--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there were no bad people, there would…" description: "\"If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.\" — Charles Dickens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/charles-dickens-34_bad-people_if-there-were-no-bad-people-there-would_1389443.jpg" --- # If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers. ![“If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.” quote by Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/charles-dickens-34_bad-people_if-there-were-no-bad-people-there-would_1389443.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/charles-dickens-34_bad-people_if-there-were-no-bad-people-there-would_1389443.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/charles-dickens-34_bad-people_if-there-were-no-bad-people-there-would_1389443.jpg) > “If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.” [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 existence of bad people creates a need for good lawyers to uphold justice. **In simple terms:** Bad people make the role of good lawyers necessary. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of ethical advocacy. Themes justice ethics law Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - courtroom - public policy - human rights Key Concepts morality legal duty social order Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do lawyers have beyond defending the guilty? - Can justice exist without conflict? A Different Perspective If everyone were good, the legal system might become redundant. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-people/) [Lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyers/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [It is a pleasant world we live in, sir, a very pleasant world. There are bad people in it, Mr. Richard, but if there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/it-is-a-pleasant-world-we-live-in-sir-a-very-pleasant-world-there-are/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Virtually all big law firms have good to super-good lawyers. All big law firms don't have great litigators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pena/virtually-all-big-law-firms-have-good-to-super-good-lawyers-all-big/) [Dan Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pena/) > [I played a lawyer once, and I had about three or four weeks before we shot, so I was able to go to court…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bass/i-played-a-lawyer-once-and-i-had-about-three-or-four-weeks-before-we/) [Ben Bass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bass/) > [Good lawyers win so-so lawsuits. Great lawyers can win lawsuits in which you have little or no chance to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pena/good-lawyers-win-so-so-lawsuits-great-lawyers-can-win-lawsuits-in/) [Dan Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pena/) > [We aRe a GooD lAwYeRs 4 oUr OwN mIsTaKeS, aNd a VErY good JuDgE 4 oThErS mIsTaKeS !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-cchan/we-are-a-good-lawyers-4-our-own-mistakes-and-a-very-good-judge-4/) [AaRon CcHan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-cchan/) > [In this life you are meant to meet good and bad people so that you can keep the good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-this-life-you-are-meant-to-meet-good-and-bad-people-so-that-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/it-is-absurd-to-divide-people-into-good-and-bad-people-are-either/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I've always read in order to figure out people more, and that includes bad people and good people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/i-ve-always-read-in-order-to-figure-out-people-more-and-that-includes/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [For me, there are no my people and strangers, no bad people and good people. All people are equal for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-yanukovych/for-me-there-are-no-my-people-and-strangers-no-bad-people-and-good/) [Viktor Yanukovych](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-yanukovych/) > [You cannot say the whole industry is bad. There are bad people, but there are many good people as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poonam-dhillon/you-cannot-say-the-whole-industry-is-bad-there-are-bad-people-but/) [Poonam Dhillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poonam-dhillon/) > [“We need bad people, To be good people”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadi-nourallah/we-need-bad-people-to-be-good-people/) Hadi NourAllah > [“I realized that neither Paul nor Barnabas were bad people. They were good people. But they weren’t good together. And that’s okay. It’s so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/i-realized-that-neither-paul-nor-barnabas-were-bad-people-they-were/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [Technology itself is neither good nor bad. People are good or bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/technology-itself-is-neither-good-nor-bad-people-are-good-or-bad/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [I find good people good And I find bad people good If I am good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/i-find-good-people-good-and-i-find-bad-people-good-if-i-am-good-enough/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“Bad people very often do one good thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-forrest/bad-people-very-often-do-one-good-thing/) [Emma Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-forrest/) ## More by Charles Dickens > [“All other swindlers upon earth are nothing to the self-swindlers, and with such pretences did I cheat myself. Surely a curious thing. That I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/all-other-swindlers-upon-earth-are-nothing-to-the-self-swindlers-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [... Arthur Gride, whose bleared eyes gloated only over the outward beauties, and were blind to the spirit which reigned within, evinced - a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/arthur-gride-whose-bleared-eyes-gloated-only-over-the-outward/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [There can be no disparity in marriage like unsuitability of mind and purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-can-be-no-disparity-in-marriage-like-unsuitability-of-mind-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [A new heart for a New Year, always!