Lawyer Suspended After Cursing in Court
Giving the client what they want or expect is tempting. Giving the client what will win the day is what you should expect from your lawyer.
I have been practicing law for a long time.
I know of lawyers and have tried cases with lawyers who tell jokes to the judge and the jury and others that are cold and stone-faced throughout. One screamed at me in the middle of a one-month trial because she thought I was hurting her client’s case, when my job was and is to do what is right for my client. Another lawyer yelled in the hallway, something like “I will get you if you continue to piss in my doggy dish.” He was a dog in more ways than one.
What you should expect from your lawyer is an outburst if it will help, but generally, a calm, focused demeanor that is focused on what that lawyers training and experience tells them is needed at the time.
You hired the lawyer; hopefully, you don’t feel stuck with him or her. It is generally best to allow your lawyer to take the lead and set the strategy and tone. Speak up, express your views to your lawyer, but at the end of the day, he or she will have to set the tone that makes sense.
Profanities in Court
That having been said, using profanities is foolish, getting sanctioned by the court is almost never the right strategy unless you are on TV looking for ratings or to market yourself by claiming it was best for your client. Both of those situations are not acting for a client.
A lawyer was just suspended from practicing for saying “F**k him” in a courtroom, presumably under her breath without expecting anyone to hear or possibly in the heat of the moment, but others did hear what she said, including the judge.
I was not there. I don’t know the details. It is excellent if your lawyer is passionate about your case, but it is foolish to hire a lawyer who fails to understand and stay within limits.
Some will applaud outrageous conduct; I am not one of them. Some will purposefully attack when an attack is not productive, we do not condone that action.
We win because we know what we are doing, we work hard, we aggressively advocate, we attack when it is to our clients benefit, and we know how to play the game.
We sue lawyers who screw up. If you think your lawyer has made mistakes, we can help. Contact us today.
