Which one of the following is most accurately describes the author's attitude toward the twofold obligation introduce...

Victoria on June 27, 2021

Hi @Joy_00,

Happy to help!

To start, what is the twofold obligation introduced in lines 20-23?

The defence lawyer has an obligation to both the defendant and to the court/society.

Answer choice (A) is incorrect because the author does not suggest that defence lawyers' responsibilities to the court and to society compete with one another. Rather, the author highlights that the defence lawyer's obligation to society is a natural extension of their obligation to the court.

Answer choice (B) is incorrect because the author does not suggest that defence lawyers should not represent clients whom they know to be guilty. Rather, the author notes that defence lawyers in such circumstances should "appraise the case as much as possible in their client's favour, after giving due consideration to the facts on the other side, and then present any extenuating circumstances and argue for whatever degree of leniency in sentencing they sincerely believe is warranted" (lines 30 to 37).

Answer choice (C) is incorrect because the author does not discuss any possible relationship between the defence lawyer's twofold obligation and their ability to uncover the relevant facts of a case.

Answer choice (D) is incorrect because the author does not discuss common defence strategies used by defence lawyers.

Answer choice (E) is correct because the author notes that this twofold obligation provides the defendant with the "best defence," which "can only truly be provided by an advocate who, after a careful analysis of the facts, is convinced of the merits of the case" (lines 42 to 46). In this way, the fact that a defence lawyer has obligations to the court and to society does not represent a conflict of interest because fulfilling these obligations actually supports the effective representation of their client.

Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any further questions.