Representing Yourself in a Criminal Case
It's rarely a good idea to represent yourself in a criminal case, especially when jail time or prison is a possibility if you lose. In a few situations, however, it may make sense to be your own lawyer.
You must be legally competent before a judge will allow you to represent yourself in a criminal trial. The bigger question, though, may be: "Should you?"
Criminal defendants might represent themselves in a few situations.
Judges and lawyers typically refer to defendants who represent themselves with the terms pro se or pro per (taken from “in propria persona”).
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