Some cases don't justify $15,000 in attorney fees but still need to survive a demurrer, a motion to dismiss, and a scheduling conference. The pro se filing kit is the middle path: I draft the complaint, summons, civil case cover sheet, proof-of-service template, scheduling-conference statement template, and a step-by-step instructions packet for the courthouse. You file the documents. You appear at hearings. I do not enter an appearance and I am not your attorney of record — but the paperwork in your hand is attorney-prepared, not a fill-in-the-blank template.
Sometimes a demand letter alone resolves the dispute. Sometimes you need an attorney-prepared complaint to actually file. Sometimes you should talk through whether suing is the right call before either.
A well-drafted attorney demand letter resolves roughly 60-70% of disputes without anyone filing anything. Try this first if your case has not been tested in writing.
Attorney-prepared complaint, summons, cover sheet, and instructions packet. You file. You appear. I prepare the paperwork that gets you through the courthouse door.
Not sure whether to file pro se, hire a contingency litigator, or just send a demand letter? One hour to pressure-test the case before you spend $1,250 on a kit.
Six attorney-prepared documents tied to your specific facts and your specific courthouse. Not templates — drafted from your intake, your contracts, and your damages math.
Properly pled causes of action with specific allegations, jurisdiction and venue paragraphs, factual chronology, prayer for relief itemizing each remedy, and verification page if required. Drafted to survive demurrer and most motions to dismiss.
The form that tells the defendant they're being sued and have 30 days to respond. California state-court SUM-100, federal AO-440, or other-state equivalent prepared with your case caption and parties.
The administrative form the clerk uses to route your case (CM-010 in California). Misfiling this is a common pro se mistake that delays the case 3-6 weeks. I fill it out correctly the first time.
Ready to file after a process server effectuates personal service on the defendant (POS-010 in California or analogous form). Includes a checklist of what the server must do for the service to be valid.
The form you file before the first scheduling conference (CM-110 in California). Includes a written walkthrough of how to fill it out based on the posture of your case at that point.
Step-by-step procedural memo specific to your courthouse: where to file, when to file, how to pay (or apply for a fee waiver), how service must be effectuated, what to expect at the first hearing, courtroom etiquette basics, and what the typical timeline looks like for a case at your jurisdictional tier.
Pro se isn't for every case. It's for cases where the attorney fees of full representation would consume most of the recovery, the legal questions are not novel, and you can credibly handle the courtroom appearance.
California small claims tops out at $12,500 for individuals and $6,250 for businesses. If your damages are in the $13K-$25K range, you've outgrown small claims but the limited civil jurisdiction is still cost-effective for pro se filing. Most attorneys won't take a $20K case on hourly without a retainer that consumes the recovery.
Hiring full-representation litigation counsel for a contract dispute typically costs $8,000-$25,000 through trial. If your damages are under $25K, the math may not work even if you win. The pro se kit lets you file the case credibly, leverage the filing into a settlement, and only spend the money on counsel if it actually goes to trial.
Email, text, signed agreement, or recorded admission. When liability is essentially conceded and the only remaining question is "will they pay before the judgment?", a properly drafted complaint plus a credibly attached proof-of-service is often enough leverage for the defendant to settle without serious litigation.
Sometimes you don't choose to be in court — you've been served and have 30 days to answer. The kit can be adapted to draft an Answer, an Answer plus Cross-Complaint, or a Demurrer to a defective complaint. Time-sensitive engagements get rush priority.
If your case fits one of these, the strategy consultation tier ($240) is the right starting point, not the kit. I'll tell you to hire someone else or not pursue rather than sell you a filing that won't survive.
Federal pleading standards (Twombly, Iqbal) are stricter than state-court notice pleading, the local rules vary by district, and the consequences of a defective filing — including Rule 11 sanctions — are harsher. Federal cases are not suitable for pro se kit treatment in most situations. The exception is small-dollar consumer-statute cases (FDCPA, FCRA, TCPA) with a clear statutory hook, which sometimes work pro se.
Medical malpractice, construction defect, business valuation disputes, and similar matters require expert witnesses, expert depositions, and the ability to lay foundation for technical testimony. A pro se plaintiff typically cannot do this credibly — expert preparation and direct examination are skills you cannot substitute by reading a packet.
If the defendant is a corporation, an insurance company, or anyone else who routinely litigates, their counsel will file motions calibrated to bury a pro se plaintiff in deadlines and procedural traps. In those cases the kit is the wrong product — you need either contingency representation or to walk away. I'll tell you which during the strategy call.
A four-column comparison so you can see what each tier actually does for you.
Send me a one-paragraph description of the dispute, the defendant, the approximate damages, and the county or federal district where you'd file. I'll tell you whether the kit makes sense or whether you need a different option — before you pay anything.
Email me directlyEach answer resolves in one sentence before the expansion. Click any question for the full answer.
Real questions from the Terms.Law forum where founders, freelancers, and tenants worked through situations like yours.
Email me a one-paragraph description of the dispute, the defendant, the approximate damages, and which county (or federal district) you expect to file in. I'll send back a scope confirmation and the PayPal invoice within one business day.
Email me to start →Disclaimer. The information on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Engaging the pro se filing kit does not create an attorney-client relationship for purposes of representation in court — it is a limited-scope document-preparation engagement only. I do not enter an appearance on your behalf, do not sign the pleadings as your attorney of record, and do not represent you at any court proceeding. Sergei Tokmakov is licensed in California (CA Bar #279869); the kit is most directly applicable to California Superior Court filings, with reasonable adaptability to other-state state courts. Federal court filings are generally not suitable for pro se kit treatment. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Court filing fees are paid by you directly to the courthouse and are not included in my flat fee.