When you need to hire a criminal defense attorney, the chances are that you have found yourself in a spot of trouble. Whether guilty or not, however, there is one person in the world that will have your back… and that is your criminal defense attorney. These are the people that swoop in and save you when your back is to the justice wall… but what are the ethics and professional responsibilities of those attorneys? Just how far does that loyalty extend?
What are the Ethical and Professional Responsibilities of a Criminal Defense Attorney?
Ethics for criminal defense lawyers should always include the following things…
A Duty to the Client
Your criminal defense attorney has several duties towards you, to provide you with the best professional standard of responsibility possible.
The attorney’s duties towards the client include the following things:
- They have a duty to provide high-quality, accurate, and effective representation of their client always, and in all things.
- They have a duty to steer clear of conflicts of interest… This means if your grievance is with their cousin, they are not allowed to represent you, and you can sue them if they do represent you and omit this fact.
- Your criminal defense attorney should not just be acting on your behalf, they should be working to ensure that what happened to you does not happen to others in the future. If the circumstances which caused your accident can possibly be avoided in the future, they should be. Your case should highlight it.
- Client-attorney privilege should always be maintained. In short, this means that anything you tell your attorney should be considered to have been said in confidence.
- They should always be duly diligent in all interactions with you, or on your behalf.
- Your criminal defense attorney should go to reasonable lengths to investigate your case on your behalf. They should secure all info on the trial, case, and any other findings, before the court and on your behalf.
If you can find a criminal defense attorney that does all these things, then you are still only halfway there.
A Duty to the Court
As well as having a duty to the client, your criminal defense attorney has a duty to perform the actions and tasks that the court demands of them. This means filing paperwork in a timely and orderly fashion, ensuring there is no misrepresentation of any aspects of your case, and informing you of any laws or sentences that are related to your case. Again, they should avoid any conflict of interests and should not follow any illegal or unethical tasks that are requested by the client.
Where Can I Get an Ethical, Professional, And Responsible Criminal Defense Attorney?
You can find a criminal defense attorney that lives up to all your expectations simply by contacting a Southern Minnesota criminal defense law firm near you. With the help of a lawyer, you will gain the representation you need, to give yourself the fairest trial possible. Do not let the courts pin the blame on you. Get some representation and remember to hold them to account for all their ethical choices and actions in your name.
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