How to Know if You Need Someone to Represent You at Trial

If you are involved in a legal matter, sometimes it’s not only what you know, but who you know that will determine your success at trial. Your matter may not be complex enough to require legal representation during the trial, but it’s important enough for you to represent yourself properly. Here are a few suggestions that might help you to know if you need someone to represent you at trial.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. If you get nervous speaking in public and clam up as soon as two people look at you, you might want to consider getting an agent (friend or family) to represent you so that everything that needs to be said or done, will be done completely.
2. If you have a personal issue with the other party and you don’t think that you can properly speak with them during the trial proceedings, you might want to get someone to represent you so they can speak on your behalf.
3. If you are unable to walk easily or move around the courtroom due to illness or disability, you may want someone to be available to do that for you.
4. If you realize that you have a problem with anger or the inability to use proper language throughout the entire proceeding (habit of swearing or shouting, physical aggression) you may want to have someone represent you.
5. If you win your case and want to claim costs, you cannot claim costs for representing yourself, but you can get costs for the person that represents you at trial.
6. If the matter is complex and the legalities are beyond your knowledge or abilities, you might want to consider legal counsel to represent you.

Tips & Warnings

• If you elect to have someone act as your agent, you need to inform the court and the other party prior to the trial so that all correspondence and communications will be directed to that person and not to yourself.