Is hiring lawyer mandatory in civil matter

Hi All,

I want to know if hiring a lawyer is mandatory for civil matters related to family law eg. RCR, MCD, child custody etc. Can someone represent himself in the civil court for these matters without a lawyer? What will the court do in such case?

The thing is I'm actually very disappointed by the system. I've had two different lawyers, one for my RCR and one for MCD and they both cheated me in one way or other. Actually the system is such that once MCD starts, boy's lawyer shakes hangs very well with the girl's lawyer as the girl is now about to get rich. And in the process some of the girl's wishes may still be carried out.

I believed on my second lawyer as he was known in the family. But he also deliberately changed the child's custody clause as mentioned in mutual agreement and submitted in the joint petition of first motion of MCD. Mutual agreement said child's cusotdy is open and will be decided by the Hon'ble court but joint petition says father will never file child's custody case.

Please advise.

Thanks.