It’s important you try to get legal help if you can, if you are on low income you can in many cases get free or affordable legal advice. If you are attending court as a witness, you can get assistance and help with this process also. It’s best to get in touch with Solicitors Chester.

Ahead of taking legal action, you should be realistic about whether you can get what you want if you take a case to court. If your dispute is about a misunderstanding or communication breakdown, then the court is mostly the completely wrong place to resolve this in the majority of cases. Taking a case to court can be extremely stressful, and it can mean that a lot of time and money. If you lose you could have to pay the other side’s costs.

If you are trying to get money back, this is known as a small claims court. You can find more out about this by making a small claim.

You should definitely get whatever help that you can get. If you have to represent yourself in court, then you will be known as a ‘litigant in person’. Representing yourself is almost never advised. If you would like practical legal advice during your court case you can call the personal support to unite. A volunteer of the personal support unit can explain how the court works, who will then listen to you and assist with the paperwork. They can’t the other hand give you legal advice.

Take someone with you to the hearing, you can take someone with you when the court deals with your case (also known as the hearing).

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  You can take along with you

  
  


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  A citizen’s advice adviser

  
  


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  A personal support unit volunteer

  
  


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  A law centre worker

  
  


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  A friend

  
  


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  A family member

  
  

The person who accompanies you is known as a McKenzie friend. These can take notes, give you moral support and assist you with paperwork. Ask if they can advise you on what is going on in court or in legal matters they should be able to if they are an employee at an organisation like a law centre.

You will need to ask the court before the hearing if you want the person to speak in our place. It is up to the judge if this is allowed.

A lot of charities are in place to offer free support if you aren’t sure to ask the person who you want to take to court with you if you have to pay them.

Help with understanding English

If English isn’t your first language then you might want to bring someone along with you who can translate or interpret for you in your own language. You should ask the court beforehand, to make sure that you are able to do this.