What it is: a person who represents themselves in a proceeding — without an attorney.
Honest advice: family law is paper- and deadline-heavy. Pro se is possible, but in contested or financially complex cases it can be expensive and understandable. Even “simple” cases involve filing deadlines, court rules, and negotiation — that’s exactly the help an attorney can provide.
What pro se really costs: the filing fees you save on a lawyer you can lose in rejected filings, missed deadlines, or a bad agreement you didn’t realize was bad. The judge can’t give you legal advice just because you’re unrepresented.
Watch out for: if the other side has a lawyer and you don’t, the gap shows fast — especially in discovery and at hearing. At minimum, a consultation or limited-scope help can prevent the costliest mistakes.
