Although clerk office staff can answer most questions, we are not lawyers and are prohibited by law from giving legal advice to any party including pro se filers, attorneys, or legal assistants (Title 28 U.S.C. § 955).

What is legal advice?

Legal advice is a written or oral statement that:

• Interprets some aspect of the law, court rules, or court procedures;
• Recommends a specific course of conduct a person should take in an actual or potential legal proceeding; or
• Applies the law to the individual person's specific factual circumstances.

For example, we cannot:

• Give legal advice;
• Interpret court rules;
• Interpret court orders;
• Determine when a decision will be made by the court on pending motions; or
• Tell you whether you should file a case or what information to include in your court pleadings.

We can help you by:

• Answering general questions about how the court works;
• Directing you to court forms available on our website;
• Providing general information about court policies and procedures; and
• Providing technical support for CM/ECF.