Information for Self-Represented Litigants

The Illinois Human Rights Commission is an administrative court system that resolves alleged violations of the Illinois Human Rights Act.  As a court system, the Commission must be impartial.  Our staff can explain basic procedures but cannot provide legal advice, suggest a course of action, or predict the outcome of a case.  

When proceeding before the Commission, you may hire an attorney or choose to represent yourself (also called "pro se," a Latin phrase meaning "for oneself").  Generally, judges hold self-represented litigants to the same standards of professional responsibility as trained attorneys.  If you do not hire an attorney, you must become familiar with the statutes, case law, and procedural rules that apply to your case.  Representing yourself can be complicated, time consuming, and costly.  For these reasons, you are strongly encouraged to obtain professional legal help from a licensed attorney.    

You can contact a legal referral service if you would like help finding an attorney.  Please review the following resources for more information on getting legal help. 

Disclaimer: The resources identifed here are for information only.  The Commission does not endorse or support any organizations mentioned in these resources and cannot vouch for the quality or sufficiency of any legal help that might be provided by them.  Please independently verify the accuracy of all information.