November 25, 2013
If I go to court without a lawyer, won’t the Judge protect me?
Judges are required to abide by a number of procedural and other laws and rules. However, they’re absolutely forbidden to represent parties in law suits, and they can’t give legal advice to unrepresented parties, beyond telling them things like “You have the right to have a lawyer represent you,” or “You have the right not to incriminate yourself,” etc.
Judges do not participate in fact-gathering for trial purposes, cannot take the side of one party or another in negotiations, and generally have very little knowledge of the facts of a case before the case comes to trial.
So, it is wise for people who are involved in court cases to consult their own lawyers at an early stage. In some kinds of cases, it is possible to resolve a case without having an attorney present for a court hearing, but generally it is advisable for all parties to be represented by counsel in court proceedings.
Our office is available for consultations about court proceedings, and for court representation in appropriate circumstances.
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