Terms Used In Michigan Laws 324.51509

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Department: means the department of natural resources. See Michigan Laws 324.51501
  • in writing: shall be construed to include printing, engraving, and lithographing; except that if the written signature of a person is required by law, the signature shall be the proper handwriting of the person or, if the person is unable to write, the person's proper mark, which may be, unless otherwise expressly prohibited by law, a clear and classifiable fingerprint of the person made with ink or another substance. See Michigan Laws 8.3q
  • 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.
  • Person: means an individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental entity, or other legal entity. See Michigan Laws 324.301
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories belonging to the United States; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the district and territories. See Michigan Laws 8.3o
  (1) Except as provided in section 51503b, a person who sets fire on any land and negligently allows the fire to escape and become a forest or grass fire is liable for all expenses incurred by the state in the suppression of the fire.
  (2) The department shall certify, in writing, to the person the claim of the state under subsection (1) and shall list the items of expense incurred in the suppression of the fire. The claim shall be paid within 60 days and, if not paid within that time, the department may bring suit against the person in a court of competent jurisdiction in the county of the residence of the defendant or of any defendant if there is more than 1, for the collection of the claim at any time within 2 years after the fire. If the amount of the claim is cognizable by a circuit court, the department may file the suit in the circuit court of Ingham county, or in the circuit court of the county of the residence of the defendant or any defendant if there is more than 1.