GUIDELINES FOR PRO SE LITIGANTS
IN THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
These guidelines are designed to help pro se litigants (persons who represent themselves in lawsuits) become familiar with the rules and procedures which must be followed in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York. Lawsuits in federal court go through a number of steps from the time they are filed until they are ultimately resolved by a judge, a jury or through settlement. These guidelines summarize the procedures concerning where and how to file the necessary legal papers, the exchange of information between opposing parties, trial preparation, and certain other legal procedures which you and your opponent may need to use before your case is finally resolved.This summary is intended only as a general guide and is not exhaustive. Where applicable, the guidelines cite to the actual rules governing procedure in the federal courts generally and the Local Rules which are used in the Western District of New York. This summary does not take the place of or relieve a pro se litigant of the responsibility for complying with the Local Rules, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, or any other obligations imposed by the law.
The Local Rules of Civil Procedure and the various forms needed for filing a case pro se (these forms are discussed in detail below) may be obtained in person from the intake clerk in the Clerk’s Office, by mail from the Court’s Pro Se Office, and from the Western District of New York’s web site at http://www.nywd.uscourts.gov. The Pro Se Office may be reached by telephone at (716) 551-1500 (Buffalo Division) or (585) 613-4000 (Rochester Division). The Clerk’s Office telephone numbers are (716) 551-1700 (Buffalo Division) and (585) 613-4000 (Rochester Division).
