Q: If a person decides at first to represent him or herself, can they later change their mind and hire a lawyer?
If a person decides at first to represent him or herself, can they later change their mind and hire a lawyer? How will the court view this type of shift?
A: In most circumstances, the only way the judge will have a problem with this scenario is if the defendant hires a new attorney on the eve of trial and then the new attorney asks that the trial be delayed so she can have more time to prepare and even in that case the judge might still be relieved to have an attorney representing the defendant because the trial will be more fair with attorneys on both sides.
Herman Martinez agrees with this answer
1 user found this answer helpful
A: Yes, but if wait until right before a major hearing, a lawyer may not want to enter an appearance in your case unless the hearing is postponed so that the lawyer can become knowledgable about your case and be prepared. In that situation, the Judge may not continue the case because you waited so long and then, as a practical matter, you may be unable to get a lawyer to represent you. Sooner is much better than later.
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