You may represent yourself in a lawsuit. If you represent yourself in a lawsuit without an attorney’s assistance you are called a pro se litigant. Pro se is a Latin phrase which means “for oneself” or “on one’s own behalf.” Pro se litigants are also called self-represented litigants. In criminal matters, you have a constitutional right to represent yourself. In civil matters, there is no such right but it is a choice made by you. However, in some cases where a corporation is a party, attorneys are required to appear on the corporation’s behalf.
Although you can represent yourself, when you enter the courtroom you are tasked with having the same knowledge of the court process as an attorney. This can be a daunting endeavor especially if you did not attend law school. In an effort to better navigate the Rhode Island court system, we have created a Self-Help Center which may answer many of your questions and direct you to find the information you need to represent yourself.
Administrative Appeals CivilCriminal (Coming Soon) Landlord/Tenant Pretrial ServicesSmall Claims (Coming Soon) Interpreters Judicial Records Center Policies and ProceduresLaw Library General Questions Resources for Self-Represented Litigants and members of the publicRhode Island Traffic Tribunal (Coming Soon) Workers’ Compensation Court Superior Court Supreme Court
Rhode Island Bar Association Armed Forces Legal Services Project Lawyers for the Arts Lawyer Referral Service Lawyer Referral Service for the Elderly Rhode Island Bar Association Volunteer Lawyer Program (VLP) Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights Rhode Island Legal Services, Inc. Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General – Civil Division Rhode Island Office of the Public Defender