Pro Se Pitfalls: Why Representing Yourself Can Cost You More

Pro Se Pitfalls: Why Representing Yourself Can Cost You More

From Lawfully Ever After by Julie Potts, Esq

September 25, 2025 · 28 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the challenges and risks of representing oneself in family court, highlighting the importance of legal representation.

Send a text Thinking about representing yourself in family court? In this candid conversation, we break down what “pro se” really means—and why even seasoned attorneys won’t do it. We cover when mediation helps (and its limits), the critical protections people miss in DIY agreements (like securing alimony with life insurance), and the evidentiary traps that derail cases—hello, hearsay and inadmissible police reports. You’ll hear how judges expect self-represented parties to follow the same ru...

People in this episode

Host: Julie Potts, Esq

Topics covered

  • pro se representation
  • family court
  • mediation
  • DIY agreements
  • legal pitfalls
  • evidentiary issues

Keywords

  • pro se
  • family court
  • mediation
  • alimony
  • life insurance
  • hearsay
  • inadmissible evidence

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