SELF REPRESENTED

How often we hear, "He who represents himself has a fool for a client." To that some say, "He who is represented is usually taken for a fool.-Richard Wayne.

The Court in Canada are trying hard to appear as though they are accomodating citizens, who go before the Court without representation, by setting up self-help information centres. One such information centre recently opened in the City of Vancouver at the B.C. Supreme Court. Free classes and workshops are available to the public on a variety of legal issues, mainly family law and civil litigation. No legal advice is provided, as the volunteers for the pilot project are not lawyers. http://www.supremecourtselfhelp.bc.ca

The senior Chief Justices and Chief Judges of Canada are working together to try and reduce the cost of litigation and improve access to justice. They are trying to strike a balance between access and affordability on the one hand and procedural fairness on the other, as their main objective is to deal with unrepresented litigants which are a fast growing group of users of the civil justice system.

Accordingly, Judges admit that there are difficulties in having an unrepresented litigant in a civil action from the perspective of the bench, opposing counsel, and court administration. That said, seminars are held accross the country trying to find novel approaches in dealing with the unrepresented. One of the questions the bench and Bar are discussing is "Where is this trend going?" How can the bench, Bar and court administrations better assist the unrepresented?"

What is interesting about such project and seminars held by Chief Justices of our Courts is how the bench and the Bar together have eradicated trial by juries wherein only a few personal injury cases are entitled to select a jury for their case.

This is to say that while the bench and the Bar concern themselves about the overgrowing trend of citizens going before the court unrepresented, what the bench and Bar ought to concern themselves about it the overgrowing trend of the Canadian people seing their justice system failing them at almost every level. For example, by eradicating trial by juries, the justice system have eradicated "democracy", as being tried before a Judge alone on any matters, be it criminal and/or civil, can indeed be a very risky proposition for those who are unrepresented.

Further, what the bench and the Bar are not telling people is that the Court is a business for big corporations and for those who are considered to have "status". It does not tell the people that the Court no longer is in the business of giving equity to anyone, including self-represented, who naively go to court, believing that justice in court will prevail.

Thus for the readers, who are ready to make a 360 degree change, J4Y proposes that you click on myhts of court and read the story of litigation vortex by Linda Kennedy.

In the meantime, keep in mind that you if are not a Count or an Heiress or a Bank, then your chance in court to win is as slim as winning the lottery, as no matter whether your case has any merit, the court will not give equity and going to court without representation from a member of the bar, is an insult to both the bench and the Bar, as they try to maintain power over the courts.

Keep in mind, as the numbers of self-represented go before the Court, the likelyhood of finding out the true nature of the Justice System becomes more apparent. This is to say that the bench and the Bar do not want their their secret out, as their biggest fear is that self-represented are better than any lawyers who attended law school for some years.

The biggest demise for the bench and Bar is their thirst for power, and their desperate need to hold on to it.