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Civil Pro Bono Panel FAQs

  • What is the purpose of the Civil Pro Bono Panel?

    The Panel is being formed to further the just and efficient administration of the Court's docket by assisting inmates who cannot afford private counsel in prosecuting their cases, and to provide pro bono attorneys with an opportunity to gain experience in federal court, particularly during jury trials.

  • How are Panel members selected?

    Licensed attorneys admitted to practice in the Western District of Louisiana may complete the Panel application. The Program Coordinator will review applications and determine eligibility to participate on the Panel. No federal litigation experience is necessary to participate on the Panel, although any relevant experience will be considered an asset.

  • What obligations do Panel members assume by signing up?

    Applicants to the Panel are agreeing to join the Panel only. Panel members will be notified of any potential appointment, may volunteer to accept an appointment, and may decline to accept an appointment for a variety of reasons, including a conflict of interest, another recent appointment, or a busy work schedule.

  • How are cases assigned?

    Panel members will be contacted by the Program Coordinator for potential appointments, but selected for final appointment by the Magistrate Judge assigned to the case. By the time a panel appointment is made, an initial determination has been made that the inmate's claim is not frivolous. The case will have also survived dispositive motions or passed through the period for filing dispositive motions.

  • What types of cases will be assigned?

    Only cases filed by pro se inmates and pretrial detainees under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 will be eligible for appointments. These cases usually involve civil rights claims challenging the inmate's conditions of confinement or the use of force.

  • How often will cases be assigned?

    The Court does not anticipate a large number of overall appointments. Accordingly, a Panel member can safely plan to take no more than one or two appointments per year.

  • How much time commitment will be involved?

    The time commitment involved will be determined, in large part, by the nature of the case. However, by the time an appointment is made, discovery will generally be complete, and a relatively significant record will have been compiled. Panel members will likely be responsible for reviewing a detailed record and preparing a case for trial or settlement.

  • Can Panel members recover costs, expenses, and attorney's fees?

    Yes, although Panel members should accept cases without an expectation of any compensation at the outset. The Court's Civil Pro Bono Plan allows for the reimbursement of certain costs and expenses, up to an amount of $2,500. The Court's Civil Pro Bono Plan also allows for the recovery of attorney's fees of $5,000. And any reimbursement will be made only upon motion and order by the Court.