Every Pro Se Academy student starts here. This course teaches how American courts actually work — the structure, the lifecycle of a case, the language of procedure, and how to find the law for free. Whether your case is federal civil rights, state civil, or state criminal, the concepts in this course load-bear everything that follows. Complete this course to earn your Foundation Certificate and unlock the rest of the curriculum. Educational content only — not legal advice.

The required starting point for every Pro Se Academy student. Master the architecture of American courts, jurisdiction and venue, the lifecycle of civil and criminal cases, legal citation, procedural rules, free legal research, and ADA accommodations. 9 lessons, 1 quiz, 1 certificate. Required prerequisite for all tracks.

The threshold question for every federal civil rights case: was the defendant a state actor? Master the color of law analysis, public function doctrine, joint action, and the symbiotic relationship test. Required for Section 1983 litigation. 5 lessons.

Your gateway into the Federal Civil Rights Track. Learn what Section 1983 does, when to use federal versus state court, an overview of every major federal civil rights statute (Section 1983, Bivens, FTCA, ADA, habeas), and how to navigate the rest of the track. 5 lessons. Required before any other Federal Civil Rights course.

Suing federal actors. The Bivens cause of action against individual federal officers, plus Federal Tort Claims Act suits against the United States itself. Procedural prerequisites, statutory exceptions, and how recent Supreme Court decisions have reshaped the doctrine. 6 lessons.

The Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Title I (employment), Title II (public entities including police and corrections), and Title III (public accommodations). Reasonable accommodation, discrimination, retaliation, and the federal and state remedies available for disability-based civil rights violations. 7 lessons.

The post-conviction remedy. Federal habeas corpus under 28 U.S.C. Section 2254 (state convictions) and Section 2255 (federal convictions). The AEDPA one-year deadline, exhaustion requirements, procedural default, and the cognizable claims that survive federal review. 7 lessons.

The workhorse statute of federal civil rights litigation. Master the elements of a Section 1983 claim, the constitutional rights it enforces, qualified immunity defense, Monell municipal liability, supervisor liability, damages, and pleading standards under Twombly and Iqbal. 8 lessons.

Your gateway into state-level civil litigation. State court structure, claim types, forum selection, and the procedural map. Required before any other State Civil track course. 5 lessons.

The procedural framework that governs state civil cases. Pleadings, motion practice, discovery, summary judgment, trial, post-trial motions, and appeals — at the state level. Universal principles plus how state rules differ from federal practice. 8 lessons.

State civil claims involving contracts, business disputes, the UCC, lending, consumer transactions, and commercial debt defense. Elements, defenses, damages, and how to proceed pro se in commercial litigation. 7 lessons.

Your gateway into state criminal defense. The lifecycle of a criminal case, the constitutional rights at every stage, and the strategic decisions you face. Strong recommendation: obtain counsel for any criminal matter. This track exists for defendants who, despite that recommendation, will be self-represented. 5 lessons.

Your criminal record doesn't have to be permanent. Learn how to seal or expunge eligible charges, restore your background, and clear your name. Covers eligibility rules, the petition process, FDLE certification, court hearings, and what gets hidden versus destroyed. Built by a pro se litigant. For every pro se litigant.

Master the pretrial battlefield where 95% of criminal cases are actually decided. Twenty lessons covering bond, charging documents, discovery, suppression motions, plea negotiations, trial procedure, sentencing, and appeals. National framework with Florida examples. Built by a pro se litigant. For every pro se litigant.. 5 lessons.

What to do before you file. Notices of claim, demand letters, evidence preservation, witness statements, FOIA and public records requests, statutes of limitations, and the strategic groundwork that determines whether a case is viable. 8 lessons.

The 95 percent solution. Most cases end in settlement, not trial. Learn negotiation strategy, mediation procedure, valuation, settlement structures, releases, and how to maximize value in resolution. 7 lessons.

Winning is not the same as collecting. Judgment enforcement, garnishment, levy, debtor exams, judgment liens, post-judgment discovery, satisfaction of judgment, and bankruptcy implications for both creditors and debtors. 8 lessons.

The template library. Over 75 legal documents — complaints, answers, motions, discovery requests, briefs, declarations — every template a pro se litigant needs. Federal and state versions. Continuously expanding. Updated as the platform grows.

The 200 most-cited cases every pro se litigant should know. Organized by doctrine: Section 1983, qualified immunity, Fourth Amendment, due process, equal protection, civil procedure, and more. Each case summarized, contextualized, and linked to free sources.

Two essential references in one place. The Pro Se Glossary — over 300 legal terms in plain English. The State Lookup Tables — quick reference for state-by-state variations on procedure, deadlines, and key rules. Searchable and updated regularly.