How to prepare and present a winning civil court case. Many disputes are too big for small claims court but too small to justify a lawyer’s fee. Fortunately, if you’re willing to learn the courtroom ropes, you can successfully handle your own case from start to finish. Represent Yourself in Court breaks the pretrial and trial process down into easy-to-understand steps. Armed with these clear and thorough instructions, you’ll be well prepared to: Draft and file court papers – get help from an attorney or legal coach – obtain and prepare your evidence, including social media postings – handle depositions – line up, prepare, and examine witnesses – present an opening statement – make and respond to objections – pick a jury if necessary, and – deal with the court clerk and judge. Whether you’re a plaintiff or a defendant, this book will help you handle a bankruptcy, divorce, landlord-tenant dispute, breach of contract case, small business dispute―or any other civil lawsuit. The 10th edition is completely updated to include the latest rules and court procedures.