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A Department of Justice study found that pro se litigants in immigration appeals were successful 10% of the time, compared to a 40% success rate for those represented by pro bono attorneys (often students supervised by law professors).

Generally, the 5 steps to filing a lawsuit in Louisiana include: Investigate. Gather all relevant evidence. Write the petition for damages. File the petition for damages in the correct court. Serve the petition and summons on the defendant.

You have a right to represent yourself (appear ?pro se?). However, you should not expect any special treatment or assistance from the court, and you must follow all of the Court Rules. If you do not follow the rules, the court may not be allowed to give you what you want, even if it seems like you should win the case.

Pro se actually means ?for himself,? and in legal terms it means a person represents himself/herself in court when either filing an action or responding to an action without the assistance of an attorney. Pro se litigants are held to the same standard as attorneys.

To do so, you need to file a form called an ?In Forma Pauperis? form, or ?IFP? for short. Do I Need Witnesses? Witnesses can testify about facts to help tell your story. They should know the case and have seen or heard the evidence themselves.

When you represent yourself, you are referred to as a "self-represented litigant" or "pro-se litigant." Even if you don't have a lawyer, judges and court employees are not allowed to provide you with legal advice and may not be able to speak with you at all about your case outside of the courtroom.