Representing Yourself in San Diego Criminal Prosecution

1
Representing Yourselfin a San Diego Criminal
Prosecution

2
Why People Consider
Proceeding Pro Se
3
You have an absolute right to self-representation
(pro se) in a criminal case however, it is not
usually a wise decision
4
Reasons that people may consider proceeding pro
se include
5
COST
Some people simply do not have the funds to hire
an attorney however, you dont have to go it
alone.
6
The public defender system was created to ensure
that every defendant has access to
representation in a criminal prosecution
7
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Sometimes a previous experience leads an
individual to believe that their previous
attorney did not do a very good job and,
therefore, they might as well represent themselves
8
Proceeding without representation, however, isnt
always the best solution to a bad experience in
a previous case
9
BELIEF THAT A LAWYER IS UNNECESSARY
People may believe that the law and the penalties
are clear so what is the point in hiring an
attorney?
10
An attorney, however, may find a defense to
which you were unaware or be able to negotiate a
more favorable punishment despite what the law
appears to be
11
The Consequences
and the Rule
12
Be sure that you have a clear understanding of
what is at stake
13
The basic statutory penalties do not always tell
the whole story
14
Convictions often come with additional
non-judicial consequences
15
Courts have rules of court and rules of procedure
that must be followed by anyone practicing in
that court
16
No leeway with rules for non-attorneys
17
Learning all the rules in a short period of time
is unrealistic
18
Discovery
and Plea Negotiations
19
During discovery both sides share information
20
You must know what the prosecutor is required to
share with you and what you must share with the
prosecutor
21
You also need to know how to understand, analyze,
and use discovery
22
A minor error during discovery could seriously
undermine your case
23
There are no standard pleas offered to all
defendants
24
Almost everything is negotiable
25
An attorney knows what a prosecutor is likely to
offer and accept
26
Should You Ever Represent Yourself?
27
The general rule of thumb is the more serious the
crime you are accused of, the more important it
is to have an attorney represent you
28
Ultimately, only you can decide if you have the
time to invest and are willing to take the risks
involved in representing yourself in your San
Diego criminal prosecution
29
However, it is usually not a wise idea after
careful consideration
30
LEARN MORE ABOUT REPRESENTING YOURSELF IN A SAN
DIEGO CRIMINAL PROSECUTION
31
www.attorneylombardo.com
Content provided by Best Legal Practices