Do you believe that attorneys are helping the system or slowing down our courts?

Question

I have seen deals make under the tables, in back rooms and on the golf course, and if that doesn't work they will fight in court for years with appeals etc.
We have a judge in Washington who believes that his misplace pair of pants are worth $65 million lawsuit but at the same time we have attorneys selling out their cleints with low balling to make a deal for other cases.

Answer 1

Attorneys are duty-bound for the speedy administration of justice but public perception is different.

Answer 2

The people who answered above are all focusing on lawyers who handle lawsuits. Most lawyers are "transactional" lawyers. That is, they handle things like real estate transfers, wills and probate, giving advice to corporations and the like.

There are good and bad lawyers and judges, just as there are good and bad people in all walks of life. The bar associations, however, do an decent job of kicking out those who act inappropriately. Can you say the same thing about mechanics or car salesmen?

Answer 3

It depends on the situation and how deep the pockets are of the person being represented in Court are.

The Judge in Washington is a sad example as he is a person that has tried to use his position and influence to abuse the system and the court of public opinion and even his own peers are now turning against him for his ridiculous claim.

Public defenders and pro-bono attorneys make backroom deals as they are only alloted a limited amount of money to defend their client and it is in their best interest to make a deal and avoid the cost of a trial. If a person wants a fair shake, they need to borrow money from any obscure relative they can find if they do not have the money to have someone truly work for their best interests.

Answer 4

The basic problem is that we have become very dependent on the courts. Lawyers are obviously in practice to make money (as are doctors, etc) so they enjoy this escalation of civil suits enormously. Such paltry suits (as per your example) are a weakness of the system. In criminal courts, we have a grand jury to decide if charges are merited, but not so in civil suits where if you have the money, you can drag down a verdict or decision. Hundreds of millions of dollars are wasted by the government contesting such companies as ATT and even Microsoft and to what point. You can sue your neighbor for real or imagined wrongs and if you have the money, you could win. Many cases of malpractice or malfeasance by physicians are imagined claims BUT the physician's insurer usually settles out of court to save money on Lawyers. Don't blame the lawyers...blame our new attitudes.