Last updated: September 2010

About this Video

The Pro Se Court at the Daley Center in Cook County, Illinois is designed for people who have filed lawsuits asking for money damages of $3,000 or less and are not represented by a lawyer.

The "Filing a Complaint" video gives plaintiffs information about how to write a complaint, how to file their complaint, and how to ask to file their court papers for free.

About the Pro Se Court Video Series

Going to court without the help of a lawyer can be a stressful event. This videos series will help you understand what happens when a case is filed and heard by a judge in the Pro Se Court at the Daley Center. The Pro Se Court was created to make the court process more accessible to people who could not hire a lawyer, but wanted to resolve a their dispute against someone else. The videos in this series discuss topics that are helpful to both plaintiffs, the person who files a lawsuit, as well as defendants, the person a lawsuit is filed against. To view the other videos about the Pro Se Court at the Daley Center, click on the titles below:

• Pro Se Court at the Daley Center: Overview
• Pro Se Court at the Daley Center: Serving the Defendant
• Pro Se Court at the Daley Center: If the Defendant was Not Served
• Pro Se Court at the Daley Center: For Defendants
• Pro Se Court at the Daley Center: Mediation

Video Transcript

A transcript of the video is available at Pro Se Court at the Daley Center: Filing a Complaint - Video Transcript. If you’d like to read the transcript, you have the option to print a copy. The video's transcript opens in a separate window so you can also watch the video while reading the transcript.

Acknowledgments

Several organizations contributed to the development of these videos including the following:Center for Conflict Resolution, Illinois Legal Aid Online, The Chicago Bar Foundation, and Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Section.

Funding for this video series was provided by the generous financial support of The Chicago Bar Foundation Young Professionals Board.

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