A Fool for a Client: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
{{trope}}
{{quote|''"They say a man who represents himself has a fool for a client. Well, with God as my witness, ''I am that fool!''"''|'''Gomez Addams''', ''[[The Addams Family]] [[The Movie]]''}}
{{quote|''"They say a man who represents himself has a fool for a client. Well, with God as my witness, ''I am that fool!''"''
|'''Gomez Addams''', ''[[The Addams Family]] [[The Movie]]''}}


A person who represents oneself in court without the assistance of an attorney, whether as the defendant or the plaintiff, and whether or not the issue before the court is criminal or civil, is said to be operating ''pro se'' (a Latin phrase meaning "for oneself"). In the United States, at least, the right of a member of the public to represent himself predates the existence of the U.S. Constitution, and it is generally considered a part of the protected right to seek a redress of grievances.
A person who represents oneself in court without the assistance of an attorney, whether as the defendant or the plaintiff, and whether or not the issue before the court is criminal or civil, is said to be operating ''pro se'' (a Latin phrase meaning "for oneself"). In the United States, at least, the right of a member of the public to represent himself predates the existence of the U.S. Constitution, and it is generally considered a part of the protected right to seek a redress of grievances.
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** Another episode has the defendant dismiss his lawyer and represent himself [[Large Ham|with plenty of pork]]; he takes particular pleasure in cross-examining a man he stabbed, pressing to know what he was ''feeling'' as he lay bleeding out.
** Another episode has the defendant dismiss his lawyer and represent himself [[Large Ham|with plenty of pork]]; he takes particular pleasure in cross-examining a man he stabbed, pressing to know what he was ''feeling'' as he lay bleeding out.
* Michael Bluth represents his family in a mock trial on ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]''. His family mocks him, assuming he only thinks he's a lawyer because he portrayed one in a grade-school play, ''The Trial of Captain Hook'', once upon a time.
* Michael Bluth represents his family in a mock trial on ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]''. His family mocks him, assuming he only thinks he's a lawyer because he portrayed one in a grade-school play, ''The Trial of Captain Hook'', once upon a time.
* Happens from time to time in the various ''[[Law and Order (Franchise)|Law and Order]]'' shows. This can be especially uncomfortable on ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit|Law and Order Special Victims Unit]]'', when it involves an accused rapist cross-examining his alleged victim.
* Happens from time to time in the various ''[[Law & Order (Franchise)|Law & Order]]'' shows. This can be especially uncomfortable on ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]'', when it involves an accused rapist cross-examining his alleged victim.
** It's actually subverted in ''[[Law & Order|Law and Order]]'' Prime. Defendants will occasionally represent themselves, but rarely to their own detriment. When they are convicted, it is for the same reason the represented defendants are. Some notable cases are [[Magnificent Bastard|Phillip Swann]], [[Off on a Technicality|Marty Winston]], [[Affably Evil|Victor Vargas Moreno]], [[Faux Affably Evil|Richard Morriston]], [[Murder by Mistake|Catherine Waxman]], [[Church Militant|Drew Seeley]], [[Stalker with a Crush|Susan Boyd]], [[Right-Wing Militia Fanatic|Phil Christie]], [[Amoral Attorney|Harold Jensen]], [[Big Bad Friend|Mark Paul Kopell]], [[Western Terrorist|Mousah Salim]], [[Face Death with Dignity|Simon Vilanis]], [[Leave No Witnesses|Leland Barnes]], [[Bungled Suicide|Davey Buckley]], Gordon Samuels, and [[Insanity Defense|James Smith]].
