Represent yourself in court : prepare & try a winning civil case Cover Image

Book

Represent yourself in court : prepare & try a winning civil case / Paul Bergman & Sara J. Berman ; cartoons by Mike Twohy.

Bergman, Paul, 1943- (author.). Berman-Barrett, Sara J., 1964- (author.). Twohy, Mike, (illustrator.).

Summary:

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.

Record details

ISBN: 9781413326611
ISBN: 1413326617
Physical Description: 584 pages : illustrations, forms ; 23 cm
Edition: Tenth edition.
Publisher: Berkeley, California : Nolo, [2019]

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Formatted Contents Note:

Going it alone in court -- The courthouse and the courtroom -- Starting your case -- Pretrial procedures -- Investigating your case -- Settlement -- Pretrial motions -- Proving your case at trial: the plaintiff's perspective -- Proving your case at trial: the defendant's perspective -- Selecting the decision maker -- Opening statement -- Direct examination -- Cross-examination -- Closing argument -- Exhibits -- Basic rules of evidence -- Making and responding to objections -- Organizing a trial notebook -- Expert witnesses -- When your trial ends: judgments and appeals -- Representing yourself in family court -- Representing yourself in bankruptcy court -- Help beyond the book: people, places, and publications.