Be Your Own Lawyer
Most civil cases, especially those involving pro se litigants, don’t make it to trial. The fact that your case has says a lot about you. First, kudos on jumping over multiple hurdles to stay in the game. It’s showtime. You have spent months, maybe even years, working towards this moment. What do you do now?
And if you need help representing yourself in civil court, it’s time to join Courtroom5.
In a nutshell, hearsay is “he said, she said” testimony. It is second hand information during a court proceeding that courts don’t allow. That’s the level on which most people understand it.
But when you’re a pro se litigant in the thick of a case, and the attorney for the other side uses hearsay testimony against you, that’s a whole new world. How can that lawyer get away with it when everyone knows hearsay is not allowed? Outrageous. Yes and no.
There are hearsay exceptions.
And if you need help representing yourself in civil court, it’s time to join Courtroom5.
An evidentiary hearing is an opportunity to introduce crucial evidence or question evidence produced by the opposition. As a self-represented litigant, you should conceive of an evidentiary hearing as an athletic semi-final. This hearing could send your best facts to the playoffs and potentially produce a win.
And if you need help representing yourself in civil court, it’s time to join Courtroom5.
For many people, the word “private investigator” triggers images of fictional characters involved in high speed chases through large cities. They routinely have guns pulled on them. They investigate murders and find the perpetrators. Fictional private investigators rescue kidnap victims or may themselves be kidnapped. They get thrown out of places (sometimes physically). Real life private investigators aren’t so adventuresome. Yet, they can provide critical information for your case. And if you need help representing yourself in civil court, it’s time to join Courtroom5.
Elements of a claim or defense are the most important building blocks of a case. They’re the engine in a train, the heat in boiling water, the lemons in lemonade, the zip in a zipper! In litigation, elements are everything that make up a case. Ignore them at your peril.
Too often, a pro se litigant starts looking for help only when served with a summary judgment motion by the opposing party’s lawyer. It’s the worst possible time to learn the necessary legal skills, but it need not be fatal to your case. Here are the key steps to take in defeating summary judgment.
When you represent yourself in court, there are many things to worry about the day before trial. But if you haven’t prepared for trial at this point, it’s probably too late. Here’s a strategy for planning the trial as soon as your case begins. It’s the best way to get a good night’s sleep on the eve of trial.
