Everyday Americans have interactions with the law. Whether it is obeying traffic laws or simple rules, there are regulations that we must follow in order to function properly within the society. Law enforcement authorities such as polices, judges, or lawyers all make sure to establish these laws. They all have different roles to partake, but it keeps the criminal justice system functioning properly. However, as citizens, it is important that we are aware of our rights. The Strickland v. Washington’s case clarified the importance of being aware of every single right a citizen has. Sometimes when we think we have nothing to hide, we waive or give up our rights to be viewed as an innocent individual. However, that is not the case. The purpose is to protect ourselves from any unlawful actions from the government. …show more content…
However, simply having an attorney is not enough. The counselor must be very effective and useful in a case to produce a justified and satisfied outcome. In this case, it stated that the counselor decided not to present and hence not to look further for evidence concerning the respondent’s character and emotional state. As a counsel, this is not justifiable behavior. Counselors or lawyers play a very imperative role in this system and without their presence or knowledge, the system would not be fair to citizens. The counselor did not do his part which was obtaining witnesses, seeking psychological testing or reports, or even properly preparing for the case. According to Justice O’Connor, some errors are allowed to be overlooked if the overall trial was legally