You don’t have to have a lawyer to go to court. You can represent yourself throughout your case or be represented and advised by a lawyer.
Alternatively, you may seek some advice from a lawyer from time to time, or may be represented just at particular hearings – depending on what you can afford (or whether you can get legal aid).
Not everybody need a lawyer, and not everybody can manage without. Whether you need a lawyer, and how much help you need from them will depend upon things like:
- how complicated your case is,
- what other support is available to you, and
- how able you feel to manage your case on your own.
However, there is no substitute for proper legal advice or representation – and there are some difficult legal areas where legal advice and / or representation would be sensible.
If you decide you need a lawyer you can find out more about them and how to find one here.
If you do decide to represent yourself, other sections of this website will give you basic information about how the courts work, where they are, what to expect at a court hearing, what support is available, and links to other useful resources. Use the left hand menu or search box at the top of the page to find what you need.