Court Opinion

ID: 9573827
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:59:40.659333+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:43:25.086307
License: Public Domain

BENHAM, Chief Justice,
concurring.
Appellant, by contending that his counsel was ineffective because he showed respect for and friendship with opposing counsel, raises an interesting question: is civility incompatible with advocacy? The main opinion rightly resolves this enumeration of error by holding that it is professionally reasonable for civility to be a part of a lawyer’s strategic plan in the trial of a case. Being in total agreement with the main opinion, I write separately to further explain the role of civility.
The practice of law is an honorable profession that requires a high standard of conduct of its members. It is a high calling where competence, civility, community service, and public service are integral parts of the professional standards. It is not a profession where *773disrespectful, discourteous, and impolite conduct should be nurtured and encouraged. Such conduct should be alien to any honorable profession.
Decided April 30, 2001.
Green B. Moore III, Christopher D. Huskins, for appellant.
Fredric D. Bright, District Attorney, Stephen A. Bradley, Assistant District Attorney, Thurbert E. Baker, Attorney General, Susan V. *774Boleyn, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Karen A. Johnson, Assistant Attorney General, for appellee.
*773Those who hold themselves out as lawyers should realize that they help shape and mold public opinion as to the role of the law and their role as lawyers. The law sets standards for society and lawyers serve as problem solvers when conflicts arise. To fulfill their responsibility as problem solvers, lawyers must exhibit a high degree of respect for each other, for the court system, and for the public. By doing so, lawyers help to enhance respect for and trust in our legal system. These notions of respect and trust are critical to the proper functioning of the legal process.
While serving as advocates for their clients, lawyers are not required to abandon notions of civility. Quite the contrary, civility, which incorporates respect, courtesy, politeness, graciousness, and basic good manners, is an essential part of effective advocacy. Professionalism’s main building block is civility and it sets the truly accomplished lawyer apart from the ordinary lawyer.
Civility is more than good manners. It is an essential ingredient in an effective adversarial legal system such as ours. The absence of civility would produce a system of justice that would be out of control and impossible to manage: normal disputes would be unnecessarily laced with anger and discord; citizens would become disrespectful of the rights of others; corporations would become irresponsible in conducting their business; governments would become unresponsive to the needs of those they serve; and alternative dispute resolution would be virtually impossible.
To avoid incivility’s evil consequences of discord, disrespect, unresponsiveness, irresponsibility, and blind advocacy, we must encourage lawyers to embrace civility’s positive aspects. Civility allows us to understand another’s point of view. It keeps us from giving vent to our emotions. It allows us to understand the consequences of our actions. It permits us to seek alternatives in the resolution of our problems. All of these positive consequences of civility will help us usher in an era where problems are solved fairly, inexpensively, swiftly, and harmoniously. The public expects no less and we must rise to the occasion in meeting those expectations.