--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mathias shrugged. After all, a criminal…" description: "\"“Mathias shrugged. After all, a criminal lawyer is not concerned with facts. He is concerned with probabilities. It is the novelist who is concerned wi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/richard-hughes-34704_criminal-law_mathias-shrugged-after-all-a-criminal-la_2003234.jpg" --- # Mathias shrugged. After all, a criminal lawyer is not… ![“Mathias shrugged. After all, a criminal lawyer is not concerned with facts. He is concerned with probabilities. It is the novelist who is concerned with facts, whose job it is to say what a particular man did do on a particular occasion: the lawyer does not, cannot be expected to go further than…” quote by Richard Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/richard-hughes-34704_criminal-law_mathias-shrugged-after-all-a-criminal-la_2003234.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/richard-hughes-34704_criminal-law_mathias-shrugged-after-all-a-criminal-la_2003234.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/richard-hughes-34704_criminal-law_mathias-shrugged-after-all-a-criminal-la_2003234.jpg) > ““Mathias shrugged. After all, a criminal lawyer is not concerned with facts. He is concerned with probabilities. It is the novelist who is concerned with facts, whose job it is to say what a particular man did do on a particular occasion: the lawyer does not, cannot be expected to go further than show what the ordinary man would be most likely to do under presumed circumstances.”” [Richard Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hughes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Lawyers focus on likely outcomes rather than exact details, while novelists aim to depict precise events. **In simple terms:** Lawyers deal with probabilities; novelists with facts. Key Takeaway Recognize the limits of legal reasoning. Themes law probability fiction Mood analytical thoughtful Type explanatory reflective When to use this quote - courtroom arguments - legal advice - creative writing - historical analysis Key Concepts probability narrative epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How do lawyers balance probability with justice? - When should a novelist prioritize factual accuracy? A Different Perspective Legal conclusions can be uncertain due to incomplete evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criminal law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminal-law/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyers/) [Novelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novelist/) [Ordinary man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-man/) ## Related quotes > [I am not an enthusiast for diversity of opinion where facts are concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/i-am-not-an-enthusiast-for-diversity-of-opinion-where-facts-are/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Applying criminal law to the exchange of bitcoin on behalf of ransomware victims would create a morally shocking result of re-victimizing a victim. 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