This Handbook is designed to help people dealing with civil lawsuits in Federal court without legal representation.
See Chapter 2 for more details..
This attorney will not be your lawyer and you will still be Representing yourself.
There are Legal Help Centers in the San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose courthouses where you can get free help with your lawsuit from an attorney who can help you prepare documents and give limited 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.
Clerk\'s Office staff can answer general questions, but they cannot give you any legal advice.
The United States District Court for the Northern District of California has Clerk\'s Offices in the San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland courthouses.
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.
It also does not teach you about the laws that will control your case.
This Handbook provides a summary of civil lawsuit procedures, but it may not cover all procedures that may apply in your case.
Do not rely entirely on this Handbook.
Chapter 2 gives suggestions on finding a lawyer.
For these reasons, you are urged to work with a lawyer if possible.
Failing to follow court procedures can mean losing your case.
Proceeding without a lawyer is called proceeding "pro se1," a Latin phrase meaning "for oneself," or sometimes "in propria persona," meaning "in his or her own person." Representing Yourself in a lawsuit can be complicated, time consuming, and costly.
This Handbook is designed to help people dealing with civil lawsuits in Federal court without legal representation
