The Penn's Grove record., 1910-06-24
A Legal Millennium Coming

The New jersey Bar Association met
in Atlantic City last week and among
other things discussed were a new code
and a new oath for lawyers.
Members Of the association who urge
that the young lawyers of the day should
have some official form OF guidance for
his conduct at The bar, were the Chief
advocates of the first code Of ethics ever
adopted in New Jersey. 1--WE may not
acknowledge that the older members of
the bar have no need of such a code,
but the young men just joining the
ranks Of the law are entitled to have
the benefit of our experience, Z" declared
Edward Keasby, of Newark. State
Senator Henry V. Osborne, Of Essex,
took the same view, which was later
supported by Vice President Halsey N.
Barrett, Of Nework.
NEW CODE DETAILS.
- Some Of the important details OF the
Lew COuo DIT do lOllOWos
"a lawyer should not communicate
or argue privately with a judge as to the
merits Of a pending cause; alawyer who
Is appointed as counsel fol- all INDECENT
prisoner should not ask to be excused
for trivial reasons; a lawyer undertake
ing the defence of a prisoner accused of
crime, should not allow his personal
opinion as to the guilt of the accused to
prevent his using his every effort to give
his client his best services; a public
prosecutor should not represent conflict
ing interests on two sides of a case; in
fixing his fees, the lawyer should never
forget that the profession is a branch of
the administration of justice, and not a
mere m~oney-getting trade; a lawyer
should not allow chance of judicial DIS
favor o. public unpopularity to weigh
against giving his full devotion to his
client; counsel should use his efforts to
prevent any improperly on the part of
his client; a lawyer should always treat
witnesses, even ON the opposed side to
him, with fairness and consideration.
"This code expressly condemns the
sti ring up of litigation by lawyers for
the securing Of fees and newspaper dis
cussion by lawyers of cases in which
they are interested
OATH FOR LAWYERS.
/, Candidates for the New Jersey bar
are to be bound by the most drastic
oath to carry out their legal duties.
Under the provisions of the new oath
adopted by the New Jersey Bar Associ-
ton, and which will be incorporated in
the statutes of the State in. place of the
former oath, which merely declared for
faithful and honest duty, the new oath
says:
81 do solemnly swear l will support
the constitution of the United States
and the constitution of the State of
New Jersey.
81 will maintain the respect due to
courts of justice and judicial officers. 1
will not counsel or maintain any suit
or proceeding which shall appear 10 me
to be unjust, nor any defence except
such as / believe to be honestly debata-
BILE under the law Of the land. 1 will
employ for the purpose of maintaining
the causes confided to me such means
only as are consistent with truth and
honor, and will never seek to mislead
the judge or jury by any artifice or false
statement by fact or law. 1 will main
tain the confidence and preserve invio-
late the secrets of my client, and will
accept no compensation in connection
with his business except from him, o.
with his knowledge and approval. Twill
abstain from all offensive personality,
and advance no fact prejudicial to the
honor or reputation of a party or wit
ness unless required by the justice Of
the cause with which l am charged. l
will never reject from any consideration
personal to myself the cause of the de-
fanseless or oppressed or delay any
man's cause for lucre or MALICE"