Prose Handbook English

HANDBOOK FOR LITIGANTS WITHOUT A LAWYER UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTFOR THENORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Revised April 2006

This Handbook is written by the United States District Courtfor the Northern District of California and is intended to beused solely for the benefit of pro se litigants without charge.The Handbook is not to be used for commercial purposes.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................................1CHAPTER 1 - HOW CAN I FIND A LAWYER?.....................................................................................................4CHAPTER 2 - WHERE CAN I GO TO RESEARCH THE LAW ON MY OWN?.................................................13Public Law Libraries in the Northern District of California.............................................................14CHAPTER 3 - I WANT TO FILE A LAWSUIT, BUT WHERE DO I START?....................................................18What information needs to be in a complaint...................................................................................18What does a complaint look like? ...................................................................................................19What is included in a complaint? ....................................................................................................19Why do I have to include my name, address, and telephone and fax numbers in the complaint? ...20Why do I have to sign the complaint? .............................................................................................20What is subject matter jurisdiction? ................................................................................................21What is venue? ................................................................................................................................22How do I determine the division of the court to which my lawsuit should be assigned? .................22How much detail should I include in the complaint? ......................................................................23What do I have to put in the complaint if I want a jury trial? ..........................................................23How quickly do I need to file a complaint? .....................................................................................24What do I do after I file the complaint? ..........................................................................................24Can I change or amend the complaint after I file it? .......................................................................24Example of a caption page...............................................................................................................25CHAPTER 4 - HOW DO I FILE PAPERS WITH THE COURT?..........................................................................28Do I need a caption page?................................................................................................................28How do I file documents?................................................................................................................29To file documents in person during normal business hours..............................................................30To file documents in person after hours using the drop box.............................................................30Filing by fax.....................................................................................................................................31Filing by mail...................................................................................................................................32How is filing a complaint different from other papers?....................................................................32What kinds of fees and other costs do I have to pay? ......................................................................32Fee Schedule (effective April 9, 2006) ............................................................................................33What is a court transcript and how much does it cost?.....................................................................33What if I can’t afford the $350.00 fee for filing a new complaint?..................................................34CHAPTER 5 - WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SERVING DOCUMENTS ON THE OTHER PARTIESTO THE LAWSUIT?.....................................................................................................................................36What are the rules for serving the complaint? .................................................................................36What if I filed in forma pauperis?....................................................................................................36How do I get summonses if I’m not in forma pauperis? ..................................................................36What do I need to serve with the complaint? ..................................................................................37How do I get the defendant to waive service? .................................................................................37What if I requested a waiver of service and the defendant doesn’t send it back?.............................38In general, how do serve individuals? .............................................................................................38How do I serve individuals in foreign countries? ............................................................................39How do I serve minors or incompetent persons? .............................................................................39How do I serve a business? .............................................................................................................39How do I serve the United States, its agencies, corporations, officers, or employees? ...................40How do I serve a foreign country? ..................................................................................................41How do I serve a state or local government? ...................................................................................41Is there a time limit for serving the complaint and summons? ........................................................41What is a certificate of service? ......................................................................................................41How do I serve other documents? ...................................................................................................42

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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CHAPTER 6 - AFTER THE COMPLAINT HAS BEEN SERVED ON THE DEFENDANT, WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?...........................................................................................................................................................43I got a magistrate judge – what does that mean? .............................................................................43What’s next after the complaint is served? ......................................................................................43Time to Respond to the Complaint...................................................................................................44What type of response to the complaint is required? .......................................................................45ANSWERS AND COUNTERCLAIMS.........................................................................................................45What are the requirements for preparing an answer to a complaint?................................................45Can I make claims against the plaintiff in my answer

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...................................................................46Can I amend the answer after I file it? .............................................................................................46Once the answer is filed, does the plaintiff have to file a response to it? ........................................46What are the requirements for counterclaims?.................................................................................47Once a counterclaim is filed, does the plaintiff have to file a response to it? ..................................48MOTIONS CHALLENGING THE COMPLAINT........................................................................................48What is a motion to dismiss the complaint?.....................................................................................48What is a motion for more definite statement?.................................................................................49What is a motion to strike?...............................................................................................................50WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN BY DEFAULT JUDGMENT? .............................................................50CHAPTER 7 - WHAT IS A MOTION, AND HOW DO I WRITE OR RESPOND TO ONE?...............................52What are the requirements for motion papers?.................................................................................52How do I choose a hearing date?......................................................................................................54What are the requirements for Opposition Briefs?...........................................................................55What are the requirements for Reply Briefs?...................................................................................55What if the motion is urgent and needs to be decided in less than thirty-five days?........................56What if I need more time to respond to a motion?...........................................................................58CHAPTER 8 - HOW CAN I MAKE SURE THAT I KNOW ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING INMY CASE?.....................................................................................................................................................59How do I review the case file?.........................................................................................................59How do I review the docket?............................................................................................................60CHAPTER 9 - WHAT IS A CASE MANAGEMENT OR STATUS CONFERENCE, AND HOW DO I PREPAREFOR IT? ........................................................................................................................................................63What is a case management conference?..........................................................................................63What is a status conference?............................................................................................................63When is the initial case management conference?...........................................................................63Does every case have a case management conference?....................................................................63What should I do before the initial case management conference?..................................................64Why do I have to meet and confer?..................................................................................................64What is the proposed discovery plan?..............................................................................................64What is the case management statement?.........................................................................................65What about ADR and arbitration?....................................................................................................66What happens at the initial case management conference?..............................................................67What is the case management order?...............................................................................................67What should I do before other conferences with the judge?.............................................................67CHAPTER 10 - WHAT INFORMATION DO I HAVE TO GIVE TO THE OTHER PARTIES, EVEN IF THEYDON’T ASK FOR IT?...................................................................................................................................68What are initial disclosures?............................................................................................................68What are expert disclosures?............................................................................................................69What are pretrial disclosures?..........................................................................................................70CHAPTER 11 - WHAT IS DISCOVERY?..............................................................................................................72Are there any limits to discovery?....................................................................................................72When can discovery begin?..............................................................................................................73

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