--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the most fundamental questions…" description: "\"One of the most fundamental questions people have about defense attorneys is, 'How can you do that? How can you go to bat everyday for a person that yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/david-e-kelley-21263_answers_one-of-the-most-fundamental-questions-pe_274715.png" --- # One of the most fundamental questions people have about… ![“One of the most fundamental questions people have about defense attorneys is, 'How can you do that? How can you go to bat everyday for a person that you may not know is guilty but you have a pretty good idea that he's not so innocent?' It's a question that defense attorneys answer for themselves…” quote by David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/david-e-kelley-21263_answers_one-of-the-most-fundamental-questions-pe_274715.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/david-e-kelley-21263_answers_one-of-the-most-fundamental-questions-pe_274715.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/david-e-kelley-21263_answers_one-of-the-most-fundamental-questions-pe_274715.png) > “One of the most fundamental questions people have about defense attorneys is, 'How can you do that? How can you go to bat everyday for a person that you may not know is guilty but you have a pretty good idea that he's not so innocent?' It's a question that defense attorneys answer for themselves by not addressing.” [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Defense attorneys defend the accused regardless of personal belief, upholding legal rights and the principle of presumed innocence. **In simple terms:** Lawyers protect legal rights even if they doubt guilt. Key Takeaway Recognize the importance of legal representation for justice. Themes justice ethics law defense presumption of innocence Mood serious thoughtful Type ethical legal When to use this quote - courtroom defense - public policy debates - law school curriculum Key Concepts legal ethics human rights professional duty Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to defend unpopular clients? - How do you balance personal morals with professional duty? A Different Perspective The emotional toll on attorneys can be high, leading to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attorney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attorney/) [Defense attorneys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defense-attorneys/) [Everyday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyday/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I think most defense attorneys know, to some extent, their clients are guilty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/i-think-most-defense-attorneys-know-to-some-extent-their-clients-are/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [ \[I have \] two boys. 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Judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, prison guards, construction companies that build prisons, police, probation officers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/the-prison-industrial-complex-employs-millions-of-people-directly-and/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [When...has a mugging case ever heard a defense attorney claim, 'Your Honor, the victim was dressed in an Armani suit and wearing a Rolex.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-david/when-has-a-mugging-case-ever-heard-a-defense-attorney-claim-your/) [Peter David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-david/) > [After 25-plus years as a lawyer, prosecutor, and defense attorney, I have developed a deep appreciation for both the wisdom of the law and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-spitzer/after-25-plus-years-as-a-lawyer-prosecutor-and-defense-attorney-i/) [Eliot Spitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-spitzer/) > [When I was a prosecutor in San Francisco I would get advice on trying cases from public defenders and defense attorneys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-pelosi/when-i-was-a-prosecutor-in-san-francisco-i-would-get-advice-on-trying/) [Christine Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-pelosi/) > [I always received much more satisfaction as a defense attorney in obtaining an acquittal for a client than I ever have as a D.A.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-garrison/i-always-received-much-more-satisfaction-as-a-defense-attorney-in/) [Jim Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-garrison/) > [If you're a prosecutor, and you believe the defendant is guilty, you only talk about ultimate truth, but not intermediate truth. If you're the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-you-re-a-prosecutor-and-you-believe-the-defendant-is-guilty-you/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [ \[Jurors who are opposed to capital punishment are\] more likely to believe that a defendant's failure to testify is indicative of his guilt, more… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurgood-marshall/jurors-who-are-opposed-to-capital-punishment-are-more-likely-to/) [Thurgood Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurgood-marshall/) > [You can be a career professional as a judge, a prosecutor, sometimes as a defense attorney, and never insist on fairness and justice. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-stevenson/you-can-be-a-career-professional-as-a-judge-a-prosecutor-sometimes-as/) [Bryan Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-stevenson/) > [One of the people that wrote a forward to my book is Gerry Spence, whom I admire. Gerry is a friend of mine, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-bugliosi/one-of-the-people-that-wrote-a-forward-to-my-book-is-gerry-spence/) [Vincent Bugliosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-bugliosi/) > [You have plaintiffs attorneys, you have defense attorneys. So there is no unified bar that will protect a particular judge who has made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kennedy/you-have-plaintiffs-attorneys-you-have-defense-attorneys-so-there-is/) [Anthony Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kennedy/) > [there is probably no such thing as an innocent question, at least not when a parent is doing the asking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-grissim-theroux/there-is-probably-no-such-thing-as-an-innocent-question-at-least-not/) [Phyllis Grissim-Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-grissim-theroux/) > [“Once again I had asked an innocent question, and because of it, I was banished from the conversation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/once-again-i-had-asked-an-innocent-question-and-because-of-it-i-was/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) ## More by David E. Kelley > [ The designer \[...\] has a passion for doing something that fits somebody's needs, but that is not just a simple fix. The designer has… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/the-designer-has-a-passion-for-doing-something-that-fits-somebody-s/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [I never thought of myself as a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/i-never-thought-of-myself-as-a-writer/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [I've never really told jokes. I'm not good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/i-ve-never-really-told-jokes-i-m-not-good-at-it/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [People are out of their home on a Saturday night or they're at the movies or they're at dinner and a lot of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/people-are-out-of-their-home-on-a-saturday-night-or-they-re-at-the/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [When the stories come easily and the writing process doesn't feel laboring, that's usually a good sign for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/when-the-stories-come-easily-and-the-writing-process-doesn-t-feel/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [When I really have to push and grope and scratch and claw to make a story work, that's a telltale sign that maybe something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/when-i-really-have-to-push-and-grope-and-scratch-and-claw-to-make-a/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [My court skills may have atrophied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/my-court-skills-may-have-atrophied/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [If you interview people or friends who work with me, they would say I'm private or internal or don't emote a lot. Yet I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/if-you-interview-people-or-friends-who-work-with-me-they-would-say-i/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [Some of my high school teachers did remind me that I had an excellent imagination when it came to making up excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/some-of-my-high-school-teachers-did-remind-me-that-i-had-an-excellent/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [When you create a show, and create characters, these people are like children to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/when-you-create-a-show-and-create-characters-these-people-are-like/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [You learn more when things go wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/you-learn-more-when-things-go-wrong/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [But Steven Bochco was smart; he knew that viewers were smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/but-steven-bochco-was-smart-he-knew-that-viewers-were-smart/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [You've got to honor your relationship with your audience - that they sit down because they want to be entertained. And that doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/you-ve-got-to-honor-your-relationship-with-your-audience-that-they/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [The more lawyers there are, the more people are out there to encourage others not to go to law school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/the-more-lawyers-there-are-the-more-people-are-out-there-to-encourage/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [I think the law changes, which is a nice luxury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/i-think-the-law-changes-which-is-a-nice-luxury/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) [Explore all 29 David E. Kelley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. 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Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. 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