Responsibility of Self-Represented Litigants

Whenever these rules require that an act be done by a lawyer, the same duty is required of a self-represented litigant. Cross Reference: Minn. R. Civ. P. 5.02, 83. (Amended effective July 1, 2015.) Advisory Committee Comment - 2015 Amendments The amendments to Rules 1.03 and 1.04 are not substantive in nature or intended effect. The replacement of "paper" with "document" is made throughout these rules, and simply advances precision in choice of language. Most documents will not be filed as "paper" documents, so paper is retired as a descriptor of them. "Self-represented litigant" is defined in Rule 14.01(a)(12). This term is being used uniformly throughout the judicial branch, and is preferable to "non-represented party" and "pro se party," both to avoid a Latin phrase not used outside legal jargon and to facilitate the drafting of clearer rules.