In Pursuit of True Evil.

[Looonatic]

Okay, I'm GMing an campaign. The campaign revolves around a party of mercenaries that belong to a larger mercenary group. This mercenary company is unique in that every member is somehow superhuman( juicers, crazies, cyborgs, superhuman mutants, etc). The party members have just discovered that for the past year, a publisher in Merctown has been selling comic books based on the mercenary company.

One of the party members is now trying to seek.... wait for it.... a Lawyer!

So in a world of demons, bandits and chaos, is there any room for the pure ineffable evil that is the Lawyer?

[Timmee]

Okay, I'm GMing an campaign. The campaign revolves around a party of mercenaries that belong to a larger mercenary group. This mercenary company is unique in that every member is somehow superhuman( juicers, crazies, cyborgs, superhuman mutants, etc). The party members have just discovered that for the past year, a publisher in Merctown has been selling comic books based on the mercenary company.

One of the party members is now trying to seek.... wait for it.... a Lawyer!

So in a world of demons, bandits and chaos, is there any room for the pure ineffable evil that is the Lawyer?

They're too busy working for the leader of their people, Splyncryth.

[RoadWarriorFWaNK]

there are Defense Attorneys described in Rifts Black Market.
You probably want someone for a civil case, but im sure they will take it if you have the credits

[taalismn]

Actually I did start on a Litigator Demon to complement an IRS Auditor Demon I came up with many moons ago. Though 'demon' is rather a misnomer; they came from a dimension that was very well organized and bureaucratic...sort of like the Chinese Celestial Courts and Hells. No necessarily evil, just very hidebound. They'd be an incredible asset on your side, but effectively demonic if they were persecuting you or suing you.

Actually, a (successful) Lawyer on Rifts Earth would have a pretty exciting life...you'd have to know the ins and outs of various legal systems, including magic and psionic-tolerant ones, many not human, and many of them very well armed. And you'd have to be perceptive and quick on your feet, because many communities might have a code duello, or local sentiments(especially if you're representing somebody unpopular) might have people taking shots at you. In the CS, you'd walk a careful line...as much as the CS pays close attention to those laws it imposes on itself, it hates it when the letter of it succeeds over the intent of it...so successfully defending a mage or d-bee in a CS court(who knows, if you're THAT good, you just might be able to pull it off) gives you a bad rep as a 'd-bee lover' and puts you quietly on a hit list.
And a good lawyer might have to know when it's obvious your client is being railroaded in a local court, bound for an unjustified execution, and that it's time to make a decision; let the client swing, or break the local laws yourself and arrange an escape? Plainclothes body armor would be a must under such circumstances.

I figure most Rifts Lawyers would be criminal law lawyers, as copyrights have gone the way of the dodo(hell, the Black Market LIVES from knockoff profits), making their work even more exciting. Especially if the only reason you're allowed to work is because a community wants to prove that they're 'civilized', though it's expected that you'll know the truth that the local warlord or tyrant can overrule an unfavorable decision at will.

[Looonatic]

Good stuff so far.

Here's a lawyer joke: What's the difference between a lawyer and a trampoline?

Spoiler:

You take off your shoes to jump on the trampoline.

[taalismn]

And there is of course the possibility of a Crazy with multiple personality disorder choosing the personality that's a lawyer to defend the bloodthirsty killer personality in court, lending a new wrinkle to the saying 'the man who serves as his own lawyer as an idiot for a client'.

[Blue_Lion]

Wait even a cataclysim does not get rid of lawers. Well the skills to be a lawer are on the books Knowledge law and negation. I am shure Nurni Enterpises has 1 or 2 billion on retainer wonder if you can borrow one of theres.

[taalismn]

Wait even a cataclysim does not get rid of lawers. Well the skills to be a lawer are on the books Knowledge law and negation. I am shure Nurni Enterpises has 1 or 2 billion on retainer wonder if you can borrow one of theres.

It's their 'legal assistants' that you really have to worry about...

[MurderCityDisciple]

Interesting idea...Rifts courtroom drama.

Denny Crane: Cyborg at Law (half man half actual crane).

In a case of he-said/she-said instead of submitting to a lie detector they would bring in a psychic and do a mind probe. Also all evidence would be 'read' with object read.

[taalismn]

Interesting idea...Rifts courtroom drama.

Denny Crane: Cyborg at Law (half man half actual crane).

