Working With Pro Se Litigants | Erik Swenk

Patience and clarity matter when people face the process without a lawyer beside them.

For three years, I presided over a largely pro se docket — cases where people represent themselves without an attorney.

When people come into a hearing, it is often during some of the most stressful moments of their lives. Emotions run high. Without counsel to guide them, it becomes especially important for the person running the proceeding to manage the room with patience and clarity.

That work required not only applying the law, but also helping litigants understand procedures, what they could and could not present, and how to properly build a record.

Small claims and other high-volume forums often involve self-represented parties. Fairness requires both knowledge of the law and the temperament to guide people through it.