Be Your Own Lawyer
You’ll likely fall back on your TV knowledge the first time you get sued. It won’t be long before you realize you’re out of your depth. You’ll feel confused, overwhelmed and desperate. But once you get your emotions under control, there are really only three things you need to do.
And if you need help representing yourself in civil court, it’s time to join Courtroom5.
Courtroom5 has developed a set of tools to ease the fear and drudgery of going to court without a lawyer. The Courtroom5 Toolset is designed instead to help self-represented litigants be more knowledgeable, organized, and effective in court. Check it out.
And if you need help representing yourself in civil court, it’s time to join Courtroom5.
One of the major things that separate lawyers and other legal professionals from the average pro se litigant is legal writing. In fact, briefs, motions, memoranda, pleadings, and even notices are critical to success in litigation. In some cases, the bulk of communications with the judge is in writing. How you come across signals to the judge that you’re prepared for court and able to handle the legal issues involved in your case–or not. Check out the dos and don’ts of legal writing.
The degree to which high court fees stop people from pursuing legitimate claims and defenses in court is not known. What is known is that filing and other fees are relatively high. While most people can handle simple one-time fees for documents or copying costs, filing and related fees might influence people’s decisions about going to court. That makes them an access to justice problem.
It’s not that hard to keep your case on its feet. Even when the law and facts aren’t on your side, you don’t have to lose by knockout. Hear these cries for help from your case, and take its advice to get back in the ring and fight.
Let’s not kid ourselves. Our courts are made for lawyers and they’re resistant to change. But pro se litigants can and should do better with our cases. Case Manager can help.
The difference between a legal argument and your personal opinion is legal authority. Whether statute, procedural rule or appellate case, you win by backing your position with some law. Here’s the story of how a legal aid lawyer helped stop my eviction by sharing an appellate case.
Despite progress, it’s hard to put a positive spin on this year’s Justice Index, the annual state ranking on access to justice. This data means we cannot rely on the legal profession to solve the crisis. Those of us who represent ourselves must help the courts change in ways that meet our needs.
Not every self-represented litigant needs a Case Manager. But when you’re in real litigation — in a knock-down drag-out fight for something valuable — you need to get up to speed, get people to help, and get it together. Tools, training, and community: that’s Case Manager.
When you represent yourself in court a second or third time, there are some things you know for sure. Early decisions on strategy are helpful. Good legal research will come in handy. Staying organized is critical. And time is of the essence. You need a case management solution designed for pro se litigants.
