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Michigan appeal & supersedeas bonds.
Quote on review.

File your appeal without the judgment being executed against you. A supersedeas bond stays collection while the appeal is pending. For a money judgment the bond is at least 110% of the judgment — and we underwrite it. A surety specialist reviews your file and returns a quote, usually within one business day.

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Stays execution under MCR 7.209 while your appeal is heard
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Penal sum is at least 110% of the money judgment — not a flat-rate figure
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Underwritten on financials; collateral may be required for a large penal sum
Underwrittencourt sets the amountA-ratedA.M. Best carriers1 daytypical specialist reply
Trusted by industry leaders
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New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC)
Blumenfeld Development Group (BDG)
Capital Development Partners
McKinney Properties
Terra Capital
JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle)
Triple Five Group
The Georgetown Company
Price

How much does a Michigan appeal & supersedeas bond cost?

It is underwritten. The carrier’s base rate is 2% of the bond amount; the underwriter sets your premium from the amount, your credit and any collateral.

How it works

Built for the post-judgment clock.

Execution can begin shortly after a money judgment is entered, so the supersedeas bond has to come together quickly. Here is the whole process:

TODAY · 10 MINUTES

Send us the file

Apply online and attach the final judgment and claim of appeal. We need the judgment amount, the parties, and the court, so we can size the penal sum the rule requires.

WITHIN 1 BUSINESS DAY

A surety specialist underwrites it

A specialist reviews the judgment, your financials, and any collateral, then returns a quote. Larger penal sums are typically collateralized — cash, a letter of credit, or pledged assets.

ON APPROVAL

Execute & file

Once you bind, we issue the executed bond on the court’s required form with the power of attorney attached, ready to file with and be approved by the trial court so proceedings are stayed.

In plain English

How an appeal bond works, and what to have ready.

  1. Why the court asks for it

    You lost at trial and want to appeal without paying the judgment first. An appeal bond, also called a supersedeas bond, asks the court to pause collection while the appeal runs.

  2. Who it protects

    The party who won. If the appeal fails, they are paid what the judgment awarded, with the interest and costs the court's rules add, up to the bond amount.

  3. If there is a claim

    The surety pays a valid claim and you repay the surety. Because the bond can equal the whole judgment, sureties often ask for collateral on large amounts.

Have these ready

  • The judgment you are appealing, with the court and case number
  • The bond amount the court or its rules require
  • Your notice of appeal, or the date you will file it
  • Financial statements for the person or business appealing
  • Any collateral you can offer, such as cash or a letter of credit
  • Your attorney's name and contact details
About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What a supersedeas bond actually does

An appeal does not, by itself, stop the winning party from collecting. A supersedeas bond (also called an appeal bond) is the security that buys you a stay — execution is held while the appellate court decides.

The bond guarantees that if your appeal fails, the judgment, costs, interest, attorney fees, and sanctions get paid. That is why the penal sum tracks the judgment rather than a flat figure, and why the surety underwrites you before issuing it.

Because the surety is on the hook for the full judgment, a large penal sum is usually collateralized — with cash, a letter of credit, or pledged assets — and supported by financials. We tell you what a given file needs before you commit.

Michigan RuleMCR 7.209 governs stays pending appeal. An appeal does not stay execution unless a stay is ordered and the appellant files a bond. To stay a money judgment on appeal to the Court of Appeals, MCR 7.209(E)(2) requires a bond complying with MCR 3.604 in an amount of at least 110% of the judgment, including costs, interest, attorney fees, and sanctions, but not exceeding $25,000,000. For appeals to circuit court, MCR 7.108(B) sets the bond at 1¼ times the amount of the judgment, including costs, interest, attorney fees, and sanctions to the date the bond is filed.

You need this bond if you’re

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A defendant appealing a money judgment and need to stop collection while the appeal is pending
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A business or insurer that wants to supersede a judgment without tying up working capital in escrow
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Counsel for an appellant arranging the stay required to suspend enforcement of the judgment
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A party facing execution on a final judgment who needs a stay filed and approved by the trial court quickly
After you buy

Claims, renewal, filing, and what sets the price.

If a claim is made

A court bond answers to the court and the party its order protects: if the judgment or order the bond secures is not satisfied, that party can claim against it, up to the penal sum the court set.

The surety pays a valid claim after the court rules, and you repay the surety. A court bond is a guarantee of your performance, not insurance for you.

Renewal and term

Term and renewal are set in the underwriter's quote; a court bond usually runs until the case or appeal it secures is resolved.

Keep the bond in force for as long as the obligation behind it runs.

How to file it

Execute & file. Once you bind, we issue the executed bond on the court’s required form with the power of attorney attached, ready to file with and be approved by the trial court so proceedings are stayed.

What sets the price

Court bonds are underwritten. The carrier's base rate for this bond is 2% of the bond amount; the underwriter sets your final premium from the amount the court sets, your credit and any collateral.

The application takes about ten minutes.

These are the actual underwriting fields — the judgment, the parties, your business, and your financials. Submit once and a surety specialist reviews everything together and returns a quote, typically within one business day. Free until your bond is issued.

Start the application →
FAQ

Common questions.

What is a Michigan appeal or supersedeas bond?It is the security that stays execution of a judgment while you appeal. Under MCR 7.209, filing an approved bond holds collection on a money judgment until the appellate court rules. The bond guarantees the judgment, costs, interest, attorney fees, and sanctions are paid if the appeal fails.
How much does it cost?It is underwritten, not flat-rated. The rule sets the penal sum — to stay a money judgment in the Court of Appeals that is at least 110% of the judgment under MCR 7.209(E)(2), capped at $25,000,000; circuit-court appeals use 1¼ times the judgment under MCR 7.108(B). A surety specialist reviews the file and any collateral and returns a premium quote, usually within one business day.
Will I need to post collateral?Often, yes, especially for a large penal sum. Because the surety guarantees the full judgment, the bond is frequently collateralized with cash, a letter of credit, or pledged assets, and supported by financials. We tell you what your specific file requires before you commit.
How is the penal sum calculated?For a money judgment on appeal to the Court of Appeals, MCR 7.209(E)(2) sets the bond at no less than 110% of the judgment, including costs, interest, attorney fees, and sanctions, capped at $25,000,000. Appeals to circuit court use 1¼ times the judgment under MCR 7.108(B). We size the penal sum to the rule and the court’s order, then underwrite it.
How fast can the bond be issued?A specialist typically returns a quote within one business day of a complete application. Once you bind and any collateral is in place, the executed bond issues on the court’s required form, ready to file with the trial court to stay proceedings.
Which A-rated carriers underwrite these bonds?Typically Arch Insurance Company (A.M. Best A+) or Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company (A.M. Best A). Which one writes your bond depends on the bond type and your state. The carrier's name and official signature are printed on the bond you receive.
How do I contact Light RFP about this bond?Email insurance@lightrfp.com. It reaches the bond team at Light RFP Risk Management Services LLC (NY DFS License # PC-1978982). Write to us about quotes, applications, bond forms or certificates. We will respond within 24 hours.
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Stay execution while you appeal.

Send us the judgment and a surety specialist sizes, underwrites, and quotes the bond — typically within one business day. Free until your bond is issued.

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