Can you represent yourself in court?
Yes. If you don’t want to hire a lawyer, you have the right to self-representation.
A better question would be, “Should you be your own lawyer?” Remember, not all judges will be lenient. Some may even hold you to the same standards as an attorney.
So when exactly does one need a lawyer? There are many situations where working with a legal professional is your best course of action. Here, we’ll talk about those circumstances, including the types of lawyers that can help you.
1. Personal Injury
Before discussing cases where hiring a lawyer is advisable, keep this in mind. If you have a legal problem, it’s always worth consulting an attorney about it. Whether you decide to hire them or represent yourself is up to you, but do it after getting proper legal advice.
Now, let’s talk about situations where you should consider hiring a lawyer. The first would be a personal injury, covering accidents, intentional acts (e.g., assault), defective products, and defamation.
Of course, you’ll need a personal injury lawyer in such cases. If you don’t know anyone who specializes in personal injury law, you can ask friends and family for recommendations or google “personal injury lawyers near me.” You can also check out https://peterlouielaw.com/ for more information.
2. Divorce and Related Family Issues
Sure, you can file the papers yourself, but what if children are involved?
You’ll need a family lawyer who can ensure your ex will pay for child support. An attorney who specializes in Family Law can also help you with child custody issues, as well as property division matters.
3. Estate Planning
You don’t have to be near death to make a will, trust, or power of attorney.
Hiring an estate attorney is always a good move, especially if you own a business since they can help you with succession planning. Estate lawyers can also assist you with foreign assets and out-of-state properties.
You might also want to consult an estate attorney if you have a blended family or relatives with special needs who can benefit from Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
4. Business Matters
Even if you’ve just launched your company, you have to be realistic. In the future, you may need to sell your business, which means hiring a lawyer.
Buying a business also requires legal expertise, so again, to avoid risk, it’s best to hire a corporate attorney. You’ll also want a legal expert in handling employee issues and if you’re thinking about forming partnerships or incorporating your business.
5. Criminal Charges
Don’t think twice if you’re facing charges involving drugs, alcohol, fraud, theft, assault, and battery. Hire a good criminal defense lawyer.
The sooner you can work with one, the better. It will help improve your chances of avoiding a lengthy legal battle. Plus, you wouldn’t want to gamble on self-representation when you know that failing means you end up behind bars.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
If you or a loved one’s dealing with a personal injury case, divorce and other family issues, criminal charges, etc., you need a lawyer.
Now, if you’re not sure where or how to start looking for one, you can always do your homework. Let us help you with that. You can check our other posts for more legal topics, tips, and advice.
