Representing Yourself in Court

Can I Represent Myself in a Drink Driving Case in Ireland?

Can I defend a drink driving charge without a solicitor?

No.

Absolutely not.

That clear enough?

Some people think they can make a solid case.

They’ve argued politics with friends.

Handled themselves well in work debates.

Think quick on their feet.

Maybe they even Google well.

But courtroom argument isn’t argument, it’s procedure.

It’s rules. It’s knowing not just what to say, but when to say it and why.

Court is a world, but it's not your world.

Representing yourself in criminal court (we’re not talking small claims or parking tickets) is almost never advisable.

I’ve seen people do it. Once in a while they’re articulate, calm, composed. And they still lose.

Why is court so hard for people who’ve never been there?

Because you’ve never been in a place like it.

The courthouse is loud and quiet at the same time. People milling around in silence. Lawyers whispering strategy in corners. The Gardaí coming and going. The side door to the cells. The judge above you. The clerk calling names.

The formality.

The language.

You expected it to feel like something from television or some Netflix documentary.

You pictured Suits. Maybe Judge Judy.

What you get is anxiety.

"Court is a world,

but it's not your world"

And a growing awareness that you don’t understand the rules.

It’s not that you can’t speak. It’s that the setting changes your mental frame.

You planned to say something persuasive — now your voice is shaky and your mind’s gone blank.

In most cases people absolutely do not want to say a word.

That’s been my experience.

What’s the biggest risk of going it alone?

That you’ll assume the judge will help you. They won’t.

They can’t.

One man once asked the judge, “What do I say now?”

The judge answered, calmly but firmly, “I’m not your solicitor.”

You’re in a warzone with no training, no map, and no one beside you.

That’s not a good place to be obviously.

But it’s just a road traffic case, right?

No.

Drink driving cases are criminal cases. You’re facing a mandatory disqualification. That means:

• No car

• No insurance

• No job (maybe)

• Possible Visa or travel restrictions (given the recent Trump Administration crackdowns).

"There are over 700 court decisions

that shape drink driving law in Ireland.

You think you're ready

to go up against that?"

Even if you think, "I'm going to lose anyway, so why bother getting a lawyer?", you’re missing the point.

This isn’t about saving money.

It’s about doing everything in your power to avoid a conviction.

You only get one shot at that.

Court is not a place for 'trying your best'

For instance, what would you say?

How would you cross-examine?

What questions would you ask?

How would you know what to object to?

And why?

There are over 700 court decisions that shape drink driving law in Ireland.

You think you're ready to go up against that?

You don’t walk unarmed into a battlefield where the only outcome is losing your licence.

After all, it’s the choice between going off the road… or driving home.

And everybody wants to drive home.