No Mercy for Pro Se Litigant

Link Posted on January 15, 2014 Updated on January 20, 2014

No Mercy for Pro Se Litigant

Pro se parties normally enjoy relative leniency from the courts. But in a recent case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, an unrepresented party’s behavior was so egregious with respect to discovery obligations and compliance with court orders that the appellate court affirmed a more than $1 million default judgment, including punitive damages, against the pro se litigant. The ruling reinforces the importance of being responsive to opposing counsel and the court.