One of the greatest barriers to adequate representation in court is cost. For this reason many parties decide to go pro se. In fact, it is often reported that throughout the United States about half of divorces have at least one party proceeding pro se.
Pro se parties need not go into the courtroom blind or without direction. One of the easiest ways to get guidance on how to write your own documents is to just take it from other people who have filed them.
Many times attorneys use what is referred to as a “boiler plate” and simply change the relevant facts. A boiler plate is the basic form of a pleading. The attorney then adds the relevant facts and argument. There is no reason why you can’t also do the same.
You may actually find the forms you need in your case file. Has the other parent ever tried to have you found in contempt for falling behind on child support? If so, you could look at that document and learn how to form your request that that parent be found in contempt for violating a parenting time order.
Another great resource for pro se litigants is the Indiana Supreme Court’s Self-Service Legal Center. The Center provides boiler plate forms and instructions for doing such things as filing a contempt action for parenting time violations, one of the most common complaints of non-custodial parents.
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