My Father Mocked Me for Coming to Court Without a Lawyer, But the Judge Opened My File and the Whole Room Went Silent

“You don’t even have the money to hire a lawyer.”

My father’s voice carried across the courtroom sharp and amused, like he had just delivered a line everyone else was too polite not to appreciate. A few people did laugh. Not loudly. Not enough to be called cruel in retrospect. Just enough.

I stood at the respondent’s table with both hands resting lightly continue reading …