Self-representation in court, called appearing "in person", is a legal right. But the question of when it makes sense, and what it actually costs, deserves an honest answer.
Litigants in India have the right to represent themselves before any court. This is called appearing "in person" or as a "party-in-person." It is not uncommon in consumer forum matters, matrimonial proceedings (particularly mutual consent divorces), and small-value civil suits.
The question is not whether you can represent yourself, it is whether it makes sense to do so in your specific matter. The answer depends on three factors: the complexity of the legal issues involved, the value of the outcome to you, and your familiarity with the court process.
For matters with straightforward facts and well-established legal outcomes, a mutual consent divorce where terms are agreed, an uncontested probate application, a simple affidavit, self-representation is often practical.
For matters where the legal outcome is genuinely uncertain, where the other side is legally represented, where interim orders are sought (injunctions, bail, maintenance), or where the facts are disputed and cross-examination will determine the outcome, self-representation carries real risk.
The cost of an advocate is a real consideration. We do not pretend otherwise. But the relevant comparison is not the advocate's fee against nothing, it is the advocate's fee against the potential cost of an adverse outcome.
Our view: if the matter is significant enough to be in court, it is usually significant enough to have proper legal representation. If cost is the constraint, that is a conversation worth having at the first consultation.
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