Most prosecutors consider the facts and circumstances of a witness’s past criminal conduct and how it could impact the reliability of their testimony. However, as Charles Golaszewski points out in his July Illinois Bar Journal article, “Your Witness, Their Client?,” prosecutors frequently overlook one aspect of the witness’s interactions with the criminal justice system: Who was, or is, the witness’s defense attorney?

While seemingly trivial, Golaszewski goes on to explain the answer to that question has constitutional and ethical implications and may affect the outcome of a trial, be a decisive factor on appeal, and undermine the integrity of the judicial process.

Read "Your Witness, Their Client?" in the July IBJ.