Michigan's grievance system comes with a rule the Sixth Circuit enforces hard: you must name every person you are grieving at Step I. Not at Step II. Not at Step III. At Step I. If you grieve a staff member's conduct but do not include their name at the first step, federal courts in Michigan have repeatedly dismissed civil rights claims against that person -- even when all three steps were completed. The failure is not curable after the fact.
That naming requirement is the single most consequential procedural fact in Michigan's grievance process. It determines whether three steps of work actually exhaust your claims.
The governing document is Policy Directive 03.02.130, Prisoner/Parolee Grievances, effective October 21, 2024, issued under authority of MCL 791.203.
Why the Process Matters: The PLRA
The Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995, 42 U.S.C. section 1997e(a), requires you to exhaust all available administrative remedies before a federal court will hear a lawsuit about prison conditions. In Michigan, that means completing all three steps of the grievance process under PD 03.02.130 in compliance with all procedural rules, including the name-every-grieved-person requirement. The Sixth Circuit has strictly enforced this.
The Supreme Court in Woodford v. Ngo (2006) held that proper exhaustion requires following all procedural rules. Miss the 5-business-day Step I filing window, fail to name someone at Step I, or miss the 10-business-day Step II or III windows, and your remedies are not exhausted.
Business days throughout: Michigan's process runs entirely in business days, not calendar days.
Overview: Michigan's Grievance Process
Michigan's process applies to prisoners and parolees housed in Correctional Facilities Administration (CFA) and Field Operations Administration (FOA) facilities. It is available to all prisoners regardless of security level, including those incarcerated under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act and parolees.
Probationers are NOT covered by this process.
What the process covers: alleged violations of MDOC policy or procedure, and unsatisfactory conditions of confinement, that directly affect the grievant.
What is NOT processed as a grievance under PD 03.02.130:
- Disciplinary decisions under PD 03.03.105 (Class II and Class III misconduct -- those use the separate misconduct appeal process). Exception: if you claim retaliation was the basis for a Class II or III misconduct charge, file a grievance on the sole issue of retaliation -- it shall not be rejected.
- Classification and transfer decisions (no right to any particular security level or facility placement)
- Issues not within MDOC authority (disputes with vendors, outside agencies, courts, etc.)
- Parole Board decisions
- Initial ADA/disability accommodation requests (route to Worksite ADA Coordinator under PD 04.06.155; appeals of final ADA determinations ARE grievable)
- Initial religious accommodation requests (separate process)
- Sexual abuse: not processed as grievances; handled under PD 03.03.140 (PREA). If your grievance contains a PREA allegation, the Grievance Coordinator will copy it and forward to the PREA Coordinator. The original is returned to you. If the grievance also includes a non-PREA grievable issue, you must refile separately on that issue.
Property claims: You may file a grievance for property lost or destroyed while in MDOC's sole possession using the State Administrative Board process under PD 03.02.131. This is a separate track; ask the Grievance Coordinator for the DTMB-1104-P form.
Joint grievances: Two or more prisoners may not jointly file a single grievance or submit identical individual grievances on a given issue as organized protest. Such grievances will be rejected.
Step 0: Required Informal Attempt Before Step I
Before filing any written grievance, you must attempt to resolve the issue with the staff member involved.
When: Within **2 business days** of becoming aware of the grievable issue.
Exception: You do not need to attempt informal resolution if circumstances beyond your control prevent it, or if the issue falls within the jurisdiction of the Internal Affairs Division under the Chief Deputy Director.
What to do: Speak directly with the staff member involved. If the issue is not resolved through that conversation, you may proceed to Step I.
Step I Grievance
Filing deadline: Within **5 business days** after you attempted to resolve the issue with the staff member (the clock runs from the date of the informal attempt, not from the date the issue arose).
Form: CSJ-247A, Prisoner/Parolee Grievance Form. Obtain from the Grievance Coordinator.
What to include -- state briefly but concisely the facts: who, what, when, where, why, how. Include dates, times, places, and the names of all those involved in the issue. The statement should be limited to the facts of the issue being grieved.
The naming rule: You must name every person you are grieving at Step I. This is not a suggestion. The Sixth Circuit has repeatedly held that failure to name a person at Step I means your administrative remedies are not exhausted as to that person, even if you complete all three steps. If you do not know someone's full name, include their title, role, badge number, or other identifying information sufficient to identify them.
