Self-Representation (231)

Self-Representation
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Self-Representation
Self-representation refers to instances where an individual prefers to represent herself or himself in a court of law if the case is not complicated. However, the courts deter self-representation since they require unique skills for legal practice; even the attorneys are encouraged to hire other attorneys when faced with personal legal problems.
Charged crimes that are less serious may be safe for a defendant to self-represent. For instance, individuals charged with minor shoplifting cases and traffic cases may manage without the need to hire an attorney. In my opinion, self-representation should never be allowed in whatever situation, be it minor or very severe; this is because other criminal cases may bear sentences which seem small but later the judgment may have serious consequences such as the rise in the insurance rates (Assy, 2015). Also, during busy days in a court, public defenders and private attorneys are possibly considered to individuals representing themselves. This means a lot of time is spent away from work by the defendant expressing him- or herself and therefore loses wages while attending to their case. Judges can also become impatient due to their huge loads of cases they have, and they likely will not tolerate the defendants who lack sufficient knowledge about the legal lingo and the courtroom (Assy, 2015). The opposing attorney may have probably appeared before the judge severally and knows the preferences of the judge.

A criminal case requires numerous documents, and a series of courtroom policies and legal procedures which an individual representing himself may not be aware of, a single mistake of missing document results in rejection of a case. Moreover, the probability of winning a trial by a defendant is minimal. Statistics reveal that a proper defendant loses typically (Assy, 2015). Eventually, the defendants will realize that it is too late to hire an attorney and lose the case. Therefore, I believe that defendants should be expected to use the services of a criminal attorney when facing criminal charges.
Reference
Assy, R. (2015). Injustice in Person: The Right to Self-representation. Oxford University Press, USA.