** It's actually subverted in ''[[Law & Order]]'' Prime. Defendants will occasionally represent themselves, but rarely to their own detriment. When they are convicted, it is for the same reason the represented defendants are. Some notable cases are [[Magnificent Bastard|Phillip Swann]], [[Off on a Technicality|Marty Winston]], [[Affably Evil|Victor Vargas Moreno]], [[Faux Affably Evil|Richard Morriston]], [[Murder by Mistake|Catherine Waxman]], [[Church Militant|Drew Seeley]], [[Stalker with a Crush|Susan Boyd]], [[Right-Wing Militia Fanatic|Phil Christie]], [[Amoral Attorney|Harold Jensen]], [[Big Bad Friend|Mark Paul Kopell]], [[Western Terrorist|Mousah Salim]], [[Face Death with Dignity|Simon Vilanis]], [[Leave No Witnesses|Leland Barnes]], [[Bungled Suicide|Davey Buckley]], Gordon Samuels, and [[Insanity Defense|James Smith]].
*** The last of these had an unusual justification for him defending himself - he was a trained lawyer, but the same mental illness that drove him to kill had prevented him from actually practicing law a day in his life. He thus saw his own murder trial as potentially his only chance to do what he'd always wanted to do.
*** The last of these had an unusual justification for him defending himself - he was a trained lawyer, but the same mental illness that drove him to kill had prevented him from actually practicing law a day in his life. He thus saw his own murder trial as potentially his only chance to do what he'd always wanted to do.
* This happens in ''[[Red Dwarf]]'', allowing the setup of the following gag:
* This happens in ''[[Red Dwarf]]'', allowing the setup of the following gag:
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* [[Moral Guardians]] and dear friend of gamers everywhere [[wikipedia:Jack Thompson (activist)|Jack Thompson]] tried this during his disbarment hearings. It didn't quite work the way he wanted.
* [[Moral Guardians]] and dear friend of gamers everywhere [[wikipedia:Jack Thompson (activist)|Jack Thompson]] tried this during his disbarment hearings. It didn't quite work the way he wanted.
* Courts, especially lower courts (County, District, Local, Magistrates, etc.) will bend over backwards to accommodate self-represented litigants who at least are trying to get their matter resolved. The rather amusing spectacle of a Magistrate (and sometimes even Police Prosecutors, who while not allowed to directly help may slip them copies of exonerating evidence the defendant has forgotten to bring to the court) actively helping a defendant with their case is fairly common in most court rooms.
* Courts, especially lower courts (County, District, Local, Magistrates, etc.) will bend over backwards to accommodate self-represented litigants who at least are trying to get their matter resolved. The rather amusing spectacle of a Magistrate (and sometimes even Police Prosecutors, who while not allowed to directly help may slip them copies of exonerating evidence the defendant has forgotten to bring to the court) actively helping a defendant with their case is fairly common in most court rooms.
* Counter-intuitively, this trope might not be a complete [[Truth in Television]]. The insane [[Complete Monster|Colin Fergusons]] aside, a recent study, [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=901610 found here], argues that most pro se criminal defendants are not mentally ill, and don't generally do much worse than represented criminal defendants.
* Counter-intuitively, this trope might not be a complete [[Truth in Television]]. The insane [[Complete Monster|Colin Fergusons]] aside, a recent{{when}} study, [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=901610 found here], argues that most ''pro se'' criminal defendants are not mentally ill, and don't generally do much worse than represented criminal defendants.
* David Irving represented himself in his libel suit against Deborah Lipstadt for calling him a holocaust denier. It was not a great success.
* David Irving represented himself in his libel suit against Deborah Lipstadt for calling him a holocaust denier. It was not a great success.
* [http://asianhistory.about.com/od/profilesofasianleaders/p/fmarcosbio.htm Ferdinand Marcos] was once accused by taking part in a politically motivated assassination. Long story short he represented himself and won. He would continue on to become the President of the Philippines before implementing martial law and becoming a dictator. He was removed from power following the People Power Revolution (Also known as the EDSA revolution) in 1986.
* [http://asianhistory.about.com/od/profilesofasianleaders/p/fmarcosbio.htm Ferdinand Marcos] was once accused by taking part in a politically motivated assassination. Long story short he represented himself and won. He would continue on to become the President of the Philippines before implementing martial law and becoming a dictator. He was removed from power following the People Power Revolution (Also known as the EDSA revolution) in 1986.
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