Represent Yourself in Court

How to prepare and present a winning civil court case


Many disputes are too big for small claims court but too small to justify a lawyer’s fee. Fortunately, if you’re willing to learn the courtroom ropes, you can successfully handle your own case from start to finish.





Represent Yourself in Court breaks the pretrial and trial process down into easy-to-understand steps. Armed with these clear and thorough instructions, you’ll be well prepared to:


draft and file court papers

get help from an attorney or legal coach

obtain and prepare your evidence, including social media postings

handle depositions

line up, prepare, and examine witnesses

present an opening statement

make and respond to objections

pick a jury if necessary, and

deal with the court clerk and judge




Whether you’re a plaintiff or a defendant, this book will help you handle a bankruptcy, divorce, landlord-tenant dispute, breach of contract case, small business dispute—or any other civil lawsuit.


The new edition includes information and tips on participating in a court hearing via Zoom.