Representing yourself in court, also known as Pro Se Legal Representation, is an option. We’re not going to tell you it’s not. You can defend yourself.
We will, however, discourage you from doing so, for the following reasons:
The law is complex: Some people think that cutting out a criminal defense attorney is as easy as cutting out the real estate agent from the house selling process. In truth, we’re dealing with matters that are hundreds of times more complex.
We were in college for between six and eight years studying the law, it’s terms, and the techniques used in criminal defense. After we’re out of school, we constantly study to keep on top of the legal system. If you have to start from scratch in order to learn the proceedings of the law, you won’t have time to focus on the specifics of the laws that are pertinent to your case.
The law is constantly changing: Let’s say that you are perfectly prepared for your case. When you were at the watercooler this morning, did you hear about that law change over the weekend that will completely negate your defense? We were at a water cooler, talking to other lawyers in the know, and we know about the changes in the law and how they might affect all of our cases. Since we live and breathe the judicial system, we’re constantly in the know.
We’ve got the team: We have lawyers, paralegals, legal secretaries, interns, and law clerks at our disposal who are working for you. It’s much easier to mount a defense when you have a team of intelligent people working for you.
Your chances aren’t good: If you’re brought up on violent charges, is the judge going to believe a word you say? If you’re brought up on white collar crime charges, will you look incompetent if you can’t produce the proper paperwork when asked? Having an experienced criminal defense attorney puts a buffer between you and the judge and shows that there’s at least one person on your side.
Representing yourself might seem like a good idea at first, but think about all of the amenities you’re missing out on when you hire a defense attorney. Your life and future are worth hiring a lawyer. Call the criminal law firm of Robert J. DeGroot today!
