united-states unlicensed-practice legal-representation
I fancy myself an amateur lawyer. Can I represent someone in court, in the state of Maryland?
<p>I live in Montgomery County Maryland. I am not a lawyer.</p>

<p>But I have significant legal experience. I have successfully sued people, watched many trials, I have successfully won dozens of trials for my own traffic violations. And I'm a former state legislator. So I have read and argued about lots of legislation. Sometimes I feel like an amateur lawyer myself. And a pretty darn good one at that.</p>

<p>My father recently received a ticket from an automated-traffic-enforcement system because he made a right turn without coming to a full stop. The fine is $75. But he doesn't want to pay it and I don't want him to pay it. It's more the principle of the matter than the fine amount.</p>

<p>Because of my extensive experience litigating traffic trials, I want to represent my father in his trial. But as I mentioned above, I am not a licensed attorney. Can I represent him nonetheless? When the judge goes through the docket and calls his case, can I stand up and say, "Your Honor, I'm here representing Mr. Ali in this case?" Or will I get in trouble for doing so?</p>

<p>This case is in the District Court of Maryland in Montgomery County.</p>

<p>If you are not a member of the Bar of Maryland, you may not &quot;practice, attempt to practice, or offer to practice law in the State unless admitted to the Bar.&quot; <a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/maryland/2005/gbo/10-601.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Maryland Business Occupations and Professions § 10-601</a>.</p>
<p>&quot;Practicing law&quot; includes &quot;representing another person before a unit of the State government or of a political subdivision.&quot; <a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/maryland/2005/gbo/10-101.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Maryland Business Occupations and Professions § 10-101</a>.</p>
<p>&quot;[A] person who violates § 10-601 of this subtitle is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or both.&quot; <a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/maryland/2005/gbo/10-606.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Maryland Business Occupations and Professions § 10-606</a>.</p>
<p>EDIT: Because it's coming up in the comments I'll add that the option of a &quot;McKenzie friend&quot; is unavailable in Maryland and in the United States generally. There are <a href="https://www.wsba.org/for-legal-professionals/join-the-legal-profession-in-wa/limited-license-legal-technicians/become-a-legal-technician" rel="nofollow noreferrer">some jurisdictions</a> (404. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20191124234802/http://www.wsba.org:80/for-legal-professionals/join-the-legal-profession-in-wa/limited-license-legal-technicians/become-a-legal-technician" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Archive</a>. ) experimenting with limited representation by non-lawyers, but I don't know of any such moves in Maryland.</p>
