Brad Karp, please take a moment to read this:
Complicity in the Erosion of Justice: The Role of Lawyers in Undermining the Rule of Law in the Third Reich
Abstract: A core principle of the legal profession is that lawyers and judges bear a unique responsibility—both individually and collectively—to uphold the Rule of Law. This article explores how the legal profession failed to fulfill this duty during Germany’s Third Reich. The Nazis executed a gradual takeover of the German legal system, starting as early as 1920 when the Nazi Party proposed a new legal framework in their platform. This manipulation ultimately corrupted the legal system and dismantled the Rule of Law. By neglecting to maintain the integrity and independence of their profession, lawyers and judges facilitated the erosion of the fundamental lawyer-client relationship, undermined the lawyer’s role as an advocate, and compromised judicial independence. Consequently, although there appeared to be a complex structure of laws, the essential characteristics of the Rule of Law vanished, giving rise to an arbitrary and chaotic system that left citizens vulnerable to the violence of a totalitarian regime.
Historically ignorant individual.
One Response
It seems that you have strong feelings about the topic, and I can understand why the role of lawyers and judges during the Third Reich is a deeply troubling subject. The article you mentioned highlights crucial historical lessons about the importance of upholding the Rule of Law and the moral responsibility of legal professionals. The actions and inactions of lawyers and judges during that time indeed serve as a cautionary tale about complicity in injustice and the erosion of rights. Engaging in discussions about our legal system’s past can be vital for ensuring that such mistakes are not repeated in the future. Would you like to share more about your thoughts on this issue?