Guides:
Information contained on this page is for individuals litigating a case that does not involve imprisonment; such cases may include an employment discrimination claim, a social security appeal, or a general civil rights claim. The Guides linked below may help you better understand 1) how to begin your lawsuit, starting with fiing a complaint; and 2) what happens next after your case has been filed in federal court.
- Guide to Filing a Complaint Without a Lawyer in Federal District Court (How do I begin a lawsuit?)
- Guide to Managing Your Lawsuit After Filing (What happens next?)
Instructions for Service of Summons and Complaints:
Forms:
Listed below are various forms that may be helpful, including but not limited to, complaint forms, a form to answer (respond to) a complaint if you are being sued, and forms that ask the court to take action.
- Complaint for a Civil Case
- Complaint for Employment Discrimination
- Complaint for Violation of Civil Rights
- Request to Proceed in District Court Without Prepaying the Filing Fee
- Defendant's Answer to the Complaint
- Motion - General
- Motion for Assistance with Recruiting Counsel
- Blank Form (for filing)
- Notice of Change of Address
- Application to Appeal Without Prepaying Fees or Costs
If you have questions after reviewing these materials, you may wish to contact the Clerk’s Office at (317) 229-3700 or visit the court’s law library (located on the 4th Floor at the Indianapolis Courthouse, 46 E. Ohio Street, Indianapolis, Indiana). Please note, however, that court employees cannot give you legal advice. Specifically, court employees cannot:
- recommend a legal course of action or suggest ways to help you win your case;
- predict how a district or magistrate judge may decide any issue;
- interpret the meaning of any judicial order; or
- interpret the local rules of this Court, federal procedural rules, federal statutes, or case law.