Should I Hire a Lawyer?

In the legal world, “pro se” is a term for litigants who represent themselves in court.  A study published today on Law.com  indicates that the worsening economy has led to a rise in the number of people who try to appear in court without a lawyer.

 

But the cost savings appears to be a classic case of a false economy.  In a nationwide survey of nearly 1000 state judges, 62% stated that litigants who go into court without a lawyer achieve less desirable results that parties who have representation.

 

Not surprisingly, the judges who saw worse outcomes said the most common problems for pro se litigants are failure to present necessary evidence, procedural errors, ineffective witness examination, and failure to object to evidence properly.