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The rule of thumb is: you don't need to be represented by a professional. Hiring an advocate/legal advisor is totally up to you. If you feel that you don't need it, you can act in court on your own and that's fine too. Conversely, if you think you need legal aid, you have to find a lawyer yourself (and act quick), the court will not help you with it.

It's also possible that you'd like to be represented by a professional lawyer but can't afford to hire one - in such a case you can apply for a court-appointed lawyer, who will represent you in court for free. In order to do that, you have to fill out an application and submit it with the court (you can do it before your case starts or when it's already started). In the application you'll have to describe your family situation, your income and expenses. If the court comes to the conclusion that you really can't afford a lawyer, you'll be assigned one, who will represent you throughout the whole case. It's important to remember, however, that if you lose the case, the court may charge you your lawyer's fees (the exact amounts are established in the Regulation of the Minister of Justice of 22nd October 2015 regulating the fees for advocate's activities).