Does the pleadings of an unrepresented pro se litigant need to be considered less stringent than formal pleadings drafted by lawyers?

MultiRegion, United States of America

The following excerpt is from Woods v. Carey, No. 2:04-cv-01225 LKK AC P (E.D. Cal. 2014):

It is well-established that the pleadings of pro se litigants are held to "less stringent standards than formal pleadings drafted by lawyers." Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 520 (1972) (per curiam). Nevertheless, "[p]ro se litigants must follow the same rules of procedure that govern other litigants." King v. Atiyeh, 814 F.2d 565, 567 (9th Cir. 1987), overruled on another ground by Lacey v. Maricopa County, 693 F.3d 896 (9th Cir. 2012) (en banc). While non-prisoner pro se litigants should not be treated more favorably than parties represented by attorneys, unrepresented prisoners' choice to proceed without counsel "is less than voluntary" and

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