Civil Litigation Self Help

This page is intended to be a resource to assist self-represented parties in a civil litigation matter. Because few Oregon-court-approved, fill-in-the-blank forms exist, the Law Library strives to fill the information gap by offering a variety of legal guides, templates, and sample forms for users to evaluate and utilize as appropriate.

It's hoped the information here provides a starting point for library users to learn and understand the basics of drafting court documents. Undoubtedly, visiting the Law Library for additional research - on document drafting, procedural law, strategy, or the specific substantive law of the case (for example, what needs to be proven in order to win a breach of contract case) - will be necessary.


Pleading Paper Template (Microsoft Word)
Pleading Paper Download

NOTE: Any final formatting decisions are up to the end user. This template is meant to comply with UTCR 2.010, but should be double-checked for accuracy. Whether or not a particular section needs certain information is a decision made from reviewing local rules, laws, and form documents.


Court Rules - Statewide and Local
The PDF below is a compilation of many of the most-accessed court rules for Lane County litigants:
Lane County Court Rules Deskbook (updated in 2019)

For help in locating a court rule, contact the Law Librarian by telephone at 541-682-4337.


Finding Forms, Examples, and Sample Language

The Law Library aspires to supply a diverse selection of legal form samples and templates upon request. In general, these are NOT fill-in-the-blank forms, but rather informational guides and examples from other counties or states. Library patrons are expected to review and assess the content in the examples in order to draft their own documents, which may be created using the above "Pleading Paper Download," along with relevant information and law specific to their case.

Drafting documents takes care and hard work. There may or may not be a good sample for some documents from an Oregon source. Patrons may need to make use of a more general source, and make sure they are relying on current Oregon law through investigation and research.


Frequently Requested Documents

Disclaimer

This page is not intended as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed attorney. The content provided here is not necessarily all the information needed on a topic, but rather those sources which may be especially helpful. As a self-represented litigant, your case is ultimately your responsibility. We encourage patrons to consult with or retain an attorney before undertaking litigation on their own behalf.

This site is intended to be used in conjunction with the physical library. Some documents may be delivered by email, but most questions pertaining to forms and pleadings will require in-library research and analysis.