| Phoenix Wright |
| Hey, look. It's my attorney's badge. |
| Dick Gumshoe |
| Ha ha. Good one, pal. You're always good for a laugh with your little badge. |
An attorney's badge.
An attorney's badge is a defense lawyer's main piece of identification for legal purposes. It has a number on the back that denotes an ID number for its owner. It is mainly composed of silver and has a little bit of gold covering. However, one can fool the court using a fake badge, as Furio Tigre once did with a cardboard version.
Furio Tigre's cardboard badge.
The attorney's badge can almost always be found in the court record, as a defense attorney requires it as proof of their occupation. Defense attorneys appear quite proud of their badges, although Phoenix Wright in particular seems to have been very fond of his. Attorneys occasionally need to present their badge to offer to take people's cases, though usually Wright just flashes it proudly whilst his audience makes a disparaging remark or dismisses it entirely. In contrast, prosecutors also have badges, but rarely wear them since they are state-appointed.
Phoenix Wright has lost his badge twice. The first time was when Money, a monkey performing at the Berry Big Circus, stole it. The second time was when Wright got disbarred; he lost his badge and had to investigate without it. Wright also once lent it to Miles Edgeworth, so that the latter could investigate on his behalf and take his place in court.
Notes
- The design of the badge is of a sunflower with the scales of justice in the center and is based upon the real badges worn by defense attorneys in Japan. Sunflowers are seen to symbolize freedom and justice owing to their habit of always facing the sun.
- Diego Armando and Tateyuki Shigaraki are, to date, the only defense attorneys met in-game who do not openly wear their attorney badges. In contrast, not wearing prosecutor's badges is the norm among prosecutors. However, despite never wearing his prosecutor's badge, Miles Edgeworth openly wore the attorney badge Wright gave him during his brief time as a defense attorney.