DO I NEED A LAWYER?

In Ohio, you are not required to have an attorney for any legal proceeding. You are completely free to represent yourself regardless of the severity of the case. I can think of one gentleman right now who represented himself in a capital murder case. That unfortunate gentleman is now on death row. The real question is “Should I have an attorney?” The answer is usually yes. The same applies to every day life. Are you required to have a plumber fix your plumbing or an electrician fix your wiring? The answer again is no. The essential question is whether you can get the job done without making it worse or getting hurt. People who represent themselves in legal affairs usually get hurt. In many legal situations the most important issues are not what you see, but what you don’t see.

The law gets more and more complex every year. Even “Super Lawyers” have trouble keeping up with ever changing laws. Along with the changing laws there are rules of court that constantly change. Case law changes on a weekly basis. Lawyers get updates via the internet on multiple court decisions daily. Even though the language of a statute may seem plain and simple, many courts may interpret that law differently than what appears to be the plain meaning.  In fact, what appears to be a simple law may have a different meaning in different jurisdictional areas. So not only must the lawyer know the law, we need to know how the law is interpreted and how it is applied in different court jurisdictions.

There is almost no way average citizens can effectively represent themselves in any legal situation. In written contracts one quick stroke of the pen can dramatically change the meaning and outcome. In court, one word can make or break your case. File a document in court one day late and lose the entire case. It takes a lifetime of training and experience to know the difference.

Do you need a lawyer? The real question is, “How much can you afford to be hurt?”