Q: My son is 18. He recently got a ticket for trespassing. He has no clue what he has done wrong. Can I represent him
He was standing on what he thought was a public sidewalk. It was late at night. An officer pulled up, gave him a ticket with notice to appear in court. He was too afraid to tell me so he went alone to court. The ticket was for trespassing. He knows better than to question a LEO. He appeared and the judge said he could go to pre-trial or 6 months in jail. He opted for pre-trial. He finally had the guts to tell me what was going on. I was able to explain to him his infraction. He understands now. But, can I go with him to court and explain this to a judge without being in contempt? because it angers me that my son was with a LEO and also in front of a judge that could not explain this to him and ask him to explain himself in order to get to the bottom line. I am not a lawyer, I only have a bachelors degree in Justice Admin.
A:
I do not know about Colorado, but I know Florida, and believe the following is true in every state.
Unless you are a lawyer, you cannot represent anyone else. Also, in Florida, unless it is in small claims court, you cannot represent your own corporation.
Is the failure to understand the fault of the judge or the LEO or the fault of your son because of an incapability to understand?
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A: You need to get your son a lawyer. It sounds like you both need some clear guidance on what the state is accusing your son of doing and how to best proceed. You should apply for a public defender today, and if you dont qualify ask for the low/slow pay list if you have limited funds.
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