Do Most Defense Attorneys Distort Truth?
Critics of the defense bar charge that when a defendant is guilty, lawyers do everything in their power to prevent the truth from coming out. • The adversary system of justice encourages defense attorneys to distort the truth by making victory, not truth, the ultimate goal in a criminal lawsuit. This fosters a win-at-all-costs mentality on the part of defense attorneys, which, in turn, leads lawyers to pervert the truth. • Defense attorneys engage in unethical practices that twist the truth. They cross-examine for the purpose of discrediting the reliability or credibility of adverse witnesses who they know are telling the truth, and they put witnesses on the stand knowing the witnesses will commit perjury.
