SPARC Forums

I'll be representing myself in a trial about more time with my kids.

How do I tell my story during the trial? I can't possibly ask myself questions during the trial.  Do you know how it works in cases like this?  Please share your experiences and thoughts. I know it's a challenge representing myself but I have NO choice. (I know very well I need a lawyer but I can't afford one).

Thanks for your help

>How do I tell my story during the trial?

You can write out a list of questions, as if they were asked by an attorney, and then explain to the court what you have done, and that you will testify by asking yourself the questions on the list, and then answer each question after you state it.

Or, you can write an outline, and then tell the court that you have done so, and that you will refer to it in order to keep you on track.

In either case, if the other party is represented by counsel, the attorney may attempt to object on grounds that your notes are hearsay and not admitted into evidence. If this happens, then you tell the court that you are merely using your notes to refresh your recollection. The court should allow this, however, a REALLY mean spirited attorney may object to your refreshing your recollection without first stating that you cannot remember something (which is proper, but dumb, in this circumstances).

In response to this, you merely start to talk about the first thing on the list, and then, every time you can't remember something, you tell the court, that you can't remember, and that you need to refer to your notes before continuing. This will have the effect of making your testimony far less interesting, however, as long as you say you can't remember, then the court will let you look at your notes, and there's nothing that opposing counsel can do to stop you.