Upon request, NCPLS will provide prisoners with packets containing information and legal forms on the following subjects:

• Civil rights suits in federal court;

• Claims in the NC Industrial Commission;

• Workers' Compensation Claims in the NC Industrial Commission;

• Post-conviction procedures in state and federal courts;

• Governor's commutations;

• Detainers;

• Applications for divorce;

• State Bar grievances;

• Applications for a change of name;

• Suits in Small Claims Court.

If NCPLS does not accept a case for representation or if the prisoner chooses to proceed without a lawyer, NCPLS will not be able to provide any help other than the free information packets listed above. Due to limited resources, we cannot provide support services such as photocopying, typing, legal research, or advice to prisoners who are representing themselves in court proceedings. If you filed your own legal action and you are trying to get something filed that has a deadline, you should not send us your legal papers because we might not be able even to look at your case before the deadline has passed.

There are some circumstances under which NCPLS may be required to withdraw from representation. Withdrawal, in general, is governed by Rule 2.8 of the Rules of Professional Conduct of the North Carolina State Bar. Under the Bounds contract, no representation can be provided after an inmate client's release from incarceration except where required by the Rules of Professional Conduct, or when a lawsuit has been filed on behalf of the inmate before his release and his claim is not rendered moot by his release. (For example, a claim for monetary damages is not affected by release, but a demand to correct unconstitutional living conditions might be, because the former inmate will no longer be subjected to those prison conditions.)