Available Pro Bono Cases

Wisconsin SCR 31.05(7) states that an attorney may claim one CLE credit for every five hours of pro bono work, up to six credits per reporting period. The Western District of Wisconsin is looking for attorneys to volunteer to assist pro se parties with legal services on a pro bono basis. If an attorney or firm would like to volunteer legal services, but these cases are not a good fit, the Court will keep your name, or the name of your firm, on a list to contact about future representation.

These cases have passed screening and the Court is requesting volunteers to represent on a limited or full-case basis, as identified. Please contact Melissa Hardin at 608-261-5718 with interest or questions.

  • Paulo Cruz Gonzalez

    20-cv-635-jdp

    Paulo Cruz Gonzalez is a prisoner at the Wisconsin Resource Center. Gonzalez asserts due process and negligence claims based on the allegation that defendants overcharged him for international phone calls. Defendants have filed a motion for summary judgment. The court seeks counsel to represent Gonzalez at the summary judgment stage and if necessary at trial. Gonzalez appears to have limitations communicating in English, so a Spanish-speaking attorney would be helpful. Relevant documents include orders screening Gonzalez’s complaint, granting partial summary judgment to defendants on exhaustion grounds, and granting recruitment of counsel.

  • Ulices Guerrero

    19-cv-578-wmc

    Plaintiff Ulices Guerrero is proceeding to trial on his Eighth Amendment claim that an officer at Stanley Correctional Institution conducted a pat search with the intention to harass or humiliate him. Plaintiff cannot speak, read, or write English well enough to represent himself at trial, so the court stayed the trial date and agreed to recruit counsel. Attachedis the court’s summary judgment decision.

  • Carl Gilbert

    20-cv-194-jdp

    Plaintiff Carl C. Gilbert II is a civil detainee confined at Sand Ridge Secure Treatment Center. Gilbert alleges that state officials and private providers failed to provide him with adequate medical care for an injury to his right knee. Attached are two orders screening Gilbert’s claims and an order granting his motion to recruit counsel:

    Screening Order 1

    Screening Order 2

    Order Recruiting Counsel

  • Jeff Poff

    22-cv-238-wmc
    Date Granted Leave to Proceed: 11/06/2023

    Plaintiff Jeff Poff is proceeding to trial on an excessive force claim against a correctional officer regarding a use-of-force incident on July 14, 2020, while Poff was housed at the Wisconsin Secure Prison Facility. Plaintiff is currently housed at Waupun Correctional Institution. At the final pretrial conference, the court struck the trial date to recruit counsel for trial. Attached is the court's screening order and order on motions in limine:

    Poff (22-cv-238) screening.pdf

    Poff (22-cv-238) MIL order.pdf

  • Thomas J. Blake

    21-cv-493-jdp

    Plaintiff Thomas J. Blake is a prisoner at Redgranite Correctional Institution. He is a member of the Asatru religion who is proceeding to a bench trial on two claims: (1) a claim under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act regarding denial of a religious pendant, and (2) a free-exercise claim for injunctive relief regarding delays in processing requests for religious accommodations. Attached are the court’s orders screening his complaint and ruling on the parties’ summary judgment motions.