A litigant in person, refers to an individual who is involved in legal proceedings and is not represented by a solicitor or a barrister. In other words, a litigant in person represents themselves in court or in any other legal process without the assistance of receiving legal advice or having somebody to speak on their behalf at court..
Litigants in person may choose to represent themselves for various reasons, such as financial constraints, a belief that they can handle their case on their own, or difficulty in finding suitable legal representation.
In the UK family courts many people are acting as Litigants in person (representing themselves and preparing their own case) as they are unable to afford solicitors fees and unable to obtain Legal Aid. This means you are responsible for preparing and filing all of your own applications; statements and evidence and appearing in court to speak for yourself. There are some family barristers that work under the direct access scheme which means an individual can instruct a barrister to take on their case and speak for them at court. It used to be the case that only solicitors could instruct a Barrister on behalf of a client but the direct access scheme has removed that obligation. If you are representing yourself but feel you require a Barrister to put forward your case and speak for you at court then search for direct access family barristers in your area.
Due to many people representing themselves and acting as litigants in person due to financial reasons FLPS has set up as a family law paralegal service, meaning we can offer support and assistance in your case preparation from start to finish with you continuing as a litigant in person and remaining in control of your case. We offer affordable supportive family law assistance which includes helping you prepare applications, statements and court preparation for final hearings.
Acting as a litigant in person in the family courts can be very distressing and stressful as you are dealing with matters of the family that are most important to you. FLPS can help, you are not alone. We will work with you every step of the way to help you feel that your voice is being heard.
Contact us via info@fl-ps.co.uk or call 02081 430730.