• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Youtube
  • Birmingham, AL 35203
  • 205-502-2000
  • [email protected]
Call us now: 205-502-2000
Full-Service Law Firm
  • Home
  • About
  • Attorneys
    • Mitchel H. Boles
    • Jeffrey E. Holmes
    • William C. White, II
    • H. Hampton Boles
    • Clayton Tartt
    • Christopher Richardson
    • Nathan Holmes
    • Suzanne Norman
    • George W. “Wally” Walker, III
  • Personal
    • Criminal Defense
      • Arson
      • Assault
      • Burglary
      • Criminal Appeals
      • Criminally Negligent Homicide
      • Domestic Violence
      • Drug Crimes
      • Drug Distribution
      • Drug Manufacturing
      • Drug Possession
      • Drug Trafficking
      • Federal Crimes
      • Federal Drug Crimes
      • Felonies vs Misdemeanors
      • Forgery
      • Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card
      • Gun Charges
      • Identity Theft
      • Kidnapping
      • Manslaughter
      • Marijuana
      • Murder
      • Negotiating a Worthless Negotiable Instrument
      • Operation Pilluted
      • Past Cases
      • Prescription Drugs
      • Property Crimes
      • Receiving Stolen Property
      • Robbery
      • Sale of Unregistered Securities
      • Shoplifting
      • Stalking
      • Theft / Embezzlement
      • Violent Crimes
      • Zohydro Arrests
    • Divorce and Family Law
      • Adultery
      • Alimony and Spousal Support
      • Annulments
      • Asset Location
      • Attorney Fee Recovery
      • Changing Alimony or Child Support
      • Child Custody
      • Child Relocation
      • Child Support Calculations
      • Child Visitation
      • Contested Divorce
      • Courthouses We Service
      • Divorce Appeals
      • Divorce of Same Sex Couples
      • Domestic Violence / Protection from Abuse
      • Enforcement of Divorce Decrees
      • Grandparents Rights
      • Grounds for Divorce
      • How to Prepare for a Child Custody Case
      • Joint Accounts in a Divorce
      • Jurisdiction and Venue
      • Legal Separation
      • Mediation in Divorce
      • Military Divorces
      • Paternity Rights
      • Parental Rights
      • Postnuptial Agreements / Prenuptial Agreements
      • Property and Asset Protection
      • Property in an Alabama Divorce
      • Reinstatement of Maiden Name
      • Retirement Accounts in a Divorce
      • Temporary Custody and Support Pendente Lite
      • Uncontested Divorce
    • DUI Defense
      • Alabama Drunk Driving Laws
      • Basic DUI Defense
      • Commercial Driver DUI
      • Common Mistakes in DUI Arrests
      • DUI Defense Overview
      • Driver’s License Suspension
      • Felony DUI
      • DUI FAQs
      • Refusal and Field Sobriety Tests
      • Repeat DUI
      • Toxicology Issues
      • Underage DUI
    • White Collar Defense & Investigations
      • Arson
      • Asset Forfeiture
      • Bankruptcy Fraud
      • Bribery and Blackmail
      • Business Fraud
      • Embezzlement / Theft
      • Environmental Crimes
      • Ethics Violations
      • Federal Crimes
      • Federal Program Fraud
      • Grand Jury Proceedings
      • Grand Larceny
      • Health Care Fraud
      • High Profile Cases
      • Hiring Illegal Aliens
      • Insurance Fraud
      • International Crimes
      • Internet Crimes
      • Mail Fraud / Wire Fraud
      • Money Laundering
      • Mortgage Fraud / Bank Fraud
      • Obstruction of Justice
      • Past White Collar Cases
      • Perjury
      • Ponzi Schemes
      • Price Fixing / Collusion
      • Protection of Professional Licenses
      • Public Corruption
      • RICO
      • Sarbanes Oxley
      • Securities / Broker Fraud
      • Unfair Competition
      • Unlawful Entry
      • Witness Representation
    • Wills and Probate
      • Advance Directive / Living Will
      • Business Dissolution
      • Conservatorships
      • Corporation Formation
      • Estate Administration
      • Estate Planning
      • Guardianships
      • Intestate Estates
      • LLC Formation
      • LLP Formation
      • Last Will an Testament FAQs
      • PC Formation
      • Powers of Attorney
      • Probate Wills
      • Trust
      • Will Drafting
  • Professional
    • Administrative Law
    • Appellate Litigation
    • Business Consulting
    • Business Formation & Dissolution
    • Business Litigation
    • Compliance
    • Directors’ & Officers’ Liability
    • Government Investigations
    • Government Relations
    • Healthcare
    • Labor & Employment
    • Outside Counsel
    • Professional License Protection
    • Regulatory Representation
    • Transactions
  • Blog
  • Media
  • Get in Touch
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
Criminal Defense

Represent yourself? Don’t be a fool.

Represent yourself? Don't be a fool. - Alabama Outside Counsel

Represent yourself? Abraham Lincoln once said, “He who represents himself has a fool for a client.” President Lincoln was an attorney first, and felt no one (including an attorney) should represent themselves in a court case. History tells us that Honest Abe didn’t originate this idea, which appeared in writings as early as 1814 by the lesser known Henry Kett.

The truth is, there are some limited circumstances in which representing yourself might not be catastrophic.

