Self-Represented Litigants

People who represent themselves in court without a lawyer are called Self-Represented Litigants (SRLs), also sometimes called pro se litigants.  Under the law, an SRL is held to the same standards and duties as an attorney admitted to the practice of law in the state of Louisiana.  A Self-Represented Litigant is presumed to know the law. This means that an SRL is expected to know what the law requires and how to accomplish this in accordance with the appropriate statues and court rules.

IMPORTANT: Court employees (i.e., judges, hearing officers, docket clerks, clerks of the court and all personnel connected with the court) are not authorized to tell you what you have to do, how you are to do it, or what you should do under the circumstances.

Court employees are prohibited from giving you legal advice.

The Self-Help Desk provides SRLs with legal information & court-approved forms. Domestic matters only.  No legal advice is provided.

It is always in your best interest to speak with an attorney about your legal issue. You can find a lawyer from the following attorney referral resources:

Louisiana State Bar Association Modest Means Panel: 504-566-1600; lsba.org/Public/FindLegalHelp

New Orleans Bar Association (NOBA) Lawyer Referral Service: 504-561-8828; neworleansbar.org/find-a-lawyer.html

If you do not have the funds to pay an attorney, you may seek assistance from the following civil legal aid organizations:

The Pro Bono Project (Income Eligibility Required): 504‐581‐4043; www.probono‐no.org
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (Income Eligibility Required): Orleans Office: 504‐529‐1000; www.slls.org

Brief Advice and Information Resources:

Louisiana Free Legal Answers (Income Eligibility Required): la.freelegalanswers.org
Louisiana Law Help: www.LouisianaLawHelp.org – This website includes civil legal aid resources.
Louisiana Domestic Violence Hotline: 1‐888‐411‐1333 – Free. Confidential. 24‐hour hotline.

Orleans Civil District Court SHRC ‐ Mon, Wed, and Fri ‐ 9 ‐12 pm. Contact The Pro Bono Project at 504‐581‐4043 for available services.