After reading Lawyerland, I am curious as to how everyone feels about the legal system. Did your faith for the system diminish or enlarge? What made you feel that way?

Please excuse me for the lack of expertise in using Twiki.

By the way, the most thought provoking aspect came to me after a realization of the type of people lawyers could become.

-- HuazhouYe - 14 Feb 2023

For me, the readings decreased my faith in the system but renewed my recognition of what an effective lawyer can accomplish for their clients. For example, the story where a boy's father's unwillingness to pay bail was the determining factor as to whether the boy would be incarcerated or released was deeply saddening and reflective of what often happens in life. However, the ugly truth about stories such as this one is that the vast majority of people end up unable to pay for a lawyer. These people frequently end up taking a plea deal after their public defender recommends one. This can have lasting consequences the defendant may not be aware of, such as convicted felon status that needs to be disclosed to would-be employers. My undergrad criminology professor taught us that approximately 95% of criminal cases are not brought to trial, a fact further exposing other inequities in the legal system not seen through Robinson's client's eyes.

-- MichaelPari - 16 Feb 2023