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In the law a “pro se” (Latin: “for one’s self”) litigant is someone (usually a non-attorney) representing themselves in Court.   Litigation attorneys and Judges are used to pro se civil litigants.  Some are fairly good; others are embarrassingly bad.  Judges usually bend over backwards to give them their day in Court and hear their arguments.  Usually pro se litigants just gum up the works (just like terrible attorneys), but every so often they score a victory.  Indeed, even though the United States Supreme Court grants writs of certiorari (accepts discretionary appeals) in fewer than 1% of all cases and it is one of the most competitive forums in which the most sophisticated litigation attorneys battle, a few years ago a pro se litigant obtained such a writ, the Mt. Everest climb of the litigation profession.

But, for better or worse, a new tool has now empowered pro se litigants: Artificial Intelligence that is writing the pleadings for them.  Our office is seeing something just short of an onslaught of new complaints, pleadings, motions, briefs and even notices of appeal and appellate briefs, all seemingly generated by AI for pro se litigants.

It’s a Brave New World in the Courts thanks to AI. Clients are cautioned that they will need to defend new actions and respond to motions and appeals just as those generated by counsel, competent and incompetent!

Buckle up.  It’s going to be a wild ride.