More Litigants Go To Court Without Lawyers
Waterbury Family Court Judge Elizabeth A. Bozzuto says that more than half of her court docket consists of people representing themselves. Is it a sign of the recent economic hard times; an indicator that lawyers are pricing themselves out of some business, or both?
Whatever the reason, the number of pro se litigants is on the rise. Now Judicial Branch officials are trying to figure out how they can help the do-it-yourself types through the legal process, which in turn should help speed up court dockets statewide.
Note: Yeah it will speed things up alright. Didn't you know it was in a lawyers best interest to drag these things out? They do charge by the hour.
A Family Court Judge stated that more than half of court docket consists of people representing themselves. Is it a sign of the recent economic hard times; an indicator that lawyers are pricing themselves out of some business, or both?
ReplyDeleteReply to 'why?' Well, straight from the horse's mouth... as the saying goes, litigators have shared that it simply is financially damaging to represent clients who are facing Government bodies.
Governments have all the time in the world to prolong individual cases as well as the resources to do so, financial and otherwise. Taking action against a powerful source is not simply financially unfeasible, but time-consuming. Therefore, even a lawyer with the best of intentions who might take on a case on a percentage of winnings basis, must do so at the risk of being unable to dedicate time for other cases which are straight-forward and will be productive both as successfully brought to justice as well as financially feasible.
There is, as well, risk of stigma attached to pursuing a case against Government; the price may be high in possible retaliation. As some lawyers relayed quite well - if not ineloquently - Going against the Government is like pissing in the wind against a fire hose." And: "If they decide to dig in their heels, it is difficult to win against someone who makes up the rules!"
So, IMHO I surmise that most people who self-represent do so with many of these basis cast in mind (a concept that was also litigator shared) and with the knowledge, "If things get rotten enough, they can no longer be denied. After a while, even the Government will no longer support it." There's just too much truth publicly presented to be swept away.
Thus, I feel this may be the reason individuals 'choose' self-representation... it is not so much of a 'choice' as it is perseverance and self-preservation in belief it is important to achieve what is right.
- VM