The moral judgment of lawyers defending guilty clients

• Main Authors: Arguelles, Ma. Franches Stephanie C., Centeno, Michelle Anne E., De Lara-Bes, Grazielle Iony N.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2009
• Subjects: Legal ethics; Judicial ethics; Attorney and client; Criminal procedure
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/8155
• Institution: De La Salle University

Primarily guided by Kohlbergs theory of moral development, the researchers have designed a qualitative study that will identify the factors that contribute to the moral conflict of lawyers defending guilty clients and the approach they employ to formulate a moral judgment. Ten (10) lawyers were interviewed as respondents of the study. Five (5) were public lawyers from the Public Attorney's Office and five (5) were private lawyers. With the aid of content analysis, the researchers were able to determine the results. Results revealed fifteen (15) the factors that contribute to moral conflict. These factors are professional obligation, defend the constitutional rights, tempering the penalty, follow due process, belief in a higher being, social values, individuality, optimism, willingness to help, sympathy, second chance, choice, money and prestige, intention of the doer and merits of the case.