Getting Through Your Divorce and on With Your Life

How To Represent Yourself In Court

27 October 2017

Celina Henry

Stuck in a legal hassle? If money is a problem and you are in no position to hire a lawyer, how do you represent yourself in court? Is any kind of court assistance available?

Hiring a lawyer for a case is often a tough decision if you have financial constraints. Reputed lawyers often charge high fees, which are difficult to arrange for many people, especially in a short time frame.

If you cannot afford a lawyer, you have several options on hand, such as:

If it is a criminal case and you are not able to afford a lawyer, the court will help you and appoint a lawyer for you. This is quite like a public offender case. However, in civil cases, you do not enjoy the right to have a court-appointed lawyer. In such a situation, you will have to represent yourself.
There are many people who choose to represent themselves, even if they can afford a lawyer. They feel they can handle their case in a better way if they represent themselves.
If the case is related to small claims, one is not allowed a lawyer. Thus, in all small claims, an individual needs to represent himself/herself in court.

Everyone has the right to represent himself/herself. However, there is a lot of debate on the subject, as many believe that even if you are able to represent yourself in the best possible way, this does not mean you will represent yourself. A lot is dependent on what is at stake and if you can handle it all by yourself. Court assistance is available to individuals, but not in all situations.

Representing Yourself

There are a few situations when you can easily represent yourself in court, without having to worry about hiring a lawyer.

If your case is quite straightforward without any complexities. The opposite side is weak or you are already in an agreement. In this situation, you do not have to worry about getting a lawyer for yourself.
You know your options well. You are in a good position to make informed choices related to your case.
You are ready to understand and also learn the law. The rules and procedures related to your case are known to you.
You have plenty of time to prepare your case and you are confident.

You are in a good position to follow all the written instructions and you can work on your own.

For more information, contact a law office like DeSanto and Kellogg Law Office LLC.

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About Me

Going through a divorce? I know how you might feel – alone, stressed out, and probably even a little sad due to the loss of the life you have always known. Whether you have children or not, you might even feel a little guilty about the break down of your relationship. But I'm here to tell you that a divorce is not the end of the world. In fact, once you get used to the idea and start to move on with your life, you may find just as much, if not more, happiness than you ever had while you were married! Getting through the proceedings of your divorce in a dignified manner is the first step, and hopefully this website will give you the insight, support, and motivation you need to get through the process as painlessly as possible.