THE HIRING OF AN ATTORNEY IS AN IMPORTANT DECISION THAT SHOULD NOT BE MADE BASED SOLELY UPON ADVERTISEMENTS.  BEFORE YOU DECIDE, ASK US TO SEND YOU FREE WRITTEN INFORMATION ABOUT OUR QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE.

Do I need an Attorney?

If you have been injured in an accident, it is imperative that you retain legal counsel to ensure that your best interests are protected throughout the legal processes ahead of you.

Involved in civil litigation? Retaining legal aid ensures proper representation. Civil litigation is complicated, and it is important to have a professional who specializes in this field assist you.

Retaining counsel ensures that someone who is knowledgeable about the law and legal processes handles your case until it is settled.

There is no aspect of the legal system that a person cannot "legally" handle themselves. Whether it be criminal or civil, administrative or governmental. Every citizen of the United States may represent themselves in any proceeding in which they are involved. Whether this is wise or not depends on the situation. Some proceedings are designed to encourage a citizen to represent themselves without the aid of an attorney, an example being small claims court.  Other proceedings justify the phrase "a person who represents himself has a fool for a client." Such proceedings would be all Circuit Court cases, as well as most administrative hearings.

The obvious advantage to an attorney representing you is he knows the way through the maze, and possesses the tools to enhance your chances of success. For the same reason you hire a specialist to help you solve your plumbing or air conditioning problems, so can a lawyer help you solve your legal problems.

The answer to the question "do I need an attorney?" depends on how committed you are in prevailing at the legal task at hand. If you want to save $250.00 by going to the library to educate yourself on how to write a Will, you are certainly permitted to do so. But the misuse of one singe word in the Will could have an un- thought of result, and you will never know about it, as the issue won't arise until after your death.

With the exception of minor traffic and parking offenses, seriously consider using an attorney for any type of criminal problem. Yes, traffic offenses are considered criminal in nature. Although the actual punishment in a criminal case (a monetary fine as opposed to jail) might be minor, the "conviction" itself can have long term major effects. Especially in acquiring a job that requires any type of security clearance.

It is important to realize that instances discussed in this article apply to an individual representing themselves. It is against the law to give legal advise to another person or assist another person in representing themselves before a tribunal unless you are licensed to practice law in the State of Florida.