*** NOTICE ***

The next meeting of the National Association for Self Represented Litigants (in formation) will be held at to be announced on to be announced. You are requested to ring first on 8214 8397 and advise that you intend to attend.
If you are currently a self represented litigant with an action in any court or are a potential litigant with a proposed claim or a current represented litigant in any jurisdiction or a legal professional you are welcome to attend.

     The SELF LITIGANTS NETWORK was established for the provision of
courses for litigants in person.

     In 1999 it was noticed that there were no courses for litigants in
person and since litigants in person, by definition, do not use solicitors
or barristers, there were generally no support systems for litigants in
person apart from LIAC, books and court staff (who can only give limited
procedural advice). The law presumes you know the law and you know the
facts of your case. 
     It was also noticed in 1999 that there was an increasing number of
people running their own cases in the courts for a variety of reasons,
chief of which were lower courts making it more attractive for people to
present their own cases by not awarding costs for claims under $3,000,
federal courts becoming more "user friendly", disenchantment with
solicitors due to costs and adverse experiences and the fact that people
like to do things themselves.
     However these people running their own cases were not all winning.
Good and winnable cases were being lost for wrong reasons, and also bad
cases were being lost for the wrong reasons. People with winnable cases
were losing for lack of knowledge of procedure.
     Being a litigant in person is "not for the babes and not for the
bears". It is not for babes who are confused and need everything done for
them. It is not for the bears or whingers who do nothing and see themselves
impotent. It is for people who prefer to do things themselves, like to keep
control and stay in the drivers seat, don't trust anyone with their private
matters and want to win.
     As a litigant in person you stay in the driver's seat. You construct
your pleadings, your statements of claim, your affidavits, your
submissions, amass and arrange your evidence, run your case and seek to
learn everything you need to know that is relevant to your case.


     The Self Litigant's Network has obtained prices from professional
legal educational and training bodies for the first courses for the
litigant in person to be able to learn basic procedures for running their
own cases.

     Of course running your own case is not for everyone. Some people have
no interest but others want to keep control of their action and take a very
real interest in it and would rather run their case, win or lose, to keep
control. (Actually if you are running your own case you probably won't lose
because you would learn enough along the way to know not to proceed with
it.

     The proposed course for Litigants in person will cover a 10 to 13 week
period and cost.

     In some cases costs may be recoverable in a costs order on the other
side or your work may pay for the course or it may be tax deductible for
you.

     If you are in business and feel you need to brush up on basic legal
procedures for basic recovery actions, are contemplating a family court
action or federal court action where many litigants conduct their actions
in person, generally with no preparation or training, or have a legal issue
you would like to eventually explore or ventilate in the courts for damages
or whatever then the Litigant in Person course is for you.

     The course will not go greatly into law as it is presumed you know the
law or can quickly pick it up. The course will deal with procedure but may
touch on law in an anecdotal fashion. The course is not a law course. You
are supposed to know the law.


     It is proposed that the course will cover

     1 - background to civil law, public litigation and private litigation
     2 - the art of writing letters
     3 - where to access law, find precedents and procedure
     4 - the various pre-hearing stages
     5 - dealing with court staff and solicitors, why you may want the
other side to use professionals
     6 - how to source data and evidence and arrange your evidence.
     7 - how to prepare your pleadings and paperwork
     8 - keeping to what's relevant and the laws of evidence
     9 - a guided tour of a law book shop
    10 - conducting a hearing, cross examination and submissions as a
plaintiff 
     11 - Obtaining judgment and how to collect upon a judgment.

     Various papers and books may be available at each session.


     (In 1999 the first association for litigants in person (Self
Litigant's Association, SLA) was incorporated in Sydney to provide
consultative services to its members, chief of which was the process of
panel where you could rehearse part of your case by bringing your proposed
wordings to panel (made up of other members) who would assist, analyze,
question, demolish or improve your immediate pleadings and strengthen or
destroy your case. The experience could be comforting or more harrowing and
adversarial than a court case but not binding. The association also
acquired books for its library. (Unfortunately the association seems to
have for now fallen into the hands of a committee who have not called any
meetings this year and new blood is required)).


A Self Litigants' Association was set up by litigants in person also in
1999 in Sydney and is currently inactive and needs new blood. Membership of
this association still stands at $295 and membership fees may in some cases
be recoverable as costs. Membership is open to plaintiffs and potential
plaintiffs. For enquiries ring David on Sydney (612) 8214 8397 who currently 
manages the association's affairs.



When we have a minimum of 20 we will run the first course.

For further enquiries and details ring David on 8214 8397.