In Forma Pauperis is a legal term derived from the Latin phrase in the form of a pauper. In the United States, the designation is given by both state and federal courts to someone who is without the funds to pursue the normal costs of a lawsuit or a criminal defense. It is usually granted by a judge without a hearing and it entitles the person to a waiver of normal costs, and sometimes in criminal cases the appointment of counsel. Normal costs such as filing fees are waived but discovery costs like depositions and witness fees are not. Latin is the language that was originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... A lawsuit is a civil action brought before a court in which the party commencing the action, the plaintiff, seeks a legal remedy, usually for a tort. ... A judge or justice is an appointed or elected official who presides over a court. ... A lawyer or attorney at law is a person licensed by the state to advise clients in legal matters and represent them in courts of law (and in other forms of dispute resolution). ... Deposition is a word used in many fields to describe different processes: In law, deposition is the taking of testimony outside of court. ...