Confession for the Soul?: A Lawyer's Moral Advice to a Guilty Client About Saving an Innocent Defendant

Abstract

This article considers what a lawyer should do when a client asks for moral advice after revealing that someone else is about to be punished for a crime committed by the client. Prof. Kirchmeier considers the practical, moral, and ethical issues that arise when an attorney considers giving moral, as opposed to legal, advice. This piece is part of a symposium featuring a hypothetical addressed by lawyers, psychologists, and members of the clergy.

Keywords: Ethics, attorney-client, attorney-client relationship, morality, Rules of Professional Conduct, professional responsibility, criminal defendants, innocence

JEL Classification: K14, K42, K30