TY - JOUR
T1 - Attorney–Client Communication in Public Defense
T2 - A Qualitative Examination
AU - Moore, Janet
AU - Plano Clark, Vicki L.
AU - Foote, Lori A.
AU - Dariotis, Jacinda K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2019.
PY - 2020/7/1
Y1 - 2020/7/1
N2 - This article presents a qualitative research approach to exploring attorney–client communication in an urban public defense system. The study drew upon procedural justice theory (PJT), which emphasizes relationships between satisfaction with system procedures and compliance with system demands. Interpretive analysis of interview data from 22 public defense clients revealed four major themes. PJT accounted well for three themes of communication time, type, and content, highlighting relationships between prompt, iterative, complete communication, and client satisfaction. The fourth theme involved clients exercising agency, often due to dissatisfaction with attorney communication. This theme was better accommodated by legal consciousness theory, which emphasizes that diverse experiences with law include manipulation and opposition alongside compliance. Implications for policy and research are discussed.
AB - This article presents a qualitative research approach to exploring attorney–client communication in an urban public defense system. The study drew upon procedural justice theory (PJT), which emphasizes relationships between satisfaction with system procedures and compliance with system demands. Interpretive analysis of interview data from 22 public defense clients revealed four major themes. PJT accounted well for three themes of communication time, type, and content, highlighting relationships between prompt, iterative, complete communication, and client satisfaction. The fourth theme involved clients exercising agency, often due to dissatisfaction with attorney communication. This theme was better accommodated by legal consciousness theory, which emphasizes that diverse experiences with law include manipulation and opposition alongside compliance. Implications for policy and research are discussed.
KW - client perspectives
KW - communication
KW - legal consciousness theory
KW - procedural justice theory
KW - public defense
KW - qualitative research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85070361661&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1177/0887403419861672
DO - 10.1177/0887403419861672
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85070361661
SN - 0887-4034
VL - 31
SP - 908
EP - 938
JO - Criminal Justice Policy Review
JF - Criminal Justice Policy Review
IS - 6
ER -