last hearing (oct 2014), I started off by telling deputy president that I was so nervous, could I sit down when I spoke.
four hours later, after hearing adjourned (now 15 weeks), I looked over at lawyer and ... next to him, and there faces looked like someone had died.
Another court case, I thought I would sus out what barrister was like. Told him, look I cant even hold this glass, my hand was shaking.
He responded by filling a glass and sculling it in front of me.
At end of civil trial, he turned to me, and said well done. I won, proving a breach of a verbal contract.
Before that trial, judge looked at me and kept looking back at my statement of claim. He said 'you did this', he turned to my opponent and said this guy knows what he is doing.
When I first went to magistrates court, clerk thought I was dipstick. Six weeks later, when I came in, he called out his staff in front o the lawyers lined up, and said this guy knows more about legal procedure than all present.
They were probably only junior lawyers, but point is all you need is confidence, passion, and a bit of study in the state library, and then you are ready to go.
The truth should always prevail, and evidenced is key.