Reasons People Consider Representing Themselves In Criminal Cases
There are times when people decide to represent themselves when facing criminal charges. While you have the legal right to do this, it is not always a great idea. Hiring a criminal attorney to help you is usually the better option, but some people still choose to skip this step and represent themselves. Here are some of the reasons people do this, along with some reasons why you should not consider representing yourself.
Costs
One of the most common reasons people represent themselves in criminal cases is to save money. When you hire an attorney for any reason, they charge a lot of money for their assistance. According to one source, the average cost for an attorney's services for a felony case is $5,000 to $10,000. While you might not face felony charges, you can still pay high rates for a lawyer's services. While representing yourself helps you save money, it might not be worth it. Saving money is nice, but if you do not get great results from your case, the money you saved might mean nothing.
Minor Crime
Some people also decide to represent themselves when they face minor charges. For example, if you have a speeding ticket case that you want to fight, representing yourself might be a good idea. For most other crimes, though, representing yourself is usually not the best option.
Want to Plead Guilty
When a person faces criminal charges and wants to plead guilty, they might assume that they do not need a lawyer. You can represent yourself if you want to plead guilty, but the outcome might not be what you hope for in your case.
Intelligence
The other reason people represent themselves is when they have enough knowledge and intelligence to handle the charges without an attorney. For example, if you know the law and legal system, you might feel that you do not need a lawyer. But lawyers will have more knowledge about the legal system than people who did not attend law school. You will get better results in any case if you hire a criminal defense lawyer.
These are some of the reasons why people represent themselves instead of hiring lawyers. Rarely is representing yourself a good idea, though. Typically, you will benefit from hiring a criminal defense lawyer to help you through your case. You can hire one by contacting a criminal law firm of your choice.