Question often comes up regarding will the court appoint an attorney to represent me in my custody case or in my divorce and the answer in Colorado is no. There are certain circumstances in Florida where a child has been the subject of a dependency and neglect proceeding or a guardianship proceeding where certain procedures are put in place so that that parent can get legal counsel.

So if you go into a divorce case or a child custody case and you do not have a lawyer representing you I would not expect a court to appoint a lawyer to represent you in a custody or a divorce action as that is not something that is mandated by Florida law.

This of course is a rather serious problem in the state, where there are more people each day that are not represented, they're call pro se litigants. Pro se meaning they are representing themselves and they do not get the kind of legal advice that is recommended when a parent or anyone who's going through a divorce, a custody case, or other kind of family law matter.

So it's always advisable to call your friends, your business associates, your employer, your relatives and get the kind of economic financial help that you may need so that you get proper legal advice.

Usually when we go through one of these family law proceedings, such as a divorce or a custody case, you're not going to get the chance to do the case over just because you don't like the result from the judge or you want to tell the judge, “Well I know I went through my divorce, but I didn't have a lawyer represent me.” That's not going to be grounds for the judge to give you a new trial or a new hearing. You should do this right the first time. If at all possible get the kind of financial help you need and hire a qualified lawyer knowing that the court is not going to appoint a lawyer for you.