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The decision to represent yourself in court without an attorney ("pro se" or "pro per") should not be taken lightly. Make sure you consider all your options and whether it is the right decision for you.

No one plans to get sued. But sometimes the unexpected happens. You get in a car accident. Your decaying oak tree collapses onto your neighbor’s roof. A former business associate accuses you of breaching a contract. Your poodle, Mister Schnookums, bites some little brat in a park. You get the point. If your opponent obtains a judgment against you, he can probably pursue your personal assets to satisfy the judgment. This may include bank accounts, wages, real estate, vehicles, boats, personal items, and more. In this article, I will discuss five steps you can take to protect your assets before...

Can you represent yourself in court without an attorney (AKA as a “pro se” or “pro per” party)? As with everything in the law, the answer depends on your jurisdiction’s laws and court rules. You need to read and understand these to get a clearer answer. As a general rule, the answer is yes: you CAN represent YOURSELF in a civil lawsuit, subject to a few exceptions. (And of course depending on the laws and court rules in your jurisidiction). This is separate and apart from the more important question: Should You Represent Yourself in Court? Here a few common...

The "business records exception" to the hearsay rule is arguably the most widely used means of introducing documents into evidence at trial. This article discusses this important hearsay exception, how it is typically used, and what foundation needs to be laid to get business records admitted into evidence at trial.

If your dog bit someone, try not to panic. One of the first things you should do is educate yourself about your potential liability to the person injured. Each state has its own laws governing dog bite lawsuits, but there are a few common patterns and defenses through the United States, which will be discussed in this article. Humans have kept dogs as pets for over 12,000 years. For at least that long, dogs have been biting people. In the United States, there are 70-80 million dogs—that’s almost 1 dog for every 4 people. Although many dog bites result in...