Here’s the trap: you get charged, you panic, you think, “If I don’t hire a lawyer TODAY I’m going to jail.”
So you sign a $5K–$10K retainer you cannot afford. Then months go by and you still don’t understand your case.
A lot of cases don’t actually need full-service representation from day one. What you need first is clarity:
What are they saying you did wrong, and can they even prove it?
When you DO need a full lawyer ASAP
- A serious charge with possible jail time if convicted (violence, weapons, repeat impaired)
- You’re already breaching bail / you risk being re-arrested
- You can't safely speak without incriminating yourself
When you DON’T necessarily need to sign your life away
You often don’t need to pay a giant retainer just to:
- Ask for disclosure
- Request an adjournment because disclosure is missing
- Figure out if the Crown’s case is even solid
- Organize your notes and timeline
Those are things you can do with targeted coaching instead of lighting yourself on fire financially.
What “targeted help” looks like
We help with:
- Drafting what to say to Crown, respectfully
- Preparing questions for the officer
- Understanding medical / sedation / consent angles
- Writing a clean ask to the judge for more time
That can keep you alive in the system long enough to either:
(1) beat it, or
(2) hire the right lawyer at the right time, not in blind panic.
If money is your crisis right now
Email
support@self-represented-help.ca
with subject
“CAN’T AFFORD RETAINER”,
and tell us:
- Your next court date
- Your main charge
- Your #1 fear (license? jail? job? immigration?)
You deserve a path, not just a bill.