Clerk’s Office staff cannot give “legal advice” or “practice law” as they are prohibited under Title 28 U.S.C. Section 955. Therefore, Clerk’s Office personnel cannot:

• Explain the meaning of a specific rule
• Make an interpretation of case law
• Explain the result of taking or not taking an action in a case
• Answer whether jurisdiction is proper in a case
• Answer whether a complaint properly presents a claim
• Provide advice on the best procedure to accomplish a particular objective

Clerk’s Office staff CAN provide procedural information such as:

• Instructions on how to execute a task (e.g. number of copies, use of forms etc.)
• Provide information as to compliance with this Court’s policies