genital mutilation.
  (2) In an action under this section, the court may award all of the following:
  (a) Three times the amount of actual damages sustained.
  (b) Damages for noneconomic loss.
  (c) Costs and reasonable attorney fees.
  (3) The remedy provided by this section is in addition to any other right or remedy the individual may have at law or otherwise.
  (4) As used in this section:
  (a) “Female genital mutilation” means that term as defined in section 5851a.
  (b) “Noneconomic loss” means damages or loss due to pain, suffering, inconvenience, physical impairment, or physical disfigurement, loss of society and companionship, loss of consortium, or other noneconomic loss.