Analyzing the Attorney-Client Relationship: What Do Criminal Defense Attorneys Owe Their Guiltiest Clients?

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Citations

Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/gt54kp963

Abstract

The profession of a criminal defense attorney is often seen as a controversial one, primarily due to the almost guarantee that they will be defending individuals who are guilty of committing egregious crimes. Several complicated and difficult questions arise in criminal defense work, especially regarding what the best approach is for interacting with the ‘guiltiest clients.’ To answer this question, I first go into what it means to be understood and why it’s important for all humans. Once a definition for understanding and its importance have been established, I then go into a philosophical discussion that argues all humans inherently desire to be understood by those around them because it makes them feel equal to their peers. As a result, I argue that criminal defense attorneys have a moral obligation to make their guiltiest clients feel understood.

Creator