In a case of he-said/she-said instead of submitting to a lie detector they would bring in a psychic and do a mind probe. Also all evidence would be 'read' with object read.

"I charge jury tampering via empathic projection!"

[Comrade Corsarius]

And there is of course the possibility of a Crazy with multiple personality disorder choosing the personality that's a lawyer to defend the bloodthirsty killer personality in court, lending a new wrinkle to the saying 'the man who serves as his own lawyer as an idiot for a client'.

Or the crazy's multiple personalities include a prosecuting lawyer, AND a defence lawyer, both hired by either side unaware of the other.

The courtroom drama would just be awesome.

Ooooooh... new term for this situation: He'd be a Legal Smeagol.

[taalismn]

"Your citing as precedence an obscure, long-lost, yet unrepealed, Atlantean law is impressive..."
"Thank you, Judge."
"Unfortunately for you, this is Texas and we're using the law as laid down in the town of DryGulch, and yes, blowing the head off the barkeep CAN result in your client being hung from the neck until dead."

[Tor]

Please tell me this lawyer is a Phoenixi.

[scottypotty]

Some cities may use judicial champions instead. To get your royalties you may need to take on a Glitter Boy one on one. That would seem to avoid frivolous lawsuits.

[Zamion138]

Some cities may use judicial champions instead. To get your royalties you may need to take on a Glitter Boy one on one. That would seem to avoid frivolous lawsuits.

And prevent anything from demons and dragons from getting justice heheheheh

[Subjugator]

It depends on if the creatures have a code of ethical behavior. In D&D, Devils are Lawful Evil. They have rules. Demons are chaotic. They rule by force or fear. Others rule by self interest.

[Blue_Lion]

Well if you are using magic and psi to prove guilt then a neaga psi defence aterny whould realy screw them up. Or a group mind block, or mind block auto defence.

[Comrade Corsarius]

It depends on if the creatures have a code of ethical behavior. In D&D, Devils are Lawful Evil. They have rules. Demons are chaotic. They rule by force or fear. Others rule by self interest.

By tradition, most Chinese demons are the ultimate bureaucrats. They can't touch you so long as you obey a set of rules. Djinni are the same, and are experts at interpreting a 'wish' in the way that most pleases them.

Look at other races portrayed in science fiction/fantasy for ideas. The Kzinti, for example, cannot lie (their honour, and perhaps their genetics, prevents them), but they may either not say anything, or say a partial truth that can be misconstrued by the listener. In a court where all parties are forced by psionic/magical power to tell the truth, such a skill would be desirable.

Jim Carrey in 'liar liar' is the opposite of this. He seems compelled to talk (the scene that made me mad was as he ran from a homeless guy asking 'do you have a dollar?' and he said 'of course!'... all he needed to do was say nothing).. mind you, that's what passes for a comedy anyway.

[Subjugator]

Look at other races portrayed in science fiction/fantasy for ideas. The Kzinti, for example, cannot lie (their honour, and perhaps their genetics, prevents them), but they may either not say anything, or say a partial truth that can be misconstrued by the listener. In a court where all parties are forced by psionic/magical power to tell the truth, such a skill would be desirable.

Fun fact: At least until the reboot (and possibly after), the Kzinti (and presumably the rest of the Known Space species) were part of the Star Trek universe. I don't know if they were removed at the time of the reboot, but I don't see why they would be.

http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Kzinti

/Sub

[DevastationBob]

In Australia the roaches grew to giant size, did the lawyers get additional powers?

[Comrade Corsarius]

In Australia the roaches grew to giant size, did the lawyers get additional powers?

No, but Jeff Kennett got his personality digitised and rules Melbourne. His face appearing on every wall, computer screen, and mirror.

I also just realised that Jeff Kennett could be convincingly played by Robert de Niro. This does not help my state of mind.

[Looonatic]

And there is of course the possibility of a Crazy with multiple personality disorder choosing the personality that's a lawyer to defend the bloodthirsty killer personality in court, lending a new wrinkle to the saying 'the man who serves as his own lawyer as an idiot for a client'.

Or the crazy's multiple personalities include a prosecuting lawyer, AND a defence lawyer, both hired by either side unaware of the other.

The courtroom drama would just be awesome.

Ooooooh... new term for this situation: He'd be a Legal Smeagol.

Legal Smeagol. This is the sunshine of my day.