Isn’t it true that the Judge will protect me if I don’t hire a lawyer to represent me in a divorce case my spouse has filed against me?

This is another question I have heard on numerous occasions.  The fact is that the Judge cannot give legal advice to you, cannot represent you, and must follow strict legal guidelines in the handling of the case.  The Judge is the person in the middle, and is the authority on things like what evidence will be introduced, what questions will be allowed to be asked, what decisions will be rendered, etc.  Not only is it illegal for the Judge to offer legal advice to you, but it would seriously compromise the position of the Court if she or he were even allowed to do that (which she or he is not allowed to do). 

My personal opinion is that it always makes sense to talk to a lawyer before making a decision as to whether you should represent yourself in any legal proceedings.  More times than not, I think it is a mistake to try to do it on your own.