Rule 3.4(a) Violation: Which action constitutes unlawfully obstructing evidence?

Rule 3.4(a) Violation: Which action constitutes unlawfully obstructing evidence?

• A. Obstructing access to evidence.
• B. Providing full chain of custody.
• C. Cooperating with production.
• D. Filing a truthful discovery request.

Answer: (A)

Rule 3.4(a) bars lawyers from unlawfully obstructing another party’s access to evidence. That means you can’t block, hide, destroy, or otherwise interfere with someone else’s ability to obtain or view evidence that may be relevant to the case. Obstructing access is exactly the prohibited action. The other actions described align with proper conduct: maintaining a proper chain of custody protects the integrity of evidence; cooperating with production facilitates fair disclosure; and filing a truthful discovery request is a legitimate, cooperative step in the process.

Rule 3.4(a) bars lawyers from unlawfully obstructing another party’s access to evidence. That means you can’t block, hide, destroy, or otherwise interfere with someone else’s ability to obtain or view evidence that may be relevant to the case. Obstructing access is exactly the prohibited action.

The other actions described align with proper conduct: maintaining a proper chain of custody protects the integrity of evidence; cooperating with production facilitates fair disclosure; and filing a truthful discovery request is a legitimate, cooperative step in the process.