In this series of articles we are going to introduce you to the concept of representing yourself in court. We’ll begin with a situation that would likely result in a court case, then introduce you to the things that need to be considered and the things that need to be done.
This is not a debate on whether or not you should or why you would want to represent yourself in court. We have posted some videos that address that and discuss the ins and outs.
These articles begin with the premise that for whatever reason you are, or are going to be in a court case without a lawyer.
Because this can be a pretty dry subject, and may be hard for people to related to, we’ve structured it around a plausible real life scenario that most people could conceivable find themselves involved in.
Don’t get too hung up in the details – we’ve put them into the mix just to help you relate to what our protagonist is up against.
Ok – here goes!
You’re the proud owner of a home in Pleasantville, USA. A nice place to live, except that has been raining a lot for the past couple of weeks. No problem, use the time to catch up on on a few things that need to be done around the house.
All is well until you walk into your home office…. There is water dripping on the floor. A glance at the wall is equally disturbing…it is visibly damp. A quick excursion up into the attic and your fears are confirmed…. Your roof is leaking – a lot!
A quick online search puts you in touch with Joe’s Superior A1 Roofing, and Joe agrees to come out and look at your roof. After a brief look in the attic Joe confirms your fear – it is not an issue of repairing a few leaks – the roof will have to be replaced.
As you watch the water steadily dripping in places where there should be no water, two questions pop into your mind – how soon can the roof be replaced and how much will it cost.
After measuring the house Joe gives you some pricing options depending on the quality of shingles you select. He recommends the twenty year high quality shingles from a U.S. manufacturer (no surprise there) and for those, quotes a price of $20,000. After the shock wears off, you agree. After all, the sooner you stop seeing water dripping on your new hardwood flooring, the happier you will be.
OK – here come a very critical element. Up to this point there has been nothing but talk. All that changes as Joe opens his bag and pulls out a “proposal” and starts filling in the blanks and entering numbers.
Things are about to get real. While there are other elements, the initial part of any contract is an offer and acceptance. The proposal is Joe’s offer. When you sign (accept) it, a contract has been created. It is no longer just a proposal or estimate – it is a contract!
Since it is a contract, it would behoove you to understand and, in in particular to know what to look for.