Like in Criminal Law, if you are poor you are appointed a public defender who does nothing but try to get you to cop-out even when you are inocent, and if you have money your attorney will look up all kinds of defenses even if you are guilty. This does not make any sence to me at all. Plus, there are no law library for anyone in jail so they can help themselfs and their attorney on their case. So if you are poor, you are just out of luck when it comes to fair reppersentation.
2007-10-11 04:18:25 · 12 answers · asked by hellstromleif 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
Your reasoning is completely flawed. Public defenders are paid by the county. They put just as much effort into trial preparation as regular attorneys. There is no rich and poor law. We all live under the same laws.
2007-10-11 04:24:41 · answer #1 · answered by mustagme 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I was under the impression that many jails/prisons did have libraries. Not to mention the free education many receive while they are behind bars.
Those public defenders appointed to the poor aren't raking in the bucks which is why the aren't trying all that hard. For many, it's a stepping stone for their career.
That being said though, you don't necessarily have to use a public defender provided by the court. There are other ways to go about getting an attorney and it doesn't have to be a high dollar one. There are many that will provide some sort of discount or payment only if they win or whatever.
2007-10-11 04:31:01 · answer #2 · answered by Sunidaze 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The practice of law is a business and is highly competitive. The more successful an attorney becomes the more highly prized are his services and therefore the more he can charge. It is the same as any other profession.
By charging more money, the successful lawyer can now perform more research, hire experts, etc. He is supposed to work hard as that is what helped him attain his position. The success of his practice is both his incentive and his reward.
Regarding what can be done about it. Those answers are simple.
1) Become rich so that you can afford the attorney
2) Require all attorneys in states in which they are licensed to serve on x number of cases per month for free.
The first answer is the better of the two for the simple reason that no ones livelihood should be mandated by a country that purports to be free.
2007-10-11 04:35:18 · answer #3 · answered by elephanthrower 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, the law helps poor people more than rich people. For example, people who are middle class or rich do not have lawyers appointed. Many court fees are waived for poor people as well. You should not blame the law, the law does what it can.
On the other hand, rich people have been smart, or worked hard, or had families that did so, so they can afford that Mercedes. Along those lines, they can afford better lawyers. The better lawyers charge more money, not less. If the best lawyers had to only take on cases for free, they would probably not be practicing law, but doing something else.
So yes, you are out of luck. But look at it this way. While other people were going to school and college every day, studying and working on nights and weekends, you were doing what you wanted. You didn't have to make those sacrifices. Like anything in life, there is a give and take. If you really want to study the law, when you get out, you should do so. There is actually quite a bit of aid available for the poor to obtain education.
2007-10-11 04:26:37 · answer #4 · answered by Max 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋
It's called class war.
"The biggest trick the devil ever played on humanity was convince them he did not exist" (from The Usual Suspects)
Class War is routinely waged by the rich against the poor. A good example is the Jena case. If you have money you are not likely to be caught committing crimes. If you are caught, you can always make friends with the judge. (you probably already know him). If you are poor and non white, chance are you will be scared into a plea bargain. Many innocents go to jail in this way.
The rich are against you and they want you to think you deserve to be poor and they deserve to be rich. Question is, how many hard working people do you know who actually live comfortably? How many wealthy people do you know who have never worked a day in their lives?
That propagandist above claiming that riches reflect sacrifices such as going to college must be a real zealot. I know very many people who went to college because they could afford it, because they could afford to not work. I also know very many incredibly intelligent people who were trashed by the system because of their lack of money.
Look at the rates of conviction for the poor and for the wealthy. Look at how the wealthy make laws that favor them over the poor. This is a classist country, my friend. If you are poor you better beware.
All Power to the People.
2007-10-11 04:42:48 · answer #5 · answered by Washington Irving 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Perhaps the city or state government (whomever is paying for the public defender) could pay your attorney more for a successful innocent verdict than for a plea bargain.
Money gives people (especially lawyers) incentive to take action. But paying the same money for defending a case as for throwing it, provides no incentive.
2007-10-11 04:22:31 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because the poor do not have the power to rule, make laws, or even combat the system.
But, any defense lawyer, will do his best to defend you, even if you must prod him somewhat to find incentive in your case.
Also, if you are incarcerated, you WILL have law books available to you in prison. You may not have that opportunity in jail, but in prison you do.
Also, no matter what decision is handed down, if your attorney lost your case due to incompetence, work ethic, or the like, you do have the chance to appeal........
2007-10-11 04:30:46 · answer #7 · answered by graciouswolfe 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Have you seen the scales of justice, she is blind folded with scales on each side the scale with the most money on it wins. the justice system is not fair, It's hog wash when the say it is.The system is out for money, Look and see how many daddy's little rich gets get off com paired to a poor person.Most of the time justice is who you know and how much you can afford.
2007-10-11 04:38:59 · answer #8 · answered by gggggg 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
U have to bear the consequences, this is the Capitalist system's rules with only the rich will get it all and the poor will be left out. Thats why the Communist ideology comes in, to defend the poor and in the same time more dictatorship imposed into the ruling system.
2007-10-11 04:25:03 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Don't worry the # 1 Judge will be fair.
2007-10-11 04:31:00 · answer #10 · answered by alpete 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