Self Representation

Bad idea. When a defendant affirmatively asserts his right to self-representation under a California case, a written waiver of the right to counsel is not required under the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.

The defendant has an absolute right to self-representation. There is no script of questions that a judge needs to ask to determine that defendants knows all the pitfalls of representing themselves.

A defendant who represents himself is expected to conduct himself like an attorney to the best of his ability.

A defendant need not be admonished regarding the “dangers and disadvantages of self-representation” unless the defendant is contesting his guilt.

According to the United States Supreme Court, a defendant who represents himself cannot argue on appeal that the quality of his own defense amounted to the denial off effective assistance of counsel.

In essence, would you not be a little bit scared that you might bleed to death if you operated on yourself? Why would you go into court and try to represent yourself?