Police departments are experiencing a rise in complaints resulting in civil action. Although not every complaint is thought to have validity, all complaints must receive a police response. Some complainants have the added complexity of a mental health challenge. This session will address complaints against police and municipalities resulting in civil matters as it pertains to self-represented litigants. 

• Responding to the Rise of Self-Represented Litigants in Civil Matters: The Latest Lessons Learned
• Reconciling processes stacking, when a complaint arising from a single incident is brought to civil action, public complaints process and human rights complaints
• Fighting the complaint on principal versus settling a file where there is no legal wrongdoing
• Ignoring a complaint vs. default judgement
• Strategies for engaging with self-represented litigants and defending the police and city
• Communicating the legality to city council members or police board members
• Meeting the expectation for access to justice and how the court process pertains to self-represented litigants