I’m John Dorn #243869, the founder of Prison Paralegal.
I studied law behind the walls of the State Prison of Southern Michigan. A convict in the next cell, Ziggy, charged me a pack of Bugler to draft a motion for me. The motion was garbage, but it taught me to read the court rules, draft my own motions, and save my Bugler.
I also learned how to request law books from the law library, and conduct legal research by Shepardizing and using digests. I read everything I could get my hands on, including L.A. Alexander’s LA Law column in SPSM’s newspaper, the Spectator.
I wrote my first grievance at the age of 14 when I was locked-up at W.J. Maxey Boys Training School in Whitmore Lake, Michigan. Ironically, it was a prison for boys then, and is a prison for men now, except Green Oak Center was turned into a MDOC resort training “lodge.”
It was from GOC at the age of 18, that I petitioned the Youth Pardons and Parole division for a review hearing, so I could be released to an independent living program at Academy Hall in Kalamazoo, Michigan. From Academy Hall I independently left and independently enrolled in prelaw courses at Kalamazoo Valley Community College.
I have been refining my skills as a paralegal specializing in prisoner and police related issues ever since. All aspects. Civil. Criminal. Administrative. Legislative.
Now I use subscription based databases and tools to help conduct my legal research, writing, and advocacy. Don’t be fooled by someone that has someone sitting somewhere doing research on ChatGPT. I use ChatGPT too, along with PACER, Lexis-Nexis, and Westlaw. But the difference is what you pay for with experience.
You can read my habeas case here: [link to PDF coming].
You can read my civil case here: [link coming].
Please return as this website is under construction and being updated daily. 04/12/2026