Friday, June 13, 2008

pro se litigants - liberal construction of pleadings

Hall-Ditchfield v. US - ED Pa. - June 10, 2008

http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/documents/opinions/08D0643P.pdf

During the course of this pro se case concerning an allegation that the IRS wrongfully withheld plaintiff's tax refunds, the court discussed pro se litigants and said that "[b]ecause the plaintiff is pro se, the Court will construe her pleadings liberally. Erickson v. Pardus, 127 S. Ct. 2197, 2200 (2007) (citing Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97, 106 (1976))."

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the UCBR and Commonwealth Court had this same attitude?