Pa203 Unit 9 Criminal Investigation
LaKisha Overton
PA203: Interviewing and Investigating
Professor Cheryl Olsen
Unit 8 Assignment
Final Project
June 11, 2014
1. Describe the difference(s) between a witness and a client. Then describe differences between interviewing a client-witness and interviewing a nonclient-witness.
Clients and Witnesses are key factors in a legal cause. However the roles they play and how the legal team deals with them during the overall case, are drastically different.
Clients are coming to an attorney regarding further assistance with their legal issue. The purpose of meeting with the client initially are to gain as many details possible about their legal matter. A client check off list will assist the paralegal as a guide while meeting with the client. At the initial client meeting, it would be helpful for the paralegal to get the following information:
1. Obtain the clients story in detail.
2. Evaluate the truths of the client’s story. (Is this a viable case?)
3. Get contact information for any potential witnesses or anyone that has more information that can help the case. …show more content…
The duty of the paralegal was only to do a prior conflict check and make the supervising attorney aware of the conflict prior to the interview. It’s the supervising attorney’s responsibility to obtain basic facts about the case and provide the paralegal with the basic information about the client. When the supervising attorney became aware of the conflict, it was his responsibility to make the client aware and let them know he’s unable to represent them because of her being a defendant in another suit. The attorney is wrong for trying to illegally gain information from the client first to help his case. If the paralegal decided to proceed with the supervising attorney’s request, she would violate the following according to NALA Code of Ethics and Professional
PA203: Interviewing and Investigating
Professor Cheryl Olsen
Unit 8 Assignment
Final Project
June 11, 2014
1. Describe the difference(s) between a witness and a client. Then describe differences between interviewing a client-witness and interviewing a nonclient-witness.
Clients and Witnesses are key factors in a legal cause. However the roles they play and how the legal team deals with them during the overall case, are drastically different.
Clients are coming to an attorney regarding further assistance with their legal issue. The purpose of meeting with the client initially are to gain as many details possible about their legal matter. A client check off list will assist the paralegal as a guide while meeting with the client. At the initial client meeting, it would be helpful for the paralegal to get the following information:
1. Obtain the clients story in detail.
2. Evaluate the truths of the client’s story. (Is this a viable case?)
3. Get contact information for any potential witnesses or anyone that has more information that can help the case. …show more content…
The duty of the paralegal was only to do a prior conflict check and make the supervising attorney aware of the conflict prior to the interview. It’s the supervising attorney’s responsibility to obtain basic facts about the case and provide the paralegal with the basic information about the client. When the supervising attorney became aware of the conflict, it was his responsibility to make the client aware and let them know he’s unable to represent them because of her being a defendant in another suit. The attorney is wrong for trying to illegally gain information from the client first to help his case. If the paralegal decided to proceed with the supervising attorney’s request, she would violate the following according to NALA Code of Ethics and Professional