Do I need a lawyer or not?

Life is complicated as they say. And there are times that we will be in a situation where our position or transaction involves legal issues. When confronted with this scenario, do I need a lawyer or not? The answer to this question is dependent upon the surrounding circumstances that affect our position. Right? There are courts where a litigant can represent himself without the need of a lawyer to enforce a money claim or rights. But may I ask, was the case successfully ended in his favour? Personal injury and worker’s compensation are among the cases where a person can represent himself. These cases involve application of some laws and jurisprudence that only lawyers can understand and interpret for our case. A situation where no property rights are involved or whatever the outcome of the case if we opted to represent ourselves to enforce a right will not affect our property is okay. However, if the issue involves our legal rights, then I believe that the legal expertise of a lawyer must be sought. What do you think? Am I right in saying this? If for example, the issue I am dealing with is the custody of my child, should I self-represent or should I hire a lawyer to do the job of enforcing my right under the law. Lawyers services are expensive and litigation is a long process. Every appearance in court is billed to us and we have to pay the lawyer. At the end of the day, we would ask ourselves “is my decision correct in hiring a lawyer to represent me in my case. Do I have a choice?”