1. Minor traffic offenses;

2. First offense Class B or C misdemeanors that you know you are guilty of, and you just want to plead guilty or apply for a diversion program; and

3. Small claims or District Court civil cases where the amount in controversy is less than $10,000.

In all of the above circumstances, the cases are heard in District Court where the rules of evidence are relaxed and the judges are accustomed to working with those representing themselves “pro se”. In these types of cases, the stakes are usually very low and if you are not successful, you can probably live with the results, and you have saved money without hiring an attorney.

Moreover, even in cases where the outcome doesn’t really matter to you. You may be better off with an attorney because having an attorney could save you an enormous amount of time. Many court dockets have hundreds of cases set on the same day. Judges routinely handle cases that have an attorney first. We have seen instances where minor cases with an attorney are in and out of court in under 15 minutes, where someone with a similar case without an attorney may sit for up to 12 hours waiting their turn.

In all other cases, it is wise to hire professional representation. If you are convicted of a Class A misdemeanor or any Felony, jail is a real possibility. On top of jail, there are other consequences that a legal professional may be able to help you avoid, like loss of your driver’s license, and loss of your voting and firearms privileges.

There is a reason that law school lasts 3 years. Although, there is a lot to learn. Therefore, if you haven’t been through it, you don’t know what you don’t know. Having witnessed many people represent themselves in Circuit Court over the years, it never goes well. They do not know the appropriate motions to file (despite what they read on Google), and never know how to properly object to inadmissible evidence. In truth, pro se litigants in serious cases are usually thought of as crazy or arrogant by court personnel.

Public Defenders

If you simply can’t afford an attorney, you are still better off with the public defender. Public defenders get a bad rap and are in most cases decent attorneys. Often the complaints against public defenders are on issues that aren’t really their fault. Some complain that public defenders are inexperienced. That may be true, but they still have more experience than someone that has never practiced law. Public defenders are often overworked and are certainly underpaid, and they don’t have the time to dedicate to each case that they would like, yet they are still trained on how to try a case, and you likely are not.

Experienced Attorneys

Do yourself a favor, if you have a serious legal case, where the results matter and can afford an attorney, call a law firm with experience and a long history of success. Call our firm at 205-502-2000 today.

November 30, 2018
Tags: Attorney, Court Case, Defender, Law
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on Reddit
https://i0.wp.com/alabamaoutsidecounsel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/60b6d3b315fd821e93dfc2ab_represent_yourself_court-p-2000.jpeg?fit=2000%2C1333&ssl=1 1333 2000 Nathan Holmes https://alabamaoutsidecounsel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/613bc307f40b1cafd5e5dcff_BHW_GOLD-straight-across.png Nathan Holmes2018-11-30 06:16:002022-12-08 01:04:18Represent yourself? Don’t be a fool.
You might also like
Kentucky Lawmaker Seeks to Toughen DUI Laws - Alabama Outside Counsel Kentucky Lawmaker Seeks to Toughen DUI Laws
Facts About Alcoholic Beverages - Alabama Outside Counsel Facts About Alcoholic Beverages
House Bill Would Allow for Seizure of Items Bought with Stolen Money - Alabama Outside Counsel House Bill Would Allow for Seizure of Items Bought with Stolen Money
Zohydro, the new Oxy? - Alabama Outside Counsel Zohydro, the new Oxy?
Capital Charges Brought in Infant Drowning Case - Alabama Outside Counsel Capital Charges Brought in Infant Drowning Case
Operation T-Bone: Alabama’s Crackdown on Food Stamps Fraud - Alabama Outside Counsel Operation T-Bone: Alabama’s Crackdown on Food Stamps Fraud
0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Blog Categories

  • Civil Suits
  • Criminal Defense
  • DUI
  • Estate Planning
  • Family Law
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Probate Law
  • Trademark Law
  • White Collar Crime

Speak To An Attorney

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Featured In

PreviousNext

Boles Holmes White LLC is a full-service law firm providing transactional, litigation, government relations and white collar/criminal defense. We represent both businesses and individuals throughout the Southeast Region. As a full-service law firm with roots in the small town of Dothan and with large Birmingham firm experience, all of our attorneys strive to provide clients “big firm” representation with “small town” accessibility and personal attention. That is what sets us apart.

No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.

OFFICES

BIRMINGHAM OFFICE
1929 3rd Ave. North, Suite 500
Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: 205-502-2000

DOTHAN OFFICE
661 West Main Street
Dothan, AL 36301
Phone: 334-366-6086

AUBURN OFFICE
165 E. Magnolia Avenue, Suite 223
Auburn, Alabama 36830
Phone: 334-316-3446

LAWYERS

  • Mitchel H. Boles
  • Jeffrey E. Holmes
  • William C. White, II
  • H. Hampton Boles
  • Clayton Tartt
  • Christopher Richardson
  • Nathan Holmes
  • Suzanne Norman
  • George W. "Wally" Walker, III

WEBSITE & MARKETING

AdToms

SOCIAL

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

Copyright © 2022 – 2023 Boles Holmes White LLC. All Rights Reserved.

  • Home
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Disclaimer

3 Questions To Ask: How To Hire The Right Attorney For YOUR Case3 Questions To Ask: How To Hire The Right Attorney For YOUR Case - Alabama Outside CounselReasons you should form an Estate Plan - Alabama Outside CounselReasons You Should Form an Estate Plan
Scroll to top

We use cookies to personalize your experience on AlabamaOutsideCounsel. Click OK to accept our privacy policy and terms of service.

OKCancel

Cookie and Privacy Settings



How we use cookies

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

Essential Website Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

Other external services

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

Privacy Policy

You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.

Privacy Policy
Accept settingsHide notification only