Your Legal Handbook: Take Control of Your Legal Action - a Handbook of How to Be a Civil Pro SE Litigant 101 First of the Legal Guide Series

Understanding the American Jurisprudence in Plain Language.
The Necessary Helmet and Armor for Your Battles in Court to Win the War.
Lawsuits are time consuming. Be prepared, be vigilant, be patient and be calm!
Of course, it is easier said than done. If you can, plan, strategize and anticipate!
No lawsuit is a small thing, regardless represented by legal counsel or not. It is a challenge when it comes to disputes, and, it is extra challenging for Pro Se litigants because of the lack of legal education and training. Our American Jurisprudence is an adversarial system, whoever initiates the legal action (the lawsuit), the Plaintiff, bears the burden to prove the wrongdoing of the opponent, the Defendant.
The financial burden is probably the main reason for those who go Pro Se to have a day in court.
In each state, there are non-profit organizations provide pro bono legal aid services available to folks who cannot afford attorneys nor can they represent themselves. However, due to the high numbers of demands, there can be long waiting lists before any pro bono attorney is available to assist.
By the standard of practice, attorneys' fee normally is on hourly rate base, but many attorneys will charge flat fees for certain types of subject matters, such as traffic violations or bankruptcy. The hourly rate can go as high as several hundred dollars an hour as the cost of access to justice depending on the involvement of the case, or as low as one hundred dollars.