Stupid is as Stupid does. I'm sorry, but everyone reading this please understand, if you go to court representing yourself in anything bigger than small claims, please understand you are going to get SCREWED!.
As wrong as it is, the court (judges) do not like to see people representing themselves....yea, in a perfect world we could do it but this place ain't perfect and you have to play by their rules sometimes....lest you bend over and grab your ankles in submission.
Frankly, if the Western Forests belong to the "people", I want my piece right now - no waiting, and all you guys chopping logs on my land - get off!
(Another novel theory, eh?!) (Does anyone think I can win?)
Yeah, right. You need to read the entire story. In THIS particular action he had an attorney (Mr Annest, who is trying to bring Agent Green in front of a Grand Jury). In a PRIOR action he acted as his own attorney and had the charges dropped: "Rather than waste his limited resources by hiring an attorney in this frivolous matter, Waite defended himself. He showed Federal Magistrate Judge Larry Boyle the statute that authorizes him to keep the road to his private property open even if the road crosses through federal land. Judge Boyle dismissed the charges against Waite."
Apparently, you didn't read very carefully...
This was not the first time the truthful and honorable Waite had experienced the bureaucratic wrath of Green. In 1995 Green filed criminal charges against Waite in Idaho District Federal Court for plowing a USFS road that led to a mining claim and some property owned by Waite and his family. Green claimed that Waite had damaged the road with his bulldozer. Waite, who had been building roads and operating heavy equipment in the area for some 30 years, does not believe that a road full of potholes is damaged after you've filled in the potholes. Rather than waste his limited resources by hiring an attorney in this frivolous matter, Waite defended himself. He showed Federal Magistrate Judge Larry Boyle the statute that authorizes him to keep the road to his private property open even if the road crosses through federal land. Judge Boyle dismissed the charges against Waite. Those that know Green and how his mind works believe the dismissal dealt a severe blow to his bureaucratic esteem. They believe Green was awaiting the day when he could even some imaginary score.
This guy was successful in defending himself on a previous matter, against this very same accuser. The second time, he got a different (and apparently corrupt) judge. When you have a corrupt judge and a corrupt prosecuter railroading you to jail on trumped-up charges, IT DOESN"T MATTER if you have a lawyer.
You know what? Some of us don't have the money to hire a lawyer.
I represented myself in a civil matter and I won. I figured that even if I had lost it would not have been worth what the attorneys were going to charge me.
Even if it had been a criminal matter, think about it, spend 18 months in Jail or digest a $40,000 lawyer's bill with the possibility you could lose anyhow. The 18 months does not sound like the worse option to me.
The legal system in this country is so messed up the only way to win the game is not to play it. I don't think I can agree with your advise that everyone get a lawyer.
Yes, it can be very precarious and scary to defend yourself in court, however remember an attorney is an OFFICER of the Court 1st, and your counsel 2nd. In many cases cases an attorney will not due the right thing and cow tow to the court; or back down from a veiled threat by a Judge with an agenda. I've seen it happen; particularly in tax cases.
It would seem that in this case Waite was going to get the Federal screw job regardless of whether or not he had an attorney. The Federal judges know the drill and they are not about to let the Fed Govs organized coruption go public.
On the other hand I have successfully defended myself in a couple cases, whereas if I had used an attorney I would have gotten screwed.
Don't get me wrong, it takes a lot of balls and a whole lot of work. You absolutely have to be better than the other side and make no mistakes. For the entire time you are in litigation it consumes your life. But there is no greater pleasure than whipping some cocky shysters ass in open court!
Been there..done it!.
Sui
Doh!!!! He won the case where he represented himself, and lost the case where he had a lawyer.
Not a good example for your point.
The problem is that if the courts are biased anyway (and they do tend to be), then hiring an attorney just adds insult to injury, 'cause you either get screwed and don't enrich a blood-sucking attorney, or you get screwed while enriching a blood-sucking attorney. Note that the judge gets enriched with power either way.
He lost the case where he hired a lawyer. What does that tell you about stupid?
Read the article again. Waite defended himself in an unrelated matter about clearing a road in 1995 for which the case was dismissed.