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Lawyers hold that there are two kinds of particularly bad…

“Lawyers hold that there are two kinds of particularly bad witnesses--a reluctant witness, and a too-willing witness.” quote by Charles Dickens
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“Lawyers hold that there are two kinds of particularly bad witnesses--a reluctant witness, and a too-willing witness.”

Charles Dickens

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote warns that witnesses can be harmful either by refusing to speak or by speaking too eagerly, compromising truth.

In simple terms: Bad witnesses either stay silent or speak too much, hurting truth.

Key Takeaway

Beware both extremes in testimony.

Themes

justice truth law ethics

Mood

cautious critical

Type

legal observational

When to use this quote

  • court trials
  • jury deliberations
  • media interviews
  • political inquiries

Key Concepts

witness reliability bias legal integrity

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you assess a witness's motivation?
  • What safeguards prevent over‑eager testimony?
A Different Perspective

A witness may be coerced into over‑participation, blurring the line.

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