Legal Definitions - hired gun

Definition: A hired gun is a term used to describe two types of professionals:

1. An expert witness who testifies favorably for the party paying his or her fee, often because of that financial relationship rather than because of the facts.
2. A lawyer who stops at nothing to accomplish the client's goals, regardless of moral consequences.

Examples:

• A doctor who testifies in court that a certain medication is safe and effective, even though they know it has harmful side effects, because they were paid by the pharmaceutical company producing the drug.
• A lawyer who defends a client accused of a crime by using unethical tactics, such as bribing witnesses or hiding evidence, in order to win the case.

These examples illustrate how a hired gun can prioritize financial gain or winning a case over ethical behavior or the truth. It is important to be aware of the potential biases and motivations of expert witnesses and lawyers in order to make informed decisions and ensure justice is served.