There is a great deal of information on the internet for those who go to court without legal representation, but not all of it is accurate, even when it’s published by a reputable source.

Just before I went to my first court hearing as a litigant in person (in legal proceedings that I had started), I quickly double-checked something on the web. What I then found was not what I remembered about it, but as the web site on which I found the information was high-quality, I assumed that I had remembered things incorrectly.

The judge set me straight. The information I had remembered was correct; the information I found on the reputable web site was out of date. it did not matter in this case, but it could have been important. Mistakes like this can get a case thrown out of court.

Also, even court staff such as ushers sometimes deliberately give you the wrong information, by way of joke. It is not supposed to happen, but it does. Be prepared for that.

Don’t pay too much attention by what that you’re told in the pub either. Many Britons may be excellent bullshitters, certainly when they’ve had a pint or two, but don’t get fooled by appearances. Don’t instantly discard everything you’re told, but don’t blindly take it for the truth either (or the opposite: the person you consider stupid may be smarter than you can imagine).

Rely on solid information. Be your own authority on the law and the legal process. That’s how you need to operate as a litigant in person. You set the course.