The Latin word for “in the way of a pauper.” This means that if you are bankrupt, your court costs will be waived and this makes it easier to get loans or leases.
A person who lacks the financial resources to pursue a lawsuit or criminal defense. Once this status is granted by the court, the individual will be exempt from paying any court-mandated fees and may be assigned legal representation (but seldom in other than a criminal case).
Filing fees and other court costs are not included in the petition, which is filed by a low-income individual. Aside from under exceptional circumstances, it does not pay the costs of discovery (such as depositions, witness fees and court reporters) and process serving when it comes to civil proceedings. In addition, it does not cover attorney appointments except in cases of exceptional circumstances, such as civil rights lawsuits.
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