A
female
age
30-35,
anonymous
writes:Hi,I wanna go into Law in the future. I was wondering if anyone knew what I would do if I had to defend someone who was guilty of domestic violence. Would I have to defend him if people knew he was guilty? Is it bad?Thanks
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reader, anonymous, writes (14 May 2009): Yes, you would have to defend guilty people. Law is a difficult profession as Griim says in his third paragraph. If you decide to go into law, one of the key things you would have to think is would you be able to defend someone who is guilty.
It also varies according to the area of law you want to study. If, for example you wanted to study child's law, you would need to learn not to become emotionally attached to the children you work with. However, if you wanted to study Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims you would need to learn to keep you emotions to yourseld. Also you need to be prepared to defend someone who may be guilty. If the defendant pleads guilty, you would have to try to get him the least amount of time inside that is possible. However, if the defentant pleads not guilty you need to prove his innocense and if this is not possible, again try to get them the least amount of time inside that is possible.
Yes, I know I am only 13 but my father and step-mother are both lawyers and as that is one of my chosen career paths I have looked into it alot.
If you would like any more advice on law, please do not hesitate to contact me as I am always happy to help.
Hope this clears some things up for you
x
A
male
reader, anonymous, writes (13 May 2009): If you have the passion for law, that is perhaps the most important ingredient. The is incredibly diverse and complex, and jobs typically require many hours. Therefore, if you have the passion to practice law, you will see no problem with taking the LSAT, spending 60 hours a week (more at finals) studying in law school, and working about the same hours professionally.
But to answer your question, you do not think of a client as guilty or not guilty. You see them as a person who is paying you to represent their constitutional rights, and to make sure they such rights were not violated. Believe it or not, there are many people whose guilt is greatly exacerbated by police misconduct. Also, there are actually people who are arrested who are innocent, or at least not guilty of the initial (and severe) crime charged.
Defense attorneys serve an invaluable purpose in society: they serve as an integral part of the checks and balances of our justice system. Are there slimy defense attorneys? Yes. Are there slimy prosecutors and police? Yes, and round and round we go.
Point is - do not envision yourself in an office where someone comes in and says "I am guilty, I beat my wife to death and I want you to free me". If this happens, he/she is still entitled to a proper defense. Think of it this way - you will be working to see that this person, if guilty, receives just punishment (not excessive). You will likely NOT encounter an OJ Simpson type scenario, so don't worry about it.
If you like law - learn more about it. Crim defense is only one sector of the law by the way....
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A
male
reader, Griim  +, writes (13 May 2009):
 There is nothing wrong with defending a guilty person. You are trying to show one possible side of the story, the prosecutor tells the other, its then up to the judge to weigh up the evidence and make a decision. You are not be certain of anybodies guilt, we are a democracy and everyone is innocent until proven guilty.
There are many other branches of law too.
Law is a very respectable and well paid profession. It does however involve a lot of hard work, reading, intellect and a certain level of charisma if you are wanting to enter the court room. You'll need top grades to apply as it is very competitive. Do some research and find out as much as you can as they are big on interviews to see how interested you are in the subject.
Best of luck!
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A
male
reader, ArmyMedic +, writes (13 May 2009):
 Yes you would have to defend people who are guilty, and this is were you have to decide if it is worth the money or do you have morals?
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male
reader, anonymous, writes (13 May 2009): There are many, many, many different areas of law other than litigation! I would get your Bachelor's degree first and then take your LSAT before you start worrying about defending people. See if you even have the perserverance to get through all that and get admitted to law school.
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