What is a primary ethical concern with "ghostwriting" in legal documents?

The primary ethical concern with "ghostwriting" in legal documents revolves around the potential for misleading the court regarding the true authorship of the work. When an attorney engages in ghostwriting, they effectively draft a document that will be presented in legal proceedings without disclosing their involvement. This lack of transparency can create significant ethical and legal dilemmas, as it may lead the court to believe that the party presenting the document is solely responsible for its content.

Misleading the court violates principles of honesty and integrity that are foundational to the legal profession. The legal system relies on the principle that all submissions are made with full disclosure of authorship and intent, as this promotes trust, fairness, and accountability within legal proceedings. Consequently, ghostwriting can undermine the integrity of the judicial process, potentially affecting case outcomes and the court's ability to weigh the arguments appropriately.

In contrast, options related to the burden of drafting, the inability to modify the document later, and the financial implications for the lawyer may have some relevance to the practice of ghostwriting, but they do not capture the core ethical impact on the judicial process itself.