Should You Represent Yourself? Pros and Cons

July 23, 2017 Posted in My Profile

Should You Represent Yourself or Hire an Attorney?

You don’t qualify for a public defender. Should you represent yourself? Here are some questions you should ask to help you decide:

Do I have the time to learn the law that applies to my criminal charges? The learning curve is steep even for a misdemeanor offense. You would have to sacrifice limited personal time to do so.

Can I control my emotions enough to communicate effectively with the prosecutor? It’s difficult to control your emotions when you’re the defendant. You would have to remain polite and calm in communicating with the prosecutor.

Can I come up with a valid legal defense? Knowing the law is one thing; coming up with a valid legal defense is another. You would likely experience a lot of uncertainty and frustration trying to come up with a valid legal defense.

Can I handle the stress of representing myself? Drinking too much, using drugs, spending too much, or withdrawing are all bad ways of dealing with stress. Representing yourself on your criminal charges is stressful because of the many negative emotions you may experience such as anxiety, depression, anger, fear, and frustration.

Representing yourself is difficult. Hiring an experienced defense attorney is easy. Attorney Gary Rohlwing has over three decades of experience. Call me today for a free initial consultation and check out why you should choose our team.