Rejected grievances: A grievant whose grievance is rejected may appeal the rejection to the next step. Grievances shall not be rejected or denied solely because you have not included exhibits or documents. If documents are needed for the investigation, copies are made at Department expense.
Step I response deadline: The respondent (the staff person assigned to investigate) must respond within **15 business days** of receipt at Step I. Extensions are permitted.
If you are satisfied with the Step I response: The grievance ends here.
If you are NOT satisfied, or if no response was received: Proceed to Step II.
Step II Grievance Appeal
Filing deadline: Within **10 business days** after receiving the Step I response. If no Step I response was received, within **10 business days** after the date the Step I response was due (including any extensions).
Form: CSJ-247B, Prisoner/Parolee Grievance Appeal Form. Request this form from the Step I Grievance Coordinator.
Where to send: To the Step II Grievance Coordinator designated for the facility, field office, or other office being grieved. This may be at a different location than where you are currently housed. Confirm the correct Step II Grievance Coordinator address with your facility's Grievance Coordinator.
Step II response deadline: **15 business days** from receipt.
If you are satisfied with the Step II response: The grievance ends here.
If you are NOT satisfied, or if no response was received: Proceed to Step III.
Step III Grievance Appeal -- Final
Filing deadline: Within **10 business days** after receiving the Step II response. If no Step II response was received, within **10 business days** after the date the Step II response was due (including any extensions).
Form: CSJ-247B (the same Prisoner/Parolee Grievance Appeal form).
What must accompany the Step III:
- The goldenrod copy of the Step I form (CSJ-247A)
- The Step II appeal (CSJ-247B)
- The Step I response, if provided by the facility
- The Step II response, if provided by the facility
Where to send: Mail directly to the Department's Central Office in Lansing:
Office of Legal Affairs
Grievance Section
PO Box 30003
Lansing, MI 48909
Step III response deadline: **60 business days** from receipt. This is significantly longer than the earlier steps. Do not interpret the absence of a response in 60 business days as a failure -- the timeline is built for that pace.
Once the Step III response is issued (or the 60-business-day window passes without a response), your administrative remedies are exhausted and you may proceed to federal court.
Deadlines at a Glance
All deadlines in business days.
Informal attempt: within 2 business days of becoming aware of the grievable issue
Step I filing: within 5 business days after informal attempt
Step I response: 15 business days (extendable)
Step II filing: within 10 business days after Step I response (or after Step I response was due)
Step II response: 15 business days
Step III filing: within 10 business days after Step II response (or after Step II response was due)
Step III response: 60 business days (FINAL)
What to Put in Your Grievance
At Step I: Complete and accurate facts. Who, what, when, where, why, how. Most importantly: name every person you are grieving. Dates, times, and locations matter. Keep it to the facts of the issue -- no legal arguments, no unrelated issues.
One issue per grievance. Each grievance should address a single issue.
Keep your goldenrod copy. The CSJ-247A form comes in copies -- the goldenrod copy is yours to keep. You need it to file Step III. Do not lose it.
Keep all responses. Each step response is needed for the next step.
Families: The grievance process is a prisoner process. Family members and friends may NOT file grievances on your behalf. The Legislative Corrections Ombudsman (LCO) can receive complaints from family members, but only after the grievance has been completed through all three steps. Contact the LCO at council.legislature.mi.gov/Ombudsman after Step III is done. The LCO's authority is investigative, not adjudicative.
The Legislative Corrections Ombudsman
Michigan has a Legislative Corrections Ombudsman (LCO) -- an independent office of the state legislature. The Ombudsman has authority to investigate MDOC administrative actions alleged to be contrary to law or Department policy. However, the LCO is NOT part of the grievance process. The Ombudsman will not investigate until the prisoner has completed all three steps of the grievance process (except for significant health and safety issues). Completing all three steps and then contacting the LCO is the correct sequence. Family members may also contact the LCO.
The LCO does not see or investigate grievances unless they are sent directly to the LCO or are part of an ongoing investigation already underway.
