Give me a guide, oh great enlightened one, that doesn't end up costing me a half million dollars I don't have.
In the US, as a citizen, you have the right to access the courts. This means that technically you can do just about anything for free by acting as your own representative. There are filing fees which can be waived if you can't afford them. Typically you will end up paying them, but they aren't that expensive. $100ish.
Corporations can not represent themselves, they must hire an attorney. This is why many small meritless lawsuits, $100k or less, will settle out of court. It costs more to defend against them and win than to just pay up.
There are plenty of online resources to learn the actual process of filing a lawsuit, or you can just go to your local courthouse and ask. If you want to get your feet wet try small claims court. The procedures are similar, but simplified and nearly everyone is representing themselves, so it's expected.
(post is archived)