In the criminal justice system, attorneys can be lumped into three categories: Zealots, True Believers, and Rational Stable People. When you’re looking for an attorney, you’ll want to find someone who is rational and stable.


You’ll never have to worry about hiring someone like this because they are always prosecutors. These are people who are overly aggressive in their belief that all defendants are guilty of something. Generally speaking, they think everyone should get the maximum punishment, and that the solution to society’s problems is to build more jails. The nice thing about going up against a Zealot is this: they get so caught up in their own sense of righteous indignation that they often miss things that end leading to the downfall of whatever case they are handling.

True Believers

The True Believer is the criminal defense attorney counterpart to the Zealot. These are attorneys who believe that all cops are corrupt, and that the prosecutor is a lying cheat who hides evidence. They’ve never met a guilty person in their life, and they treat everyone, including judges and juries, with contempt. Sadly, some people who look for an attorney are taken in by the True Believer’s apparent “passion,” and exclamations that they will “fight for you!” They see the attorney’s menacing photo on their website and think, “Yeah, I want the tough guy!” Alas, it rarely works out that well.

In the end, the True Believer usually ends up doing their client a disservice. This is because they have offended nearly everyone involved in the process, including their client. When this happens, it makes it harder for the client to trust that they achieved the best resolution possible. Also, similar to the Zealot, True Believers often miss crucial aspects of the case that undermine an effective defense.

The Rational Stable Attorney

In my opinion, these attorneys are the most effective; regardless of whether they are prosecutors of defense lawyers. The hallmark of this quality is their ability to keep a level head throughout the proceedings. They are nice when they need to be, but they can also be stern when the occasion calls for it. They are “Firm but Fair.”

When you have a Rational Stable Attorney in your corner, you can rest assured that nothing the attorney does is going to offend the judge, jury, and in most cases, the prosecutor. But that doesn’t mean he’s a push over, either.  These attorneys are great in trial, and the prosecutor knows it.  They use tact in everything they do, and have the respect of others in the courtroom. As a person who has hired such an attorney, this will always work to your benefit.

If you would like to discuss this further, please contact our office for a free consultation and case evaluation.

Telephone: (916) 318-6562