In the practice of law, defendants have the option of pro se (Latin for “on behalf of themselves”), Meaning they represent themselves in a civil or criminal case in court. Although this practice can save the offender the cost of hiring an attorney, the results are almost always disappointing and leave offenders wishing that they had retained a qualified attorney. Pro se defendants rarely win, and it’s not hard to see why. Oftentimes attorneys can turn to current court decisions to help them answer difficult questions regarding the law. Let’s see what the courts have to say about this issue of offenders deciding to represent themselves in court on criminal charges. The assistance of counsel is essential to putting your best foot forward on your day in court. United States v. Gonzalez -Lopez, 548 U.S. 140 (2006). The Court’s decision stated that representation by counsel is critical to the ability of the adversarial system to produce just results. Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668 (1984). The untrained defendant is in no position to defend himself, even when there are no complexities surrounding the defendant’s case. State v Sugar, 417 A.2D 474 (1980). Without the guiding hand of counsel, an innocent defendant may lose his or her freedom because he or she does not know how to establish his or her innocence.
As one can clearly see, our courts say that offenders should seek counsel when dealing with issues in court. Our attorneys at the Carmody law firm believe in the importance of the right to counsel and will work zealously to defend your rights in court.
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