Court-Document Kits
Educational downloads to help you answer on time, ask for documents, and stay organized in foreclosure (judicial and non-judicial), debt-buyer collection cases, and simple uncontested divorce — so procedural gamesmanship doesn’t decide your case.
Educational only — no legal advice.
How these kits work
Each kit is a downloadable set of Word documents and/or fillable PDFs. You download the files to your own computer — we never collect your case details. You fill in your own names, dates, and case facts, then follow the checklists and timelines step by step.
We build every kit around the rules of your state, whether your case is in a judicial foreclosure court, a non-judicial foreclosure by trustee, a debt-buyer collection case, or a simple uncontested divorce. You decide what to file or send and when to get help from a lawyer or legal aid.
The goal is simple: help you answer on time, request documents in writing, follow up, and stay in the fight — so procedural gamesmanship doesn’t win by default.
Educational only — no legal advice.
WHAT’S INSIDE EACH STARTER PACK
Each starter pack is organized into four “days.”
You don’t have to do everything in four calendar days — it’s just an easy way to break the work into steps. The same 4-step rhythm applies whether you’re dealing with a foreclosure (judicial or non-judicial), a debt-buyer lawsuit, or a simple uncontested divorce.
Depending on your state and your situation, “Day 1” may be an Answer / Appearance you file with the court (judicial foreclosure or a debt-buyer lawsuit), or a written response / objection letter you send to the trustee or servicer (non-judicial foreclosure). The starter pack explains which path applies to you.
Day 1 – Answer / Appearance or Initial Response
A plain-language form or letter you can adapt to:
Tell the court you received the papers and you’re responding (judicial states / debt lawsuits), or
Get on record with the trustee or servicer in a non-judicial foreclosure.
File your initial response in a simple uncontested divorce so you don’t miss your deadline.
The goal is the same either way: don’t let a default judgment or trustee’s sale move forward in silence.
Day 2 – Requests for Documents / Proof
Templates to ask, in writing, for two things:
Who really owns or can enforce this loan or debt (standing / ownership).
How they got to the numbers they’re claiming you owe (payment history, fees, balance).
You’re not arguing the whole case here. You’re forcing them to put their paperwork on the table.
Day 3 – Assessment, Follow-Up, and Safe Help
Checklists to review what came back, plus sample follow-up letters when things are missing, incomplete, or confusing. The goal is to stay calm, organized, and on the record instead of guessing.
Day 3 also reminds you that you don’t have to do this alone. Each pack points you toward safe help options you can look up by state, such as:
Court self-help centers or facilitators
HUD-approved housing counselors (for mortgage issues)
Legal aid organizations and bar-sponsored “lawyer for a day” clinics
Your starter pack explains how to use these resources and what to bring with you.
Day 4 – Escalation / Motion Structure (Judicial & Non-Judicial)
Day 4 gives you a simple escalation structure that fits your type of case:
Judicial cases (foreclosure or debt-buyer lawsuits):
A basic motion to compel / enforce disclosure structure so you can ask the court to require reasonable document production when the rules allow.
A short Summary Judgment Alert and response outline so you understand what a motion for summary judgment is and why you must respond on time if the bank or debt-buyer files one.
Non-judicial foreclosure cases:
Track 1 – No sale date yet: Written objection and enforcement language to keep your requests on the record and push for proper documents before things escalate.
Track 2 – Sale date already set: A basic structure for asking the court (where available) to postpone or restrain the sale long enough for missing documents and accounting issues to be addressed.
Each pack also includes an educational Chapter 13 emergency overview sheet explaining, in plain language, how some homeowners use a Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing to pause a foreclosure sale and repay arrears over time. It is not legal advice or a recommendation to file; it’s there so you can ask informed questions if you speak with a bankruptcy attorney or legal aid office.
Every starter pack also includes:
Timelines and checklists you can fill in for your own case.
A short “Where to safely take your documents” guide (court self-help, HUD housing counselors, legal aid, bar clinics).
Reminders to check local rules and consider talking to a licensed attorney when you can.
Educational only — no legal advice.
FAQs
Who These Starter Packs Are For (And Not For)
These starter packs ARE for you if:
You’ve been served with foreclosure, debt-buyer, or uncontested-divorce papers and don’t want to disappear in fear.
You’re willing to read, follow directions, and meet your court or trustee deadlines.
You want plain-language templates to help you answer, request documents in writing, follow up, and stay on the record.
You understand there are no guaranteed outcomes in court, and you are responsible for your own case.
These starter packs are NOT a good fit if:
A default or foreclosure judgment has already been entered and you need to set it aside.
Your situation is complex (business entities, multiple properties, contested custody, etc.).
You’re looking for a law firm to represent you or give you specific legal advice.
You want “magic words” or loopholes instead of step-by-step procedural work.
These packs are educational tools to help you stay in the fight and ask better questions.
They do not replace a licensed attorney in your state.
Want help for your state?
If your state isn’t ready yet, or you want to know when new packs go live, tell us where you are and what kind of case you’re dealing with. We’ll use this to decide which states to finish next.
States Available Right Now
We’re rolling out Filing Pro Se state by state. Our first starter packs focus on foreclosure and debt-buyer cases in:
New Jersey – Judicial foreclosure (court-based)
Iowa – Judicial foreclosure
Washington – Non-judicial foreclosure by trustee
Minnesota – Hybrid / foreclosure by advertisement
Florida – Foreclosure & debt-buyer packs (coming soon)
Georgia – Foreclosure & debt-buyer packs (coming soon)
More states are in progress. If your state isn’t listed yet, check the Q&A below for what to do next.
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No. Filing Pro Se is an educational project. The kits are teaching tools and templates to help you get organized, ask for documents in writing, and stay in the fight. They are not legal advice and do not replace a licensed attorney in your state.
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Each starter pack is built around your state’s rules and procedures, but it’s still your responsibility to double-check local rules and deadlines. The kits give you a starting structure so you’re not staring at a blank page, but no result is guaranteed.
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No. The “four days” is just an easy way to break the work into steps. You can move faster or slower. The important thing is that you (1) respond on time, (2) request documents in writing, (3) follow up, and (4) know how to escalate when the rules allow.
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Right now the packs focus on:
Judicial foreclosure cases in court
Non-judicial foreclosures by trustee (Track 1 and Track 2)
Debt-buyer collection lawsuits
Simple uncontested divorces (no minor children, limited issues)
Each state thread will clearly say which type of case the pack covers.
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These kits are mainly designed before default judgment or foreclosure judgment is entered. If a judgment is already in place or a sale is days away, you may need emergency legal help or to speak with a bankruptcy attorney or legal aid office about your options.
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No one is required to have a lawyer in civil court, but it is always safer to talk with a licensed attorney or legal aid if you can. The kits are meant to help you ask better questions and understand the process if you’re representing yourself.
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The starter-pack documents are provided as Microsoft Word (.docx) files and, where helpful, fillable PDFs.
You can type directly into the Word files or print and fill them in by hand.
Some packs also include simple checklists and timelines you can print and keep with your court papers.
Nothing is filed for you automatically — you decide what to use, how to customize it, and when to file or mail it.
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We’re building Filing Pro Se state by state.
If your state isn’t listed yet, you can still:
Join the email list or contact form and tell us your state and whether it’s a foreclosure, debt-buyer, or uncontested divorce case. We use that to decide which packs to finish next.
Follow our daily videos and “procedural gems” to learn the basic moves: answer on time, request documents in writing, and follow up.
We don’t recommend copying another state’s forms word-for-word, because each state has its own rules and deadlines. Your pack will always be tailored to your state’s procedure.
Educational only — no legal advice.