House Votes to Restore Legal Sanity with Open and Obvious Bill

Lansing, MI – The Michigan House of Representatives voted today to return Michigan to the “Open and Obvious” standard for liability lawsuits, protecting homeowners from frivolous lawsuits and attracting new businesses.

In 2023, the Democrat-led Michigan Supreme Court unilaterally overruled more than two decades of liability precedent, saying that homeowners could be held liable for dangers on their property even if they were “open and obvious”, like ice on the ground during the winter. Under the old standard, property owners were not responsible if a “reasonable person” could openly and obviously see the danger.

The change has caused liability insurance costs in Michigan to go up and has increased the number of lawsuits against homeowners and business owners. These lawsuits are costly, whether the homeowner wins or loses.

The bill introduced by state Representative Jerry Neyer looks to undo this radical change from the Michigan Supreme Court. It would allow courts to dismiss frivolous lawsuits against property owners at the beginning of the legal process, potentially saving them thousands of dollars in legal fees.

“The Open and Obvious standard is common sense,” said Gabe Butzke, a spokesperson for Michigan Forward Network. “Michigan’s activist Supreme Court should have never overturned it ot begin with, and we’re glad the Republican House is working to save taxpayers time and money.”