ABA Family Legal Guide

Criminal Justice

The Police and Your Rights

Lawyers and Criminal Law

May I represent myself without a lawyer?

You have a right to represent yourself before the trial, and the court may even allow you to act as a lawyer in your own defense at trial. The law refers to self-representation as pro se representation. If you request to proceed pro se, the judge must allow you to represent yourself if he or she determines that you are mentally and/or physically able to represent yourself, that you are making an informed and voluntary decision to give up your constitutional right to counsel, and that you are aware of the dangers and disadvantages of self-representation.