What is the role of a defense lawyer?

A defense lawyer plays a critical role in the justice system, namely representing someone who is suspected or accused of committing a crime or offense. The defense lawyer's job is to protect the rights of a suspect or defendant by providing effective legal assistance and advice to their clients. Every suspect or defendant has the constitutional right to remain silent and cannot be forced to answer any questions or make any statements. The only person that a suspect or defendant should speak to is their defense lawyer since everything they discuss privately is privileged and confidential.  Often times, the only person that a suspect or defendant can trust is their defense lawyer. A defense lawyer is the only person on their side in the justice system. A defense lawyer is the only party in a criminal case who has the duty and responsibility of balancing the scales of justice for the accused. A defense lawyer understands that it is the government's burden or job to prove that the defendant violated each and every element the law that they are accused of violating beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, a defense lawyer never has to prove a client's innocence. A common misconception still exists that a defense lawyer's job it to prove that the client did not commit the crime or offense. That is not the job of a defense lawyer. Many criminal laws and traffic laws have numerous elements that the government is required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. A defense lawyer protects the rights of their clients by challenging the government's evidence through skilled methods, such as presenting legal arguments and questioning witnesses in Court in order to show the existence of reasonable doubt. Therefore, defendants who have a defense lawyer do not have to give up their important constitutional right to remain silent in order to challenge the government's case by presenting an argument or defense in Court themselves.