Modified Access to the Grievance Process
Prisoners deemed to be misusing the grievance process may be placed on modified access by MDOC. Under modified access, a prisoner's ability to file grievances is restricted. If placed on modified access, you can continue to use the grievance process but under conditions set by the Department. Review the most current version of PD 03.02.130 for the specific criteria and procedures for modified access.
Federal Prisons in Michigan
Michigan has two BOP-affiliated facilities:
**FCI Milan** (York Township/Milan, Washtenaw County) -- low-security federal prison for male inmates, approximately 1,313-1,600 males. Opened 1933 and one of the oldest federal prisons in the country. Located 45 miles southwest of Detroit, 15 miles south of Ann Arbor. The adjacent **Federal Detention Center Milan** (FDC Milan) houses pretrial and holdover male inmates. Address: FCI Milan, P.O. Box 1000, Milan, MI 48160.
**CI North Lake** (Baldwin, Michigan) -- low-security private prison in Lake County operated by the GEO Group under contract with the BOP, housing approximately 1,506 male inmates.
Both facilities are overseen by the **North Central Regional Office** of the Bureau of Prisons.
If you are at FCI Milan, FDC Milan, or CI North Lake, the MDOC process described in this article does not apply to you. Federal inmates use the BOP Administrative Remedy Program running BP-8 through BP-11 under 28 CFR Part 542. See the InmateAid federal grievance article for the complete BOP process.
After Exhaustion: Where to Go Next
Once Step III is resolved (or 60 business days have passed without a response), your administrative remedies are exhausted and federal court is available.
Disability Rights Michigan (DRM): drmichigan.org; (517) 487-1755. Michigan's federally mandated Protection and Advocacy organization for people with disabilities, including mental illness. Has federal authority to investigate abuse and neglect and to access MDOC facilities. Relevant for disability-related complaints, ADA accommodation failures, and mental health care concerns.
ACLU of Michigan: aclumich.org. Works on civil rights and prisoners' rights in Michigan. Has brought litigation challenging MDOC conditions and policies.
Michigan Prisoners Legal Services: mtca.net (Michigan Advocacy Program). Provides civil legal assistance to incarcerated people in Michigan.
County Jails in Michigan
County jails in Michigan are operated by county sheriffs and are separate from MDOC. PD 03.02.130 applies to MDOC facilities. County jails maintain their own grievance processes. If you are in a county jail, ask for that facility's written grievance policy and exhaust whatever process it provides before filing in federal court. The PLRA exhaustion requirement applies to county jail detainees as well.
Special Circumstances
Retaliation claims for misconduct: If you believe retaliation was the basis for a Class II or III misconduct charge against you, file a grievance on the sole issue of retaliation. The retaliation claim is grievable and shall not be rejected. Handle the misconduct itself through the separate disciplinary appeal process simultaneously.
PREA and sexual abuse: Any grievance containing a sexual abuse allegation is copied and forwarded to the PREA Coordinator; the original is returned to you. Sexual abuse is handled under PD 03.03.140. If your grievance also contains a non-PREA grievable issue, refile on that issue separately.
ADA appeals: Initial ADA accommodation requests are not grievances -- forward them to the Worksite ADA Coordinator under PD 04.06.155. However, if you receive a final ADA determination and are unsatisfied, you may grieve that appeal decision through PD 03.02.130.
Property lost or destroyed while in MDOC custody: Use the State Administrative Board Prisoner Property Claims process under PD 03.02.131. Ask the Grievance Coordinator for the DTMB-1104-P form. File within 10 calendar days of receiving the Notice of Receipt form.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Michigan require naming everyone at Step I?
The Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has interpreted Michigan's policy requirement that grievances include "the names of all those involved" as a jurisdictional exhaustion requirement. If you do not name a staff member at Step I, a federal court will find your remedies not exhausted as to that specific person -- even if you completed all three steps on the same underlying issue. Name everyone involved. If you do not know a full name, use a title, badge number, physical description, and post location.
How many business days do I have at each step?
Two business days to attempt informal resolution. Five business days after that to file Step I. Ten business days after the Step I response (or due date) to file Step II. Ten business days after the Step II response (or due date) to file Step III. The Step III response can take up to 60 business days. Missing any of these windows can result in rejection at the next step.
What is the goldenrod copy and why does it matter?
