Lawyer vs. Cop | Learn the Core Difference Between Lawyer & Cop

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A lawyer and a cop both have certain responsibilities and duties to perform to establish justice. However, a cop is considered more powerful and authoritative than a lawyer in any society. No matter how authoritative any of them is, both play a vital role in bringing the people justice. A cop investigates the criminal or accused and has limited knowledge about him but a lawyer, the representative of the criminal or accused person, knows all the facts about him. So, a lawyer may know something additional about any case compared to the Cop. ‘Lawyer vs. cop’ is a debatable query that may be explored deeply.

In any criminal case, lawyers and cops play a vital role in figuring out the facts about that particular case. Their importance can’t be denied at any cost. However, to know all about these authorities, one will have to dig deeper about both these.

After learning all about lawyers and cops one by one, anyone can know the difference between them. All this procedure is time-killing and needs great effort.

To cut your effort short and to save your time, we’ve proposed a precise guide to differentiate between a lawyer and a cop. This article will be arguing about both these legal entities. So, let’s dig deep to explore all about them.

Lawyer vs. Cop

Lawyer	Cop
A lawyer is a state bar licensed person who represents his clients in court.	A cop is a police officer who serves his state to make it criminal-free.
A minimum bachelor’s degree in any subject is necessary to start a journey in the law field.	A minimum higher school degree is necessary to get admission to the police academy.
A lawyer stands by his clients whether he is a criminal or not.	A cop investigates a person and gathers evidence about the accused person.
A lawyer has to serve the state as a consultant or representative in the law field.	A cop has to serve his state by performing his duties within the judiciary as well as on public premises.
A lawyer is representative of any individual.	A cop is representative of the state.

Who is a Lawyer?

A lawyer is a person who has a law degree and license from the State Bar Association. He acts as a representative of his clients in court or a consultant to guide people properly regarding different legal tasks. In the law field, lawyers with different experiences can be found. They may be young or old. Their income depends upon their experience, along with other factors.

Requirements to Become a Lawyer

The Law field is more difficult than some of the other graduate programs. One has to study extensively in a law school to know all about the relevant field. Here are some essential requirements to become a lawyer.

Bachelor’s Degree

The foremost thing to enter the law field is a bachelor’s degree in law or any equivalent art subject from a recognized institute. This four-year degree is necessary to get admission to a law school.

LSAT

After getting the bachelor’s degree, an aptitude test is necessary. This test is regarded as a law school admission test (LSAT). Without this test, no one can think of entering the law field. This test measures the student’s creative thinking, evaluation skills, reading skills, and writing skills.

Three Years at Law School

A three-year education is necessary for a recognized law school to earn a Juris Doctor (JD) degree. After completing three years, one can apply for and earn a JD degree from the relevant institution.

State Bar Examination

After three years at the law school, one must apply for the state bar examination. This examination is an inevitable thing to earn a law degree. Like the LSAT, this examination also measures students’ knowledge and capabilities in the selected fields.

Fitness and Character Review

After passing the state bar examination, a fitness and character test is yet to go, this test is necessary for the approval of the permit from the bar association.

Oath Taking

Once they appear in and pass the state bar examination, the students take the oath. This oath is to swear to stand by the state’s laws and regulations.

License or Permit

After clearance from the above steps, the last step before starting practice as a lawyer is to get approval from the State Bar Association. This approval is called a license or permit. After receiving this permit, one can start practicing as an official lawyer.

Responsibilities of a Lawyer

Here are some of the responsibilities of a lawyer.

To Guard the State’s Laws

The foremost responsibility of any lawyer is to fulfill the oath that he takes when getting the license. He should be a guard of the state’s law.

A Representative of the Clients

A lawyer is the face of his client in the court. So, he should stand by the will of his client. He should strive to win the rights of his clients legally.

To Defend the Client’s Will

As the lawyer represents the client, he should listen to his client’s arguments. After hearing the arguments, he should prepare to defend his client’s will in court.

Uphold the Justice

A lawyer should stand by honest attorneys and judges. But if he finds any dishonesty within the legal system, he should legally proceed against that particular legal entity.

A Consultant

A lawyer is not necessarily a representation of the client within the court. He should also guide his clients about the next steps.

Learn More: What Can You Do With A Law Degree Besides Be A Lawyer

Who is a Cop?

Constable of Patrol (COP) is a police officer who serves the police force by rendering his duties within the field.

How to Become a Cop?

Here are essential steps to becoming a cop.

Higher School or Bachelor’s Degree

The basic thing to apply for the post of a police officer is a high school degree. However, a bachelor’s or associate degree is preferable to a simple high school degree.

Age

To recruit in the US police, the age limit is between 18 to 21 years. Along with other requirements, an applicant should be a US citizen.

No Criminal Record

Only a US citizen with no criminal record will be capable of applying for the post of Cop in the US police. Some relaxation may be granted to the applicants only if the claims on the applicants are minor and justifiable.

Law Enforcement Entrance Exam

After confirming the steps mentioned above, an applicant will appear in the Law Enforcement Exam. Passing this test is necessary to recruit in the US police academy. The police academy will meet other final requirements, too, if any.

Tenure at Police Academy

After admission to the police academy, the recruited candidate will have to complete his tenure there. This training may last up to six months. During this period, a candidate will learn the following things.

Research or investigation
Knowing criminal records
Rules about the traffic issues
Fire safety measurements
Driving
Physical fitness measurements

Post Training Activities

After completing the training at the police academy, a candidate will move towards the promotion phases according to his state’s policies. Now, he is a cop working for the safety of his citizens.

Responsibilities of a Cop

Here are some duties that a police officer will have to perform for his state.

Helping his own and other security departments to make the state criminal-free.
To investigate the criminal records.
Try to learn all about any suspected person from himself.
Making a report based on the facts he gathers.
To gather the evidence against the suspected person.
To manage the trial of the criminal in the court.
Making a friendly relationship with the public.
Making the area of his duty secure by patrolling within the field.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is a more powerful lawyer or police?

As far as knowledge is concerned, the lawyer is more powerful. However, if you want to know who is more powerful regarding the powers or authorities, a cop will be above a lawyer.

Can cops pretend to be a lawyer?

No, they cannot. According to the legal policies, a cop can’t pretend to be a lawyer.

Can the police take your keys?

If you are going against the traffic rules, the police may find you. But they don’t have the right to snatch the keys to your vehicle.

Can the police question you after you ask for a lawyer?

No, the Cop can’t ask you anything in the presence of your lawyer. When you ask for an attorney, the police will have to stop their interrogation.

Can the police ask where you are going?

No, you don’t need to answer the queries of the police about ‘where are going’ or ‘what are you doing here. Rather you may remain silent.

Conclusion

Lawyer and Cop are two different ways to serve the state. Both have an important role in making the state crime-free. However, based on their duties and responsibilities, both these professions are different from one another. So, an individual must not merge the responsibilities of both these legal entities.

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BISHAL BHADRA

I’m a driven and accomplished law graduate and post-graduate, passionate about sharing my legal expertise via my blog. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of London (UK) and a Master’s in Law from the University of Derby (UK). Both gave me the foundational knowledge and skills to excel in my chosen career path.
Throughout my academic journey, I have gained extensive knowledge in various fields of Law, including Corporate and Business Law in the USA, Criminal Law, International Law, US Copyright law, and most importantly, American Constitutional law.

Find more about me.