Nothing Special   »   [go: up one dir, main page]
Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 45 views

    Pro Se Handbook

    Uploaded by

    A Johnson
    This handbook provides guidance for individuals representing themselves ("pro se") in federal district court. It summarizes civil lawsuit procedures but is not legal advice. The handbook warns that representing oneself can be complicated and costly, and urges working with a lawyer if possible. It also warns that failing to follow proper procedures can result in losing a case. While providing informational resources, it advises readers to do their own legal research as the court cannot provide legal advice or assistance with individual cases.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Pro Se Handbook

    Uploaded by

    A Johnson
    45 views60 pages
    This handbook provides guidance for individuals representing themselves ("pro se") in federal district court. It summarizes civil lawsuit procedures but is not legal advice. The handbook warns that representing oneself can be complicated and costly, and urges working with a lawyer if possible. It also warns that failing to follow proper procedures can result in losing a case. While providing informational resources, it advises readers to do their own legal research as the court cannot provide legal advice or assistance with individual cases.

    Original Description:

    Pro se Tips

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    This handbook provides guidance for individuals representing themselves ("pro se") in federal district court. It summarizes civil lawsuit procedures but is not legal advice. The handbook warns that representing oneself can be complicated and costly, and urges working with a lawyer if possible. It also warns that failing to follow proper procedures can result in losing a case. While providing informational resources, it advises readers to do their own legal research as the court cannot provide legal advice or assistance with individual cases.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    45 views60 pages

    Pro Se Handbook

    Uploaded by

    A Johnson
    This handbook provides guidance for individuals representing themselves ("pro se") in federal district court. It summarizes civil lawsuit procedures but is not legal advice. The handbook warns that representing oneself can be complicated and costly, and urges working with a lawyer if possible. It also warns that failing to follow proper procedures can result in losing a case. While providing informational resources, it advises readers to do their own legal research as the court cannot provide legal advice or assistance with individual cases.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 60

    Representing Yourself in

    Federal District Court:


    A Handbook for Pro Se Litigants

    PRESENTED BY

    Access to Justice Task Force

    This is an informational handbook. This handbook is a guide for self-represented litigants. It is


    not legal advice and should not be considered as such. Do not cite to this handbook in your filings
    with the Court. The Court will not consider this handbook as legal authority. Do not contact the
    Clerk’s Office with questions about this handbook. The Court will not answer questions about the
    handbook’s content or how it may pertain to an individual case. Those seeking guidance
    concerning a federal action should consult with an attorney.

    Special acknowledgement and appreciation is extended to the United States District Court for the
    Northern District of New York and the United States District Court for the Northern District of
    California, for permission to adopt portions of their pro se litigant handbooks. This handbook may
    serve as a form for district-specific handbooks.

    v2019-2
    INTRODUCTION

    This Handbook is designed to help people with filing civil lawsuits in federal court without

    legal representation. Proceeding without a lawyer is called proceeding “pro se,” a Latin phrase

    meaning “for oneself.” Representing yourself in a lawsuit can be complicated, time consuming,

    and costly. Failing to follow court procedures can mean losing your case. For these reasons, you

    are urged to work with a lawyer if possible.

    Do not rely entirely on this Handbook. THIS HANDBOOK IS MEANT TO BE USED

    FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL

    ADVICE. This Handbook provides a summary of civil lawsuit procedures and may not cover

    all procedures that may apply in your case. It also does not teach you about the laws that will

    control your case. Make sure you read the applicable federal and local court rules and do your

    own research at a law library or online to understand your case. This Handbook identifies the

    location of resources you can access, free of charge, to do research.

    The United States District Court Clerk’s Office staff can answer general questions, but they

    cannot give you any legal advice. For example, they cannot help you decide what to do in your

    lawsuit, tell you what the law means, or even advise you when documents are due.

    Warning to Incarcerated or Detained Persons: Please note that some parts of this

    handbook will not apply to actions filed by incarcerated or detained persons. Detained litigants are

    often required to comply with different statutes and Court rules. These rules may include—but are

    not limited to—the use of Court-approved forms where applicable and the exhaustion of

    administrative remedies prior to filing suit.

    You might also like