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Judges and lawyers typically refer to defendants who represent themselves with the terms pro se or pro per, the latter being taken from "in propria persona." Both pro se (pronounced pro-say) and pro per come from Latin and essentially mean "for one's own person." The terms are synonymous. Some jurisdictions (like California) commonly use pro per, while others refer to a self-represented defendant as a pro se party.
For detailed information on self-representation—including its risks—see Representing Yourself in a Criminal Case.
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