The article below is for filers without lawyers. The article contains available resources for assistance with legal help and forms. If you are unable to find the correct forms or help, it is recommended to find your court's local website or contact the court for assistance.
If you don't have a lawyer and need to represent yourself in court, you are called a self-represented litigant or a Pro Se or Pro Per party.
Do you need help finding what documents to file?
Option 1: Click here to check the Massachusetts Guide & File site for the case type you need to file. Guide & File is a free online service to help you fill out forms to send to court by answering questions online. You still may have to pay standard court filing fees to file your forms with the court. You can e-file online directly at the end of some of the Guide & File interviews. (If you can't e-file at the end, save your documents and follow the instructions in the next section to e-file.)
Option 2: If the Idaho Guide & File site does not have what you need, visit LawHelp.org or the Mass.gov court forms site to find the right forms and information about law help in your state. After you prepare your documents, follow the instructions in the next section to file them online.
Do you have your documents ready but need to e-file them online?
- Make sure your documents are in PDF format for e-filing. Click here to learn how to turn them into PDFs.
- Visit the Massachusetts eFile site to file your documents online electronically. If you created an account on your state's Guide & File site, you can use the same login on the eFile site.
- To learn how to file a new case, click here to watch a video.
- To learn how to file into an existing case, click here to read how.
Do you need more legal help?
Click the links below for more information.
- Preparing for Court
- Legal research resources
- Free legal answers (if you qualify)
- Massachusetts Free Legal Answers
- Massachusetts Legal Help
- Mass.gov Court Resources
- Massachusetts Legal Resources Finder
- Legal aid and other low-cost legal help
- Massachusetts Lawyer Referral Service
- Find a lawyer
If you would like to learn more about the eFile website, click here for guidance.