Illinois Pro Se is an online guide with instructions, forms and templates for self-represented individuals in civil court in the State of Illinois.

It is incredibly difficult to be self-represented. As a result, individuals who are unable to afford an attorney are often left without the same access to justice as those with an attorney. The consequences can be drastic, including the loss of housing, restrictions on access to family members, and financial hardship.

There are lots of reasons for this. Court rules are complicated and navigating them can be difficult for non-attorneys. Judges are very particular with not only how they like court filings to look, but also what those filings should contain, how they should be presented, and when they should be presented.

This site is not a substitute for legal counsel. It is, however, at attempt to pull back the curtain between attorneys and non-attorneys to lessen the gap between the represented and self-represented.

Every form and template you’ll find here has been created by a licensed attorney with experience in Illinois law. Likewise, the instructions are created by attorneys with general guidance on how to use the forms, present them in court, and prepare to represent yourself in important court proceedings.