subject: Self-representation At Court Following Your Motoring Offence [print this page] Most driving offence cases in the UK are heard in a Magistrates Court and, when you are notified that you will indeed be required to attend court as a result of the motoring offence you have committed, you will need to decide whether to instruct a lawyer to represent you in court or represent yourself. People often choose to represent themselves on their day in court as they want to save money on the expense of paying for a lawyer and also believe, rightly or wrongly, that they may win the sympathy of the judge if he is able to see and hear from the person behind the offence. They believe that they may come across as more personable, remorseful and sincere if representing themselves in person.
Some people are perfectly capable of representing themselves in court but preparation is the key. Do your research into how the court procedure works, who will be present in the courtroom on the day, who will be questioning you, the best way of delivering your responses and, importantly, what not to say. You need to think about how you are going to present yourself in court, in terms of both your physical appearance and your demeanour.
You should clearly and concisely write down what you wish to say in court as delivering your speech in front of a judge in a courtroom is an entirely experience to delivering it in front of the mirror at home. Be confident, but not overly confident - you need to show remorse without going over the top as, if you do go over the top, you will come across as insincere.
There are, of course, many advantages to instructing a lawyer to represent you on your day in court. You are likely to feel less nervous having placed matters in the skilled hands of your expert lawyer. If you have done you research into whom to instruct, your chosen lawyer will have the skill and expertise to represent you in a way that will give you the highest chance possible of securing the outcome you desire.
With your driving licence possibly at stake, you need to make a carefully thought out and informed decision about whether you are going to represent yourself in court. Although many people do so, and do so successfully, placing the matter in the hands of an experienced lawyer may turn out to be the best decision you make.
