Try Your Own Case

In Try Your Own Case, veteran trial lawyer Jordan Marsh takes his decades of courtroom experience and lays it all out to give self-represented litigants a fighting chance to get the best result possible in court. Try Your Own Case is an exceptionally readable guide to a complicated process, using common sense, humor, and plain English to walk through the different elements of a lawsuit. Whether you have tried unsuccessfully to find an attorney to represent you, or you are determined to go it alone, this book will walk you through the litigation process and give you the tools to try your own case effectively and persuasively. It is estimated that at least 75 percent of civil cases nationally include at least one self-represented (pro se) litigant. According to a recent study, more than 25 percent of all federal civil cases are filed by people without lawyers. That's a lot of self-represented litigants, most of whom are going up against qualified and well-paid attorneys. It doesn't seem like a fair fight. But isn't the point of a justice system to decide cases fairly? That's the general idea, but it rarely works out that way. The American judicial system -- like the judicial systems in most countries -- is adversarial. That means courts attempt to reach the best result and find the truth by two (or more) sides essentially competing against each other within the rules to convince a judge or a jury that their side should win. But that assumes both sides to a lawsuit have roughly equal resources and representation, which is often not the case. Fair or not, our legal system is not going away anytime soon. This book is an attempt to even the playing field between litigants who are represented by attorneys and those who are not. How? Through knowledge. A good attorney's greatest asset is knowledge. Knowledge truly is power. This book is here to walk people without lawyers through the civil justice system and provide them with the knowledge to navigate this complicated system and put up a good fight. Try Your Own Case includes: 15 chapters of instruction, explanation, tips and illustrations regarding every phase of the litigation process, from investigating your case through trial. Glossary of Legal terms 112-page appendix with forms, instructions, and sample pleadings. If you're going it alone, you should have the tools to navigate the legal system competently. This book is your toolbox.