- Most predictably and intuitively: They can take advantage of their greater knowledge of the law and court rules to make better arguments and to outmaneuver you in a case, whether in the form of the documents filed with the court or in the courtroom itself.
- Less obvious: a bias against the self-represented (pro se) litigant. Pro se litigants are often (not always but often) uneducated and mentally and emotionally unstable (which leads to them making a lot mistakes and stirring up a lot of trouble), so there is an unfortunate presumption that attaches to all pro se litigants that because they are proceeding pro se, they are likely uneducated and mentally and emotionally unstable, which causes many judges to treat pro se litigants coolly at best and with antagonism and prejudice at worst. Thus, parties who are represented by attorneys (even if the attorney isn’t all that good) get the benefit of the presumption that “this litigant likely won’t be a problem.”
Utah Family Law, LC | divorceutah.com | 801-466-9277