The first alternative decision would have been that of the mother's lawyer. She could have chosen not to advise her client for reasons other than professional. She didn't need to advise him to run away. It was partly through his assistance and encouragement that the mother was persuaded to violate the court order. Had she not fled the state, violating her restraining order, she would not have been charged with the Class 5 felony. A second alternative decision would have been for the mother to remain in the state of Colorado. In this case, she might have succeeded in regaining custody of her two children. Because of her violation of court orders, she may not even be allowed unsupervised visitation. The courts will be very careful before granting him custody after his decisions. Lawyers must remember to base their professional decisions on the standards set for them in their professional codes of ethics. If they choose not to do their job according to ethical standards, they will either be disbarred or criminally charged. Lawyers' decisions often influence their clients, so it is very important that they balance the needs and issues associated with each client with the ethical standards of the criminal justice system.