Studies show that lots of people are caught up every year in disputes that might lead to a court case. But, because the vast majority of people don't have a prepaid legal plan or other prepaid legal service contracts they will not seek the opinion of a lawyer. In a legal situation your initial thought ought to be "What are my legal rights?" Unless you are aware of your legal rights, you could lose income, time, or your property.

There are lots of occasions in our life when we have to consult with a lawyer. Before even looking at the questions you would possibly put to any legal| professional and before engaging their assistance there's one question it is advisable to ask yourself first, "Do I require a lawyer?"

It is sometimes possible that the current situation that you're facing could be handled without the requirement for an attorney and the levelheaded use of negotiation and common sense will be able to solve many disputes when your first reaction is to hit the phone book and look for an attorney.

As an example, a situation with your neighbor over a boundary fence, unnecessary noise or the myriad of issues which arise every now and then with neighbors might be more effectively resolved by speaking to your neighbor directly or through a 3rd party like a mediator.

Other situations that you might tackle yourself include the small claims court in your state that is established to allow individuals to resolve their disputes without the burden of costly legal bills. Court staffs are normally very supportive in answering most questions that you may have and will furnish you with the right forms to fill out and the correct procedure to follow.

An important aspect to also consider prior to hiring an attorney is this: the lay litigant, who is the ordinary person without legal representation, in my experience, almost always receives a good deal from the court and the main reason for this is the basis upon which our laws are constructed.

As you think of laws and justice, a symbol you'll always envision are the scales of justice. They represent a balancing of the rights of everyone in a legal dispute on which the judge will rule. Judges are quite mindful of a requirement to make sure that when faced with a decision that they are surely keeping those scales balanced. When a judge is faced with a lay litigant on the one hand and an experienced legal professional on the other side of the argument the judge will almost always ensure that the scales are well balanced by being very helpful and considerate towards the lay litigant to ensure that his rights aren't trodden underfoot by a polished, experienced lawyer.

For this reason you can consider representing yourself in less serious matters and where the price of hiring an attorney is unreasonable or where you may simply not have the money. Nonetheless you ought to consider it carefully prior to representing yourself since it can prove extremely costly in the end.