Starting a lawsuit can be unpleasant, costly, and
time-consuming.
The legal system is not intended for self-represented parties,
but sometimes people have no choice but to represent themselves.
Sometimes, self-represented parties lose their case. Sometimes,
they prevail. Typically, when a party wins at trial, they receive
compensation for damages, and also something called a costs
award. The costs award is meant to offset legal fees.
But what happens when there are no legal fees because you
handled it yourself? A recent court case in Ontario examined the
principles that apply when deciding an appropriate costs award for
someone representing themselves.
First, some background on the costs system.
