How Do Defense Attorneys Sleep at Night?

Most defense attorneys have a strong moral compass and sleep just fine at night. Trading in the truth for a not guilty verdict is not something that sits well with many attorneys. The goal of the justice system is to find the truth and to convict the guilty, but that does not always happen. In some instances, the truth is not as clear as it should be and the wrong person gets convicted. In other instances, the evidence is not strong enough to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. In these cases, it is the defense attorney's job to create reasonable doubt and to convince the jury that their client is not guilty. This can be a very difficult thing to do, but it is something that they are sworn to do.

Defense attorneys know that they are not always going to win, but they also know that they are not always going to lose. TheyPrepare for the worst but hope for the best. They put in the long hours and do their due diligence because they want to be able to sleep at night knowing that they did everything they could for their client.

How do defense attorneys sleep at night when they know their client is guilty? This is a question that has plagued the consciences of many attorneys throughout history. At what point does one's ethical duty to their client outweigh their personal sense of justice? This dilemma is perhaps best encapsulated in the famous quote from Sir Thomas More in Robert Bolt's play A Man for All Seasons: "And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned 'round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country's planted thick with laws from coast to coast -- man's laws, not God's -- and if you cut them down... d'you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then?"

The fact of the matter is, defense attorneys have to deal with the fact that their client is guilty every day. In the United States, the presumption of innocence is one of the bedrock principles of the criminal justice system. In order for someone to be convicted of a crime, the prosecution must prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This standard is intentionally high because it is designed to protect the innocent. Unfortunately, it also protects the guilty.

This is where the defense attorney comes in. It is their job to make sure that the prosecution does not meet the burden of proof. They do this by attacking the evidence, the witnesses, and even the victim. They stir up reasonable doubt in the minds of the jury so that their client can walk free.

It is a dirty job, but someone has to do it. And at the end of the day, most defense attorneys sleep just fine knowing that they have done their job. They may not like their clients, but they have a duty to represent them to the best of their abilities.

So, how do defense attorneys sleep at night when they know their client is guilty? They sleep just fine, thank you. They have a job to do and they do it to the best of their abilities.

Many defense attorneys do not sleep well at night when they are not sure if they can win the case. Some feel a great deal of responsibility for the people they are defending and some feel like they are fighting an uphill battle. Many have a great deal of experience and have seen many people convicted of crimes they did not commit. This can make it very difficult to have faith in the justice system. In addition, some attorneys may have personal relationships with the people they are defending and this can add to the stress.