DIY Law

My wife wishes I were more “handy.” With a design degree and architectural employment experience, she laments the fact that I don’t have an unlimited general contractor’s license and can’t put up crown molding, or refurbish a kitchen, or install a new shower. Some things, after a free consultation at Lowe’s or Home Depot, I can handle, like install a towel rack, file off the bottom of a sticking door, or replace the switch on a ceiling fan. When I do try a project outside my weight class, I’ll wind up calling a professional who will charge me at least twice as much to clean up my mistakes before doing the job the correct way.

You don’t need a contractor’s license to build your own house, and you don’t need a law license to represent yourself in court. However, the money you save by not hiring a professional may cost you double when you fail and have to hire somebody with a license to fix it, if it’s even possible to fix. I had a lady once who called with what sounded like a good case. She owned a zoo and a visitor hopped over the fence, tried to ride a zebra like a horse, got kicked pretty good by a ticked-off animal and sued. It was pretty easy to see that the fault in this case was not with the lady who owned the zoo, but with the Jeff Foxworthy fan who hopped the fence. Unfortunately, the lady thought the case was so ridiculous she tried to handle it by herself, basically by writing a letter to the courthouse saying she shouldn’t have to pay anything. Thinking that was enough, she didn’t properly answer the complaint, didn’t attend the hearing where the judge determined damages, and ignored the judgment that was entered. Only when the sheriff came with a notification that her business was being sold and all the assets seized to pay the judgment did she start calling attorneys to help. At that point, there was nothing any attorney could do for her.

Some legal projects are simple enough for the average person to take care of. Small car wrecks with just property damage or just an ER bill and no lasting injury; simple breaches of contract with low damages filed in small claims court; formation of a one person LLC with the secretary of state; are some examples. However, if you don’t feel comfortable even with these simple tasks, talk with an attorney sooner rather than later. The pennies you pay up front will save you hundreds of dollars later.

-Bradley A. Coxe is a practicing attorney in Wilmington, NC who practices in Personal Injury, Car Accidents, Medical Malpractice, Contract and Real Estate disputes, and all forms of Civil Litigation. Please contact him at (910) 772-1678.