Are you going to court, but can't afford an Attorney?
First off, I am a REAL person. A working class Joe, just like you and this is the story of how David can still slay Goliath in the 21st Century!
My ex-wife tried to steal my son by hiring the best family lawyer in town at $300 per hour and with a $10,000 retainer. Every lawyer I talked to wanted at least $8000 in cash to even start to help me. Like most working single parents I couldn't afford it and was desperate because I didn't want to lose my son. What did I do, I did what any intelligent person would do, I FOUGHT!
pro per or pro se adj. short for "propria persona," which is Latin for "for oneself," usually applied to a person who represents himself/herself in a lawsuit rather than have an attorney. Get used to this term because when you speak to the folks at the court house this is how you should be referring to yourself.
My ex-wife had a field day making fun of me because I was representing myself. She revelled in the telling me how her expensive lawyer was going to murder me in court. She made fun of the fact that I only had an Associates Degree and how I was dillusional if I thought I could win. To be honest, there were days I agreed with her, but I couldn't give up!
I also spent 2-3 hours a night reading case law, visiting internet web sites, going to the local college law library and of course filling out mountains of forms. I learned things about the law that I didn't want to know, but when court day came I knew the three (3) months of preparation had paid off. I was confident that I had done everything I could have done to prepare. I submitted my own documents, I filed my own briefs, I did direct and cross examination of witnesses. I didn't do this just one time, I had to go back for three (3) separate hearings and then waited on pins and needles for the outcome.
In the end the decision was a slam dunk for me! The judge wrote a twelve (12) page ruling (typically it's only 2 or 3 pages) and agreed with every one of my points. He even cited the case law I had researched and presented in briefs! I was on cloud nine!!! I knew the ex hadn't received the decision yet so I did what anyone else in my situation would have done. I scanned the decision to PDF and emailed it to the her with only one sentence, "Not bad for an Associates Degree!"
If you are planning on defending yourself in court, then this is the information you have been looking for, but it wont be easy! You have to be prepared for VERY hard work, but it can be done!
Of all the things I used, the most important resource I had was a book called "Represent Yourself in Court!"
This site has the links to things I used to help me and I hope you find it helpful. Althought most of the links and documents are based on Arizona law, you should be able to adapt them to all states.
Good luck!
Daniel Black