What does In Pro Per mean?
How do you legally define it?
What are the important elements you should know!
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Table of Contents
In Pro Per Overview
In Pro Per is the short form to refer to the Latin phrase “In Propria Persona” meaning “in the person of yourself” or “for one’s own person”.
The term phrase “In Pro Per” is used to refer to a person who represents himself or herself in court without the assistance of an attorney or legal advisor.
When a person is self-representing in court, we say that the person is acting In Pro Per.
In Pro Per definition
What is the In Pro Per meaning?
According to Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute, quoting the definition from the Nolo Plain-English Law Dictionary, In Pro Per means:
A term derived from the Latin “in propria persona,” meaning “for one’s self,” used in some states to describe a person who handles his or her own case, without a lawyer.
In other words, a petitioner In Pro Per, a plaintiff In Pro Per or defendant In Pro Per all refer to individuals who are representing themselves in their own case without legal representation.
Plaintiff In Pro Per
Who is a plaintiff In Pro Per?
An In Pro Per plaintiff is a person who files a civil lawsuit or legal action against another in his or her own name without a lawyer.
A plaintiff is a party to a lawsuit seeking compensation from to court, asking the court for an order or relief.
A person filing a motion in court in the context of legal proceedings can be referred to as petitioner In Pro Per.
Typically, a plaintiff In Pro Per is a non-lawyer who does not have formal training and experience in law.
Some states refer to an individual acting on their behalf as an In Propria Persona litigant, other states say In Pro Per while others say Pro Se.
Defendant In Pro Per
Who is a defendant In Pro Per?
A defendant In Pro Per is a party representing itself as a defendant in a lawsuit.
A defendant is a person against whom a civil lawsuit or legal action is issued (complaint).
In the context of its defense, a defendant will need to prepare his or her own defense.
When a self-representing defendant presents a defense, we refer to it as an In Pro Per defense or Pro Se defense.
In Pro Per vs Pro Se
What is the difference between In Pro Per and Pro Se?
In Pro Per and In Pro Se refers to a person acting for himself or herself.
The two phrases are used interchangeably to refer to individuals and defendants who represent themselves in court without a lawyer or attorney’s assistance.
“In Pro Per” and “Pro Se” are both short forms of the Latin phrase “In Propria Persona”.
Takeaways
So what is the legal definition of In Pro Per?
What is the term for representing yourself in court?
Let’s look at a summary of our findings.
In Pro Per:
Related legal terms
Civil lawsuit
Criminal lawsuit
In Perpetuam Rei Memoriam
In Personam
In Pios Usus
In procinctu
In Quantum Lucratus Est
In Re
In Rem
In Rem Jurisdiction
In Rerum Natura
In Situ
Legal documents
Legal pleading
Legal writing
Pro Hac Vice
Pro Tanto