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The Ethics of Criminal Defense Open Article in Another Window
January 2001
Ethical dilemmas in criminal defense.
Special Credit -- Legal Ethics
1. The duty of the prosecutor is to seek justice, not merely convict.  True  False
2. The "free narrative" form of defendant testimony has been expressly approved in California by cases dealing with anticipated defendant perjury.  True  False
3. If a criminal defense attorney anticipates client perjury, filing a motion to withdraw from the case is a foolproof solution to the problem.  True  False
4. The basic aim of the duty of confidentiality and the corresponding attorney-client privilege is to promote full and open communication between cilent and attorney.  True  False
5. Whenever a client communicates an intention to commit perjury, the attorney must strongly advise the client against committing perjury.  True  False
6. A defense attorney's action of advising a client that the attorney would either inform the court if the client committed perjury while testifying at trial or withdraw from representation has been deemed to be in accord with professional standards.  True  False
7. The ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct authorizes disclosure by defense counsel of client perjury but does not require such disclosure.  True  False
8. A defense attorney who comes into possession of physical evidence relevant to a potential criminal case may test it and examine it, even if it destroys the verity of the evidence.  True  False
9. An attorney can hold contraband on behalf of a client provided the attorney turns it over to the proper authorities within 14 days fo receiving it.  True  False
10. Although the fact that physical evidence was delivered by the client to the lawyer is protected by the attorney-client privilege, the physical evidence itself is not protected by the privilege.  True  False
11. An attorney with possession of physical evidence should not return it to the client if he or she has reason to believe the evidence will be destroyed.  True  False
12. Whenever defense counsel removes or alters evidence, the attorney-client privilege bars testimony regarding the original location or condition of the evidence in question.  True  False
13. The attorney-client privilege extends to protect observations by counsel made as a consequence of protected communications, assuming those observations did not involve the relocation or altering of evidence.  True  False
14. Information regarding prior convictions is crucial to an attorney who is competently representing a client and who anticipates consequences for sentencing and potential impeachment.  True  False
15. As an officer of the court, it is the criminal defense attorney's job to assist the probation department in its investigations.  True  False
16. The defense attorney's job is to defend the client zealously and competently.  True  False
17. Assuming no waiver of the privilege against self-incrimination, the client has the right to refuse to answer questions regarding a prior criminal record.  True  False
18. An attorney must maintain the confidence and preserve the secrets of his of her client, no matter what risks the attorney runs.  True  False