Pro Se legal representation means going into court on one's own behalf rather than being represented by a lawyer. Pro Se is a Latin phrase that means "for oneself" or "on one's own behalf". Pro Se representation can be done on any court proceeding, whether one is a plaintiff or defendant in a civil case, or one is a defendant in a criminal case. According to US statistics, there is an increased rise in the number of Pro Se representation in court. This is due to many factors, but the best reasons are lack of confidence to lawyers and tight budget.
Pro Se Litigants
Many people are now going into court without having any lawyer. As the cost of legal fees continue to rise and growing distrust of lawyers increases, fighting without lawyers are now getting common.
Nearly one half of all court proceedings in the United States involve at least one Pro Se litigant. Most Pro Se cases are involved in family law.
According to the American Bar Association nearly fifty percent of all Pro Se litigants believe that lawyer's dont care about their clients legal needs and are much more interested in getting money.
Although anyone has the right to represent himself/herself to a court, there are still some state laws to consider before deciding to go into a Pro Se representation.
Advantages of Pro Se representation
There are many advantages in going into a Pro Se representation. The top reasons why people prefer going into Pro Se is lack of confidence to lawyers and to reduce legal cost.
- Reduced legal cost
- Higher self confidence to win a case
- Saving money
- Less Hassle
Disadvantages of Pro Se representation
Disadvatages also cloud a Pro Se litigant. Here are some disadvantages that can happen to a person who choose to go Pro Se
- Inadequately trained to law
- High chance of loosing a case
- Unfamiliarity with court proceedings
- Bias issues
