IF THESE FACTS ARE FALSE SEEK RELIEF FOR DEFAMATION, SLANDER & LIBEL

Attorneys owe ethical duties of candor, fairness, and honesty to the opposing party.

Ethical duties to the opposing party: A New Jersey Attorney’s ethical responsibilities to an adversary in a settlement negotiation requires scrupulous conduct. A lawyer must not:

• Make false statements of material fact. Rule of Professional Conduct (RPC) 4.1 prohibits a lawyer from knowingly making a false statement of material fact or law to a third person, which includes opposing parties.
• Engage in fraud. An attorney cannot counsel or assist a client in conduct that the lawyer knows is criminal, illegal, or fraudulent.
• Engage in dishonest conduct. RPC 8.4(c) prohibits a lawyer from engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.
• Misrepresent facts to the court. If a lawyer knows that a material fact has been misrepresented to a tribunal (court), they have a duty to disclose the truth, even if it is not in the client's best interest. For example, a lawyer in New Jersey has been disciplined for failing to inform the court and opposing counsel of a client's death before accepting a settlement check.