Do I need an attorney?

If this a criminal case, you should ask for a public defender. If it is a civil case, you may well need an attorney, onlk you know for sure. Since your opponent is on disability, your chances of recovering any attorney fees are really very slim even if they were possible.

With all due respect to your attorney friend, I think it's horrible advice to suggest you represent yourself on a criminal case, no matter how nutty you think the complaining witness is.

You won't just be up against the complaining witness in a criminal case - you're facing a prosecutor who has legal training and education. No matter how poised you are in court, you won't simply get to plead your case to the judge and have them rule - there are procedural issues and rights you have that need protecting.

If you trust your attorney friend enough to ask him another question, this time ask for a referral to a criminal defense attorney in your area. The stakes, even if it is a low-level misdemeanor, are just too high. Risking a criminal conviction isn't worth it.

I might add, now that we know it is a criminal case, that if the case is so weak, why did the Prosecutor file it? Obviously, the Prosecutor believes the the other party. Now is the time to hire counsel, perhaps they can convince the Prosecutor the complaining party is a crank.