Welcome to Pro Se!

The pro se information on the Court’s website is specifically for individuals who are representing themselves in the Southern District of New York without the assistance of an attorney.  It is intended as an informative and practical resource for pro se litigants, and is not a substitute for legal advice from an experienced attorney. The information is procedural in nature and should be read in conjunction with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Local Rules of this Court and the Individual Practices of the judge assigned to your case. Moreover, the links to other websites are for information purposes only, and neither the Pro se Office nor the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is responsible for the accuracy of the information contained in other websites.

What does it mean to appear pro se?

Although the majority of individuals, also known as "litigants" or "parties", appearing before this court, is represented by attorneys, a small percentage appears pro se. Litigants or parties representing themselves in court without the assistance of an attorney are known as pro se litigants. "Pro se" is Latin for "in one’s own behalf." 

The right to appear pro se in a civil case in federal court is defined by statute 28 U.S.C. § 1654.  Thus, anyone can appear pro se, and anyone who appears before the Court without an attorney is considered pro se. However, there are certain limitations to self-representation, such as:

• Corporations and partnerships must be represented by counsel. Parties planning to begin or defend an action on behalf of a corporation or partnership may not appear pro se in the Southern District of New York, and must be represented by an attorney. 
• Similarly, a pro se litigant may not act as a class representative in a class action, therefore a pro se litigant may not bring a class action.
• Furthermore, a non-attorney parent may not appear pro se on behalf of a child, except to appeal the denial of social security benefits to such child.