American justice Quote by Alan Dershowitz
“In representing criminal defendants - especially guilty ones - it is often necessary to take the offensive against the government: to put the government on trial for its misconduct. In law, as in sports, the best defense is often a good offense. The courtroom oath - to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth - is applicable only to witnesses... because the American justice system is built on a foundation of not telling the whole entire truth.”
About This Quote
Source Article: "The Best Defense Is a Good Offense", 2005
Aggressive legal strategy can expose governmental misconduct and protect clients, but truth may be selectively presented.
In simple terms: Use offense to reveal truth, but beware of bias.
Key Takeaway
Strategically challenge authority when defending.
Themes
law
government
ethics
strategy
Mood
analytical
serious
Type
legal
philosophical
When to use this quote
- criminal defense
- public policy advocacy
- courtroom tactics
- media commentary
Key Concepts
adversarial system
truth manipulation
Questions to Reflect On
- When is an aggressive defense justified?
- How do you balance truth with advocacy?
A Different Perspective
Offense may compromise objectivity and fairness.
![“During voir dire, the interviews for jury selection, each person is asked under oath about their experience with the criminal justice system, as defendant or victim, but usually not even the most elementary effort is made to corroborate those claims. One ADA [Associate District Attorney] told me…” quote by Edward Conlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d1d/edward-conlon-33074_cops_during-voir-dire-the-interviews-for-jury_1540504.jpg)
