Pro Se 1
Complaint for a Civil Case
Pro Se 1, Complaint for a Civil Case, is a pleading form from the U.S. Courts for a civil case in a United States district court. It is one of the Civil Pro Se Forms, which the U.S. Courts page says are limited to types of cases often filed in federal courts by people who represent themselves or who may not have much experience in federal courts.
The form asks for the parties, the basis for federal court jurisdiction, a short and plain statement of the claim, the relief requested, and a signed certification under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11. The page notes that no form provides legal advice or substitutes for having or consulting a lawyer, and that a court may require more or less information than a form asks for.
The U.S. Courts offers it as a PDF and a Word file, effective on December 1, 2016. You can fill it out free in your browser on this page and download the result without an account.
The district and division, the full name of each plaintiff and defendant, a yes or no choice for a jury trial, and a case number left for the Clerk's Office. Names that do not fit go on an attached page, with "see attached" written in the space.
Name, address, phone and email for each plaintiff, and for each defendant, whether an individual, government agency, organization or corporation, with an individual's job or title if known. There is room for four defendants.
Federal question, diversity of citizenship or both. A federal question case lists the statutes, treaties or constitutional provisions at issue. A diversity case gives each party's citizenship or place of incorporation and explains the amount in controversy.
A short and plain statement of facts, without legal arguments: how each defendant was involved, what each did, and the dates and places. Several claims are numbered in separate paragraphs.
The damages or other relief asked for, any basis for saying the wrongs are continuing, the amounts of actual damages and their basis, and any punitive or exemplary damages with amounts and reasons.
A certification under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11, then the date, signature and printed name of the plaintiff, or the attorney's details.
The U.S. Courts page says no form provides legal advice, a court may require more or less than a form asks, and to consult the rules and caselaw that govern in the court where you file.
Enter the district, division and the full names of the parties, choose yes or no for a jury trial, and leave the case number for the Clerk's Office.
Check federal question, diversity of citizenship or both, and fill out only the paragraphs in section II that apply.
The form asks for short and plain statements, without legal arguments, in sections III and IV. Attach pages if needed.
The page cites Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2: a filing may show only the last four digits of a Social Security, taxpayer or financial account number, the year of birth, and a minor's initials.
Sign under the Rule 11 certification and print your name. Parties without an attorney also agree to keep their address current with the Clerk's Office.
You get the real form, filled in a browser tab, with nothing standing between you and the finished PDF.
The form is captioned for a United States District Court, district and division. The page says to consult the rules and caselaw that govern in the court where the pleading is filed.
The form and its page do not list filing fees; the court sets them. The U.S. Courts forms list includes AO 240 and AO 239, applications to proceed in district court without prepaying fees or costs.
The page says the forms give no guidance on when pleadings, claims or defenses have to be raised or who has to be sued, and that some have to be raised within a certain period of time.
The page says that if you are not a lawyer and are suing or have been sued, it is best to have or consult a lawyer if possible.
The U.S. Courts page offers Pro Se 1 as a PDF and as a Word document.
Pro Se 7
99 fields, 6 pages
AO 240
28 fields, 2 pages
AO 239
191 fields, 5 pages
AO 440
34 fields, 2 pages
AO 398
15 fields, 1 page
The page describes the Civil Pro Se Forms as examples for people who represent themselves or have little experience in federal courts, and says to use the form that fits your case.
No tool matches that search.
No. The U.S. Courts page says no form provides legal advice or substitutes for having or consulting a lawyer, and that following a form does not guarantee a pleading is legally or factually correct or sufficient.
This page cannot say. The U.S. Courts page says some forms, such as the generic complaint, apply to different types of cases and others only to specific types, and to use the form that fits your case. The forms list also has case-specific complaints, such as Pro Se 7 for employment discrimination. The page says it is best to have or consult a lawyer if possible.
The form says the case number is filled in by the Clerk's Office.
The page cites Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2: filings should not contain anyone's full Social Security number or full birth date, the name of a person known to be a minor, or a complete financial account number.
Write "see attached" in the caption and attach a page with the full list of names. Section I says to attach additional pages if needed.
The form says a diversity of citizenship case is one where a citizen of one State sues a citizen of another State or nation and the amount at stake is more than $75,000, not counting interest and costs of court. Section II.B.3 asks the plaintiff to explain the amount.
No. The page says the forms give no guidance on timing, that some pleadings, claims or defenses have to be raised within a certain period of time, and that the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are available free at www.uscourts.gov.