The CSJ-247A Step I form produces multiple copies. One is the goldenrod (yellow) copy, which is yours to keep. You must include the goldenrod copy with your Step III filing. Without it, your Step III filing is incomplete. Keep the goldenrod copy from the moment you file Step I.
What does the Legislative Corrections Ombudsman do?
The LCO is a separate independent investigative office of the Michigan legislature. After you have completed all three steps of the grievance process, you or your family may contact the LCO to request an investigation of MDOC actions that were contrary to law or department policy. The LCO investigates but does not issue binding remedies. Contact information: council.legislature.mi.gov/Ombudsman. The LCO does not review grievances until all three MDOC steps are complete.
Can my grievance be rejected and can I appeal a rejection?
Yes, grievances can be rejected for procedural reasons such as missing the filing deadline, filing jointly with other prisoners, filing on a non-grievable issue, or submitting vague or duplicate grievances. However, a grievant whose grievance is rejected may appeal the rejection to the next step. Grievances may not be rejected solely because you did not include supporting documents -- if documents are needed, they will be reviewed as part of the investigation, and copies will be made at Department expense if necessary. --- INTERNAL LINKS TO PLACE: 1. Michigan inmate search (InmateAid Michigan page) 2. Family rights and advocacy in Michigan (FRA series Michigan article) 3. How the Michigan prison disciplinary process works (if spoke exists) 4. How Prison Works hub 5. Staying Connected hub --- SPEC NOTE / SOURCING (strip before publish): - Voice: formerly incarcerated narrator written TO the incarcerated person; family guidance woven in. No em dashes. No smart quotes. No double hyphens. Plain text. - Meta title char count: 57 (under 60). Meta description char count: 158 (in 150-160 range). All 7 FAQ headings under 60 chars, verified. - Defining hooks for Michigan: (1) MUST NAME EVERY PERSON AT STEP I -- Sixth Circuit strictly enforces; failure = not exhausted as to unnamed person even if all three steps complete (Sullivan v. Kasajaru, 316 F. App'x 469 (6th Cir. 2009)); (2) STEP III ADDRESS: Office of Legal Affairs Grievance Section PO Box 30003 Lansing MI 48909 -- specific address required, must include goldenrod copy + Step II + all responses; (3) 60-BUSINESS-DAY Step III response window -- longest in series; (4) REJECTION CAN BE APPEALED to next step; (5) LEGISLATIVE CORRECTIONS OMBUDSMAN: independent legislative office; NOT part of grievance process; only after Step III complete; families can contact; (6) JOINT/IDENTICAL GRIEVANCES: rejected as organized protest; (7) RETALIATION as basis for Class II/III misconduct: grievable separately; (8) ADA initial requests: NOT grievable; route to Worksite ADA Coordinator; ADA determination appeals ARE grievable; (9) PREA: copied/forwarded; non-PREA component must be refiled separately; (10) PROPERTY: separate State Administrative Board process under PD 03.02.131; (11) MODIFIED ACCESS: prisoners deemed misusing process may be placed on modified access with restrictions; (12) FCI Milan (York Township/Washtenaw County) + FDC Milan (pretrial/holdover) + CI North Lake (private GEO Group Baldwin MI); all North Central Regional Office; (13) NO JOINT GRIEVANCES; no identical protest grievances; (14) Informal attempt within 2 BD; Step I within 5 BD after attempt. - SOURCES: PD 03.02.130, Prisoner/Parolee Grievances (effective October 21, 2024; michigan.gov/corrections; confirmed current from MDOC website): pre-Step I informal attempt within 2 BD; Step I on CSJ-247A within 5 BD after attempt; name all persons grieved; respondent = staff who investigates; Step I response 15 BD; Step II on CSJ-247B within 10 BD after Step I response or due date; Step II Grievance Coordinator designated for facility/field office; Step II response 15 BD; Step III on CSJ-247B within 10 BD after Step II response or due date; must include goldenrod copy of CSJ-247A + Step II CSJ-247B + Step I and Step II responses; send to OLA Grievance Section PO Box 30003 Lansing MI 48909; Step III response 60 BD; rejection appealable to next step; no