Whatever the stress and anxiety created by completing forms, filing and serving documents, and communicating with a lawyer on the other side, it is appearing in court – whether at a preliminary hearing, a case conference or a full trial – that is the most intensely anticipated and intimidating aspect of the SRL experience.

Even the most self-confident SRLs experience anxiety about speaking for themselves in front of a judge.  Even those who feel that they are well-prepared, talk about how nervous they become as their court date approaches, and many recount being unable to sleep for several nights before their appearance.

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