Here's a number of reasons why. First of all, eviction courts in major cities are usually overloaded to begin with. There are just too many cases up each day for judges to handle. Keep in mind as well, that probably 90 percent or more of the cases that come before the court are fairly cut and dry the tenant has not been able to pay rent. Secondly, landlords with large holdings of apartment units and more and more landlords with smaller buildings are hiring attorneys to represent them in the eviction proceedings.
All lawyers have a duty to represent their clients with vigor and in an adversarial fashion.
And if you choose to represent yourself, you are usually held to the same standards as an attorney and among those standards are knowing the rules of evidence. So, just as I don't repair my own car or fix the clock in my VCR, it is really very unwise for any tenant to not be represented by an attorney in the eviction courts. The rules of evidence must be followed, you must know the applicable law extremely well, and you must be able to be concise and articulate under the great tensions and pressures you will feel when before the court when your case comes up. Lawyers are accustomed to such pressures and know the rules of evidence. If you hire your own attorney, he or she has the same duty as the landlord's attorney to represent you with vigor, total loyalty and in an adversarial manner.