How to run Settlement Allocator in DocketMath for Michigan
6 min read
Published August 28, 2025 • Updated April 23, 2026 • By DocketMath Team
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Step-by-step
Run this scenario in DocketMath using the Settlement Allocator calculator.
This guide walks you through running Settlement Allocator in DocketMath for Michigan (US-MI). You’ll configure the tool with Michigan’s general statute of limitations (SOL) logic, then review how the outputs shift when you adjust inputs.
Friendly note: This is a practical walkthrough of the tool flow. It’s not legal advice, and it won’t capture every Michigan limitations nuance (like specific accrual theories or tolling) unless the calculator workflow includes them.
1) Open the Settlement Allocator tool for Michigan
- Go to: /tools/settlement-allocator
- Ensure the jurisdiction context is set to Michigan (US-MI). If the UI asks for a state selection, choose Michigan.
2) Enter the core settlement timeline inputs
Settlement Allocator works best when you provide a clear timeline. In the calculator form, provide values for:
- Settlement date (or allocation date)
- Key event dates (commonly the “start” date that triggers limitations analysis—DocketMath’s field labels determine exactly which date is used)
- Any additional date(s) required by the calculator UI for the Michigan SOL rule to be applied
Then confirm the calculator is using the Michigan general/default rule—see the next step.
Note: Michigan’s general/default SOL period used in this workflow is 6 years, grounded in MCL § 767.24(1). No claim-type-specific sub-rule was found for this tool flow, so the calculator applies the general period as the default.
3) Verify the SOL period logic is set to Michigan’s general rule
DocketMath’s Michigan allocator flow uses:
- General SOL Period: 6 years
- General Statute: MCL § 767.24(1) (source: https://www.michigan.gov)
If the tool allows toggling between “default/general” and other modes, keep the allocator on general/default unless your workflow explicitly provides additional rule mappings.
4) Provide the settlement allocation inputs (amounts to allocate)
Next, input the financial figures the allocator needs. Common fields include:
- Total settlement amount
- Any component amounts the calculator expects (for example, category-based inputs if the UI breaks the settlement into buckets)
- Any allocation drivers or weights required by the settlement-allocator interface (if the UI includes them)
If the UI uses “buckets,” fill them with the amounts you want evaluated under the SOL timing logic.
5) Run the calculation
Once you’ve entered:
- the relevant dates, and
- the settlement amount(s) / category inputs,
click Calculate (or the equivalent button in the DocketMath UI).
6) Review outputs and understand what changes when you adjust inputs
After the run, review both:
- the allocation results (how much falls into each allocation bucket), and
- any time-based determinations the tool shows (often expressed as elapsed time from the key event date).
In a Michigan general-SOL setup, you should typically expect the following relationships:
| If you change… | Expected effect on allocator output |
|---|---|
| Settlement/analysis date moves later | More time elapses since the key event date, increasing the chance that portions fall outside the 6-year window. |
| Key event date moves earlier | Time since the event grows, again increasing the likelihood of portions being treated as outside the 6-year period. |
| Key event date moves later | Time since the event shrinks, reducing the portion likely to be treated as outside the 6-year lookback. |
| Total settlement amount increases | Outputs typically scale proportionally if you’re using percentage-based allocation (or relative bucket inputs). |
| Category amounts shift | Allocation totals by category adjust even if the SOL timing stays the same. |
Warning: Settlement allocation outputs are driven by the tool’s date math and the Michigan general/default SOL rule. If your fact pattern requires a different limitations rule than the general period—or involves special tolling/accrual doctrines—those differences won’t be captured automatically unless the DocketMath workflow includes them.
7) Export or capture results for your workflow
If DocketMath provides options such as:
- a summary panel you can copy,
- a download/export function, or
- a shareable result link,
use it to save the allocation view tied to the exact dates and amounts you entered. Even small date edits can shift which portions fall inside versus outside the 6-year window.
8) Document assumptions (recommended before you share internally)
Before sharing results, keep a short checklist in your case notes:
- Jurisdiction: **Michigan (US-MI)
- SOL mode: general/default
- SOL duration applied: 6 years
- Statutory reference used by the calculator: **MCL § 767.24(1)
- Dates entered: list each date exactly as entered in the tool
- Settlement amount and category/bucket inputs used
This makes the run auditable and repeatable.
Common pitfalls
Michigan allocator outputs are most often derailed by date mismatches or by assuming a claim-specific SOL rule is applied. Watch for:
Using the wrong date label
- If you enter an “event date” where the tool expects a different “start/trigger” date, the 6-year window can shift substantially.
Assuming claim-type-specific SOL rules were applied
- For this DocketMath workflow, no claim-type-specific sub-rule was found. The calculator uses the general/default 6-year SOL under MCL § 767.24(1).
Forgetting “general SOL” doesn’t mean “every situation”
- Even with a general SOL of 6 years, real cases can involve doctrines not represented in a basic allocator configuration.
Editing dates after saving/exporting results
- If you rerun with changed dates, the new allocation may no longer match the previously exported summary.
Inconsistent settlement date vs. allocation date
- Some workflows distinguish a settlement signing date from a payment/approval date. If DocketMath asks for one specifically, use it consistently (and note which one you chose).
Try it
Run a quick Michigan allocation in DocketMath → Settlement Allocator:
- Open: /tools/settlement-allocator
- Set jurisdiction to US-MI / Michigan
- Keep SOL logic on general/default (6 years, MCL § 767.24(1))
- Enter:
- your settlement/analysis date
- the key event date(s) required by the calculator UI
- total settlement amount and any required category/bucket inputs
- Click Calculate
- Make one controlled change:
- move the key event date forward by 6 months, rerun, and observe how the “inside vs. outside the 6-year window” portion shifts
Checklist for your trial run:
If you can’t identify which date the tool treats as the start for the limitations window, pause and re-check the field labels before relying on the output.