Doing loyalty: subtle dramas in emotional courtrooms

Research output: Contribution to conferenceAbstract

Abstract

The courtroom work of defence lawyers has received surprisingly little sociological attention leading to the question: how do defence lawyers represent their client beyond the hard paragraphs of the law? By studying this phenomenon in a context where the scope for expressive gestures is limited, it is possible to gain a greater understanding into the often subtle ways in which legal teamwork is performed. Furthermore, the underlying emotional regime will become discernible. This article draws on ethnographic field notes from courtrooms in Sweden to explore how defence lawyers who have taken an oath to loyally represent clients, do this using (1) little dramatic productions, (2) little dramatic reductions, and (3) direction of teammates. These strategies involve the use of props and the body in order to perform vicarious face saving practices necessary to maintain professional face, teamface and to manage face threats. In these ways, defence lawyers are able to construct or undermine facts using nonverbal communication and emotion management. Each of these strategies reproduce and reinforce the emotional regime of the courtroom. The findings thus show how defence lawyers not only represent their clients juridically but also interactionally.
Original languageEnglish
Pages61
Number of pages1
Publication statusPublished - 2016 Mar 10
EventSociologidagarna 2016 - Gothenburg, Sweden
Duration: 2016 Mar 102016 Mar 12

Conference

ConferenceSociologidagarna 2016
Country/TerritorySweden
CityGothenburg
Period2016/03/102016/03/12

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)

Free keywords

  • Emotion
  • law
  • impression management
  • emotion management
  • Goffman

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