Brenda Wardle - who denies the charges - is accused of pretending to be a practising attorney and offering to represent a convicted murderer.
She appeared at Port Elizabeth Commercial Crimes Court on Monday, South African media report.
She featured as an expert on the BBC during the 2014 Pistorius trial.
Ms Wardle, 56, also boasts of appearing on Sky News, Fox News and a number of South African broadcasters on her social media profiles.
She has published a book called To Kill A Fragile Rose: The State's Case Against Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius.
According to local media, these allegations date back to 2009, when she offered to represent a convicted murderer.
The family accuse her of charging around 500,000 rand (£28,600; $36,800) for her services over the next four years.
Ms Wardle will represent herself, against the advice of the magistrate, The Herald reports.
She was refused bail after failing to arrive at court on several occasions, IOL News said.
Ms Wardle will next appear in court on 27 July.
A woman who acted as a legal analyst for the media during the Oscar Pistorius trial has appeared in court charged with fraud.