Things One Learns as a Litigant in Person at the UK High Court
Don't fear the official manuals
With some exceptions, my experience as a Litigant in Person (LIP) in the UK has thus far been satisfying and fascinating. Very, very time consuming, sure, but one learns a lot along the way. I love learning. It also helps me understand what publishers (or media) go through, which in turn helps me when I write on the topic, as I have for decades. The British system (or English Law) resembles the analogous or equivalent systems in dozens of countries worldwide (mostly Commonwealth and former BE colonies); there are profound overlaps, as they're modeled after the British system, seldom vice versa. This means the scope isn't as narrow as it may seem on the surface. A lot of acquired knowledge extends more broadly or globally.
Being LIP does not scare me because over a decade ago a friend of mine, who has a disability, told me that for a number of years he studied the law (on his own) and spent years doing well in Court as an LIP. Today I went through all the E-mails that we exchanged before the pandemic. Sometimes I still see him in Town. Despite his disability, he did well; he compensated for his lack of qualifications by doing a lot of hard work, lots of reading. He managed to impress Judges, who sided with him (the case concerned his health).
I never thought I too would one day become LIP.
When it comes to accessibility, well... many forms have accessible versions. That's a very good thing. Not every country has that.
There are other things to like.
First, virtually anything can be done in paper form. This means that some if not all proprietary software (albeit not proprietary formats) can be avoided and working in LibreOffice (or similar; there are shortcomings) is doable. The documentation (e.g. manuals) online is not too shabby; it's usually possible to learn the basics, without having to complete a Law Degree and attend further workshops to gain further experience and qualifications. If something you do is imperfect, there's a good chance that lenience from clerks will help put things in better form if not immaculate shape. When it comes to hearings, I've learned that remote hearings can be done over the landline. Simpler solutions are typically more robust.
When I began as LIP in January I had some qualms and hesitation. However, I am still learning a lot along the way. People who offload everything to lawyers will never know and understand protocols, procedures, and workflows. If one intends to explain those things in simple terms, then hands-on experience is imperative.
I am not entirely new to the domain of law, having written a lot about copyright and patent laws for over 20 years. Being an LIP helps me better understand what an ordinary person goes through. It's an educational experience, at the very least. It emerged out of a real need. I am still hungry for justice. █