The Ultimate Guide to Representing Yourself in Court

In the late 1970s I had the misfortune of having my vehicle catch fire while I was driving. The cab of the vehicle was totally scorched out and only the arrival of the Broomfield, Colorado Fire Department prevented the fire from reaching the gas tank and creating what might have been a life-threatening conflagration on the Boulder Turnpike. In their investigation the Fire Marshal concluded that the fire had been caused by the fact that the manufacturer had placed an open bolt hole directly over the catalytic converter and that when the catalytic converter overheated the heat caused the rug material (made of a flammable plastic to catch on fire). In an effort to get the damage paid for, I filed a Small Claims tort against the automobile manufacturer but was shocked when the manufacturer produced their own "experts" and attorneys who managed to confuse the issue to the point that the suit was dismissed.

That experience was so instructive and so angered me that I vowed never to lose again in court. With the exception of one traffic case that cost just $40 I have been successful. In the State of Washington I have had three "speed trap" speeding tickets completely dismissed and have filed over a half dozen pro se lawsuits, all of which have been successful.