Why shouldn’t I represent myself? (Part II)

– RJ, Texas

Answer:

I recently saw someone charged with two possession of marijuana cases and a bail jumping charge. They represented themselves and entered a plea to time served on one marijuana case and the bail jumping case. Many people would be happy with this deal. They would be wrong. That marijuana conviction is going to cause a six month driver’s license suspension. They will have to pay $150 a year in surcharges and a license reinstatement fee. They will be unable to drive legally without an occupational license that will cost at least $300 plus the costs of an SR-22 (the same insurance required if they had been convicted of a DWI). They’re already at over $750 over the next three years. On top of that, they have a drug conviction on their permanent record which will show up in any criminal history check for the rest of their lives. All this could have been avoided if they had hired an experienced criminal defense lawyer. I know this because in the very same court under similar circumstances one of my clients was offered a worse deal and I was able to keep them from getting convicted of the marijuana charge. In that case, my client was a convicted felon on parole. Pay me now or pay for your case for years to come.

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