Increase In Self-Represented Litigants Increases Issues

Recent news stories have been buzzing about the implications of Dellen Millard, the person accused of murdering Laura Babcock some years ago, foregoing counsel and choosing to act as a self-represented defendant. Much of the concern over this interesting strategy regards the court process for examining witnesses. In Criminal Court proceedings, an accused is entitled by law to cross-examine any of the witnesses called by the prosecution. For the Laura Babcock case this means the accused has the right to personally question persons such as the victim's father. While this may cause unease to some for moral reasons, there is a bigger issue at play when self-represented litigants proceed to trials.