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FJC Directions, No. 9: Special Issue on Pro Se Litigation

Rya W. Zobel, David E. Rauma, William W Schwarzer, Marie Leary, Genevra Kay Loveland, Charles P. Sutelan
June 1, 1996

Articles in this issue of FJC Directions describe federal courts' experiences with pro se actions. Included are an analysis of data from a Center study of nearly 60,000 pro se cases filed in ten district courts, a report on the District of Nevada's use of early case-evaluation telephonic hearings for prisoner pro se civil rights complaints, and discussions of developments in videoconferencing and other types of telecommunications for pretrial proceedings and trials. In this issue of FJC Directions:

  • New Statutes Add to Challenges Posed by Pro Se Cases in the Federal Courts, by Rya W. Zobel, page 1
  • Analysis of Pro Se Case Filings in Ten U.S. District Courts Yields New Information, by David Rauma and Charles P. Sutelan, page 5
  • Let's Try a Pro Se & Small-Stakes Civil Calendar in the Federal Courts, by William W Schwarzer, page 14
  • District of Nevada Uses Early Hearings to Cope with State Prisoner Pro Se Civil Rights Caseload, by Marie Cordisco (Leary), page 18
  • Congress & Judicial Conference Endorse Videoconferencing in Prisoner Civil Rights Pretrial Proceedings, by Genevra Kay Loveland, page 22
  • Judges Find Videoconferencing Cuts Down on Risks & Costs of Prisoner Litigation, page 25
  • Pre-PLRA Survey Reflects Courts' Experiences with Assessing Partial Filing Fees in In Forma Pauperis Cases, by Marie Cordisco (Leary), page 25
  • Pro Se Issues & Answers: An On-Line Forum, page 33
  • Pro Se Debtors & Creditors in Bankruptcy Cases, page 37