People who represent themselves in court without a lawyer are called Self-Represented Litigants (SRLs), also sometimes called pro se litigants. Under the law, an SRL is held to the same standards and duties as an attorney admitted to the practice of law in the state of Louisiana. A Self-Represented Litigant is presumed to know the law. This means that an SRL is expected to know what the law requires and how to accomplish this in accordance with the appropriate statues and court rules.
IMPORTANT: Clerk of Court employees cannot provide legal advice or assist with the completion of any form..
Court employees (i.e., judges, hearing officers, docket clerks, clerks of the court and all personnel connected with the court) are not authorized to tell you what you have to do, how you are to do it, or what you should do under the circumstances.
Find an Attorney
It is always in your best interest to consult an attorney about your legal matter.
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Louisiana State Bar Association — Modest Means Panel
(504) 566-1600 · lsba.org/Public/FindLegalHelp -
New Orleans Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service
(504) 561-8828 · neworleansbar.org/find-a-lawyer.html
Civil Legal Aid (income eligibility required)
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The Pro Bono Project
(504) 581-4043 · probono-no.org -
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services
(504) 529-1000 · slls.org
Additional Resources
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Louisiana Free Legal Answers (income eligibility required)
la.freelegalanswers.org -
Louisiana Law Help
LouisianaLawHelp.org — Civil legal aid resources statewide -
Louisiana Domestic Violence Hotline
1-888-411-1333 — Free, confidential, 24 hours