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A pauper's oath is a sworn statement by a person that they are completely broke, i.e. without any money or property.A person without the ability to pay court costs has the option to swear a pauper's oath in order to file a lawsuit without paying filing fees . Prisoners filing legal actions often use a pauper's oath because persons in prison are often completely without money or any means of acquiring any.
Historically, especially during the Great Depression, the pauper's oath was required as a prerequisite for receiving welfare or other forms of government relief.
One pauper's oath used when establishing indigent status under United States Federal law is as follows.
- "I do solemnly swear that I have not any property, real or personal, exceeding $20, except such as is by law exempt from being taken on civil process for debt; and that I have no property in any way conveyed or concealed, or in any way disposed of, for my future use or benefit. So help me God."
- -- 18 USC § 3569
See also poverty
