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Pro Se/ Self Representation

Court Cell Phone Policy Information

You may telephone to obtain forms by mail or procedural information from the Pro Se Office staff attorneys at (716) 551-1700 for Buffalo, and (585) 613-4000 for Rochester.  PLEASE NOTE:  As Court employees, Pro Se Office attorneys cannot give you legal advice about your case.

The Court has developed many forms to help you present your case.  To select the type of forms that you will need to start your action, you must first determine what type of case you wish to file:

  • Is it a civil case?
  • Is it a case based on a federal statute?
  • Is it a diversity action (which means you live in one state and the defendant lives in another)?
  • Is it an employment discrimination case and you have obtained a decision from the Human Rights Commission or the Equal Opportunity Commission?
  • Is it a Social Security appeal?
  • Is it a petition for a writ of habeas corpus from a federal or state conviction?

(Because only certain kinds of action may be brought in federal court, if your case is not one of these kinds of cases, it may belong in state court rather than federal court.)

Once you have determined the type of case you will be bringing access the Checklist of Forms for Filing Your Case.  Select the type of case you plan to file, and then click on each of the forms required in order to open them for printing.  (Use your browser's BACK button to return to the checklist to select the next form for printing.)

Checklist of Forms
Pro Se Forms

Attachments:


Pro Se Handbook updated 2019
Pro Se Assistance Program


Note:  All attached documents are in Adobe Acrobat PDF file format.  You will need the free Adobe Acrobat reader to view these documents.  If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, you may get it here.