A resource for federal judges, pro se law clerks, and others in the courts who manage prisoner pro se litigation. The guide builds on an earlier Center report, Recommended Procedures for Handling Prisoner Civil Rights Cases in the Federal Courts (rev. 1980), while reflecting statutory changes and federal court experience in the sixteen years since that report was published. The guide describes provisions of the Prison Litigation Reform Act, enacted in April 1996, and how they are likely to affect widespread practices. Illustrative case-management forms are included in the appendix.