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/a-new-heart-for-a-new-year-always/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Mrs. Joe was a very clean housekeeper, but had an exquisite art of making her cleanliness more uncomfortable and unacceptable than dirt itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mrs-joe-was-a-very-clean-housekeeper-but-had-an-exquisite-art-of/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [There seems a magic in the very name of Christmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-seems-a-magic-in-the-very-name-of-christmas/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“evening, they began to think that although he could never hope to be an Englishman, still it would be hard to visit that affliction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/evening-they-began-to-think-that-although-he-could-never-hope-to-be/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Besides which, all that I could have said of the Story to any purpose, I had endeavoured to say in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/besides-which-all-that-i-could-have-said-of-the-story-to-any-purpose/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The wheels rolled on, and rolled down by the Monument, and by the Tower; and by the Docks; down by Ratcliffe, and by Rotherhithe;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-wheels-rolled-on-and-rolled-down-by-the-monument-and-by-the-tower/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“The three customers pulled off their hats to Madame Defarge, with three flourishes. She acknowledged their homage by bending her head, and giving them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-three-customers-pulled-off-their-hats-to-madame-defarge-with/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“What a situation!' cried Miss Squeers; '...What is the reason that men fall in love with me, whether I like it or not, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/what-a-situation-cried-miss-squeers-what-is-the-reason-that-men-fall/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I admire machinery as much is any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-admire-machinery-as-much-is-any-man-and-am-as-thankful-to-it-as-any/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“Mr. Pickwick was a philosopher, but philosophers are only men in armour, after all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/mr-pickwick-was-a-philosopher-but-philosophers-are-only-men-in-armour/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) [Explore all 2,309 Charles Dickens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) ## More Bad people quotes > [“Crime and punishment can be summed up in two classifications: there are bad people and there are people who get into bad situations. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnie-dent-jr/crime-and-punishment-can-be-summed-up-in-two-classifications-there/) [Johnnie Dent Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnie-dent-jr/) > [“Any discussion of money and success would be lacking if I did not state that money is neither good nor bad. In the hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/any-discussion-of-money-and-success-would-be-lacking-if-i-did-not/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [When people walk away from you, let them go. You're destiny is never tied to anyone who leaves you, and it doesn't mean they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-people-walk-away-from-you-let-them-go-you-re-destiny-is-never/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you have the ability and the opportunity to help someone, but you don't do anything just because you're scared or it's inconvenient or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bree-despain/if-you-have-the-ability-and-the-opportunity-to-help-someone-but-you/) [Bree Despain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bree-despain/) > [Really bad people around the world, because of the genius of American innovation, use our products and infrastructure for their emails, for their communications.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-comey/really-bad-people-around-the-world-because-of-the-genius-of-american/) [James Comey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-comey/) > [“If you sought to leave the world, don’t go alone. Since there are too many bad people you can take them too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-you-sought-to-leave-the-world-don-t-go-alone-since-there-are-too/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [“To feel someone’s life drain from their body by your hands . . . bad, bad people who need to be plucked from this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tillie-cole/to-feel-someone-s-life-drain-from-their-body-by-your-hands-bad-bad/) [Tillie Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tillie-cole/) > [“I just can't get with this idea that literature is a 12-step program. If someone wants to read a book to see good people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-mi-ville/i-just-can-t-get-with-this-idea-that-literature-is-a-12-step-program/) [China Miéville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-mi-ville/) > [“Deterrents properly placed can help. But that is not enough. We are one society, and as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/deterrents-properly-placed-can-help-but-that-is-not-enough-we-are-one/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [“Plato argued that good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will always find a way around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-howard/plato-argued-that-good-people-do-not-need-laws-to-tell-them-to-act/) [Philip K. Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-howard/) > [Too bad all the people who know how to run this country are busy running taxicabs or cutting hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-burns/too-bad-all-the-people-who-know-how-to-run-this-country-are-busy/) [George Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-burns/) > [“was my first indication that the policies of Mamaw’s “party of the working man”—the Democrats—weren’t all they were cracked up to be. Political scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance/was-my-first-indication-that-the-policies-of-mamaw-s-party-of-the/) [J.D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance/) > [The truth is that Africa is like everywhere else. There are poor areas, there are rich areas, there is a middle class. Some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/the-truth-is-that-africa-is-like-everywhere-else-there-are-poor-areas/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I'm a very placid human being. I don't want to kill anyone. 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Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Browse all 703 Bad people quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Dickens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/if-there-were-no-bad-people-there-would-be-no-good-lawyers/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad people" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/if-there-were-no-bad-people-there-would-be-no-good-lawyers/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/charles-dickens-34_bad-people_if-there-were-no-bad-people-there-would_1389443.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/charles-dickens-34_bad-people_if-there-were-no-bad-people-there-would_1389443.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87a/charles-dickens-34_bad-people_if-there-were-no-bad-people-there-would_1389443.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If there were no bad people, there would be no good lawyers.” — Charles Dickens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Dickens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If there were no bad people,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/if-there-were-no-bad-people-there-would-be-no-good-lawyers/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/if-there-were-no-bad-people-there-would-be-no-good-lawyers/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```