Lawyers live in a world of words. Precision is key. And so, it is the very bending of those words that turns an honest story into a distorted story.
An example of a distorted story is the Amber Heard – Johnny Depp saga. It was a tale of “he said – she said”. All played out in the court of public opinion. At first, Johnny Depp’s team claimed that it was all a ploy for money. Then, Amber Heard started releasing videos and photographs depicting violence. Eventually their lawyers reached a deal, and the divorce was settled.
But it was the behaviour preceeding the deal that was the most unsettling. As stated in the blog LaineyGossip:
“Johnny Depp’s legal team accused Amber of lying about all of this for financial gain. In the end, those gains aren’t staying in her bank account. But Johnny Depp had people willing to testify on his behalf, his bodyguards who were there on the last night they were together, ready to claim in court that none of that sh-t went down. What does that say …[about the] people who surround…Johnny Depp?”
Lawyers must challenge their clients. It is the job of lawyers to be detectives. To dig beneath the statements of their clients and to reveal the truth, even as unsightly as it may be. It is a disservice to the courts for lawyers to take their clients’ words as gospel. Even worst, it is a disservice to the courts for lawyers to then peddle those lies in the courtroom.
Slinging untrue accusations, weaving tales glued together by lies, or simply leaving a misguided impression with a judge is wrong. In fact it is the very lifeblood of sneaky behaviour. And it deserves being called out, named, and shamed.
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