Chapter 3: The Verdict
"Gentlemen and ladies of the jury, deliberate upon your verdict."
Judge Harvey Brooke leaned back into his chair and picked up his wine glass once more.
After a brief discussion among the jury members, a young man in a black wool coat stood up from his seat. He looked around the room and called out:
"Not guilty!"
...
Outside the West Veiras Street Police Court, Wood Johnson—wearing a thick brown jacket and loose, sagging breeches—was overwhelmed with gratitude. He rubbed his right hand repeatedly against his trousers before finally extending it.
"Thank you, Mr. Adrian. I truly don't know how to thank you."
Rolls reached out, shook his hand, and replied with a smile, "It is my duty. Besides, you have already paid the fee, haven't you?"
"No, no, no. I know that for a great figure like yourself, 10 soli is far from enough. It was only because of your kind heart that you accepted the commission from my solicitor. I originally thought that money would only be enough for a solicitor to defend me; I never dreamed I could hire a barrister, let alone a top-tier barrister like you."
In the Kingdom of Loen, the legal profession is divided into barristers and solicitors. The latter handle matters that do not require an appearance in court—such as gathering evidence, interviewing clients, drafting wills, supervising estate distributions, and providing legal consultations. Naturally, they can also represent clients in the lowest police courts for simple cases.
Barristers, on the other hand, are the ones who study evidence and argue before the court. According to Loen law, they must maintain an objective stance, meaning they cannot have direct contact with the client. They must rely on an assistant—the solicitor—to gather information. Each barrister is a true legal expert, possessing exceptional eloquence and a high level of debate.
Because of this division of labor, a client's legal fees inevitably pile up. In a standard case, a client must hire both types of lawyers simultaneously. If the case involves Royal interests or is particularly complex, a King's Counsel (QC) must also be retained, meaning the client might have to bear the cost of three lawyers at once.
However, for a case like Wood Johnson's, which involved an amount of less than one gold pound, a junior solicitor would have sufficed. Yet, it was precisely because of this division that the quality of courtroom defense among solicitors was often hit-or-miss.
Had Johnson lost, returning the gold-plated harness and paying compensation would have been the least of his worries. Punishments could range from branding or flogging to exile to the Southern Continent or a remote island. Decades ago, he might even have faced the gallows. Rolls clearly remembered a ruling he had come across: a thirteen-year-old boy named Andrew Browning was hanged for stealing a single spoon.
...
Hillston District, 47 Sycamore Road, Adrian Law Firm.
Rolls had already changed into a purple morning gown embroidered with gold trim. Although his barrister's robes were spacious, the stiff detachable collar had made him uncomfortable for the past half-month.
Leaning against the sofa, Rolls gently massaged his neck while watching the young man helping him organize his case files.
"Locke, tell me your thoughts on Mr. Johnson's case today."
"Mr. Johnson is truly pitiable. He only wanted his son to attend grammar school, yet..."
"Mr. Grant!" Rolls stopped massaging his neck and looked at the young man before him. "From which Inn of Court did you graduate?"
The blonde young man in the double-breasted wool coat froze, staring blankly at Rolls. "Uh, the Middle Temple..."
Rolls interrupted him again. "Tell me, what is the difference between a barrister and a solicitor?"
Though bewildered by Rolls's sudden flash of temper, Locke Grant knew that as an intern, he had to accept any hardship from his mentor if he wanted to survive in the legal profession. Moreover, Rolls was not just his mentor, but his boss.
"Barristers are primarily responsible for the defense..."
"Exactly! The defense! Remember, our job is defense and nothing else! I don't need you to care whether a client is pitiable, whether they are rich or poor, or whether they are righteous or evil!" Rolls decided to play the villain to the end, refusing to let Locke finish.
Locke was stunned. In his heart, Rolls—a law firm owner who defended poor people for practically nothing—was a man of mercy and compassion. Yet now, Rolls was telling him he didn't care about the client's plight, nor even their morality.
Rolls looked at the dazed Locke and softened his tone. "I am not teaching you to be a lawyer without principles. I am teaching you the most fundamental principle of being an excellent barrister."
"How is that possible?" Locke Grant was utterly confused.
"What do you think makes an excellent barrister?"
"Familiarity with the law? Exceptional eloquence?" Locke tried to get his brain moving, but Rolls's previous words felt like a blow to the head, leaving him in a daze.
"Familiarity with the law makes you a legal expert. Exceptional eloquence makes you an orator. But these are merely prerequisites to becoming a barrister."
"Prerequisites?"
"Yes, prerequisites! To be an excellent barrister, the ability to find loopholes is indispensable. Be it a loophole in the law, or a loophole in your opponent's speech—more importantly, you must find the loopholes in their heart!"
Rolls stood up and poked his own chest with his index finger.
Locke touched his own heart, murmuring, "Loopholes in the heart?"
"Barristers and solicitors work separately because of Loen tradition. Although many legal professionals support a merger, I disagree. Once a barrister gets too close to a client or understands them too deeply, it is easy to become emotional. Your opponent will find the loophole in your heart. Winning and losing is decided in an instant."
Seeing Locke still looked puzzled, Rolls frowned. "How did I win this defense?"
"You... uh... sorry, sir." Locke felt like a Curly-Haired Baboon.
"First, I made the jury sympathize with Mr. Johnson. Then, I used the jury's pressure to force Hendler to reveal his agreement with Johnson. Finally, I mentioned the massive debt Hendler incurred due to the repeal of the Corn Laws, which rendered him completely speechless."
"That is how I caught the loophole in Hendler's heart and won the case!"
Rolls patted Locke on the shoulder. "Go back and rest. I plan to take a week off. During this time, look through my previous case files, then go to the Police or Criminal Courts to observe a few sessions."
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