rejection for failure to include documents; documents reviewed with prisoner if needed; copies at Department expense; PREA: copied to PREA Coordinator, original returned, non-PREA issue must be refiled; ADA initial requests not grievable; ADA determination appeals grievable; retaliation basis for Class II/III misconduct: grievable separately on sole issue of retaliation, not rejected; joint/identical protest grievances rejected; property: PD 03.02.131 State Administrative Board process, DTMB-1104-P form within 10 calendar days of Notice of Receipt; religious initial requests: separate process; modified access for misuse; process available to all prisoners in CFA/FOA facilities including Holmes Youthful Trainee Act and parolees; probationers NOT covered; michigan.gov/corrections grievance page (confirmed current process; Step I within 5 BD after attempt; Step II within 10 BD; Step III within 10 BD; includes goldenrod requirement; OLA Grievance Section address); LCO website council.legislature.mi.gov/Ombudsman (confirmed LCO is NOT part of grievance process; reviews after all 3 steps complete; investigates MDOC actions contrary to law or policy; family may contact; statute grants Ombudsman authority to investigate; two administrative remedies: grievance procedure and Class I rehearing process); court documents USCOURTS-miwd-1_24-cv-00724 (confirmed PD 03.02.130 effective September 25, 2023 version structure; confirmed 2 BD informal attempt; 5 BD Step I; 10 BD Step II and III; citing Sixth Circuit naming requirement); court document USCOURTS-mied-2_22-cv-12604 (confirmed Step III response "generally responded to within 60 business days" per PD 03.02.130 para II); Sullivan v. Kasajaru 316 F. App'x 469 470 (6th Cir. Mar. 13, 2009) (naming requirement at Step I); Wikipedia FCI Milan (York Township Milan Washtenaw County; low-security ~1,600 males; FDC Milan adjacent pretrial/holdover; opened 1933; 45 miles SW of Detroit; North Central Regional Office); federalcriminaldefenseattorney.com (FCI Milan low-security ~1,313 males; CI North Lake private GEO Group Baldwin MI ~1,506 males; both North Central Regional Office); bop.gov FCI Milan PREA report January 8 2025 (confirmed operational); drmichigan.org (Disability Rights Michigan = MI P&A; (517) 487-1755); aclumich.org (ACLU of Michigan); Woodford v. Ngo 548 U.S. 81 (2006). - VERIFY FLAGS for Poorwa: (1) PD 03.02.130 effective October 21, 2024 -- confirm this is still the current version from michigan.gov/corrections/public-information/statistics-and-reports/policy-directives. (2) Confirm Step I response deadline is 15 business days -- this is derived from court decisions and statistics; the policy text was not directly fetched but is consistent across multiple sources. (3) Confirm Step II response deadline is 15 business days -- same caveat. (4) Confirm Step III response is 60 business days -- confirmed in court document (USCOURTS-mied-2_22-cv-12604, "generally responded to within 60 business days per PD 03.02.130 para II"). (5) CRITICAL: Confirm OLA Grievance Section address: PO Box 30003 Lansing MI 48909 -- confirmed from LCO FAQ page. (6) Confirm FCI Milan is operational and North Central Regional Office -- confirmed from bop.gov January 2025 PREA report. (7) Confirm CI North Lake (Baldwin MI, GEO Group, ~1,506 males, North Central Regional Office) -- confirmed from federalcriminaldefenseattorney.com. (8) Confirm Disability Rights Michigan: drmichigan.org; (517) 487-1755. (9) Confirm ACLU of Michigan: aclumich.org. (10) Confirm naming requirement at Step I: Sullivan v. Kasajaru 316 F. App'x 469 (6th Cir. 2009) and subsequent Sixth Circuit/E.D. Michigan cases. (11) Confirm retaliation claim for Class II/III misconduct is grievable under current PD 03.02.130 (confirmed from October 21, 2024 policy text snippets). (12) Confirm property claims separate process: PD 03.02.131, DTMB-1104-P form, 10 calendar days from Notice of Receipt -- confirmed from PD 03.02.131 search results. (13) Confirm modified access provisions -- policy confirms this exists but full details not fetched; verify current criteria from PD 03.02.130 full text. (14) Confirm LCO address/website: council.legislature.mi.gov/Ombudsman -- confirmed. No volatile phone rates. No crisis-line specifics.