Terms Used In Michigan Laws 557.212

  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • 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.
   In the event of a divorce from the bond of matrimony or from bed and board by decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, community property shall be divided between the parties by the court granting the decree, in such proportions and in such manner as such court, from the facts in the case, shall deem just, proper, and equitable. The respective interests of the parties in any community property which is not divided by such decree shall thereafter be deemed to be those of tenants in common.