The Ethical Role Of Attorneys In Court

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The United States Constitution gives us the right of due process under the Fifth Amendment. The right to an attorney is something that should never be taken away. So how do attorneys help their clients? What standards are set to protect them? There are strict guidelines that attorneys must follow to avoid legal misconduct. These standards are stated by the American Bar Association in the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. It is very important that attorneys decide carefully before taking on a case for many reasons. They must remember that they have to carefully consider the needs and problems of their clients and uphold their ethical responsibilities to their profession and the criminal justice system. It is when a lawyer does not balance …show more content…

Family law attorneys often deal with secrets that are kept within families. These lawyers hear about domestic violence, sexual abuse, parental kidnapping, child abuse, and threats. This career field is often very stressful and attorneys must make sure that they do not become emotionally involved. The case that I chose to base this essay off of was not labeled with a case name, however it’s important to note that I retrieved it from the Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial …show more content…

The first alternative decision would have been on the mother’s attorney’s part. She could have chosen not to counsel her client on any grounds other than professional. She did not have to counsel her to run. It was part of her help and encouragement that persuaded the mother to violate the order given by the court. If she would not have fled the state, violating her restraining order she would not have been charged with the Class 5 felony. A second alternative decision would have been that the mother stay within the state of Colorado. In this instance she may have been able to somehow earn custody of her two children back. Due to her violating the court’s orders she may not even have the right to unsupervised visitation. The courts will be very cautious of allowing her to have any custody at all after her decisions. Attorneys must remember to base their professional decisions off of the standards set to them in their codes of professional conduct. If they choose not to do their jobs by the ethical standards, they will either be disbarred or charged criminally. The decisions of the attorneys often influence their clients so it is very important that they figure out how to balance the needs and problems associated with each client to the ethical standards of the criminal justice system

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