What is the expectation regarding fair dealing with adverse parties?

• A. Use coercive tactics to gain advantage.
• B. Treat all parties with respect, avoid coercive tactics, and comply with procedural fairness.
• C. Favor the adversary's position due to friendship.
• D. Withhold information to hinder the other party.

Answer: (B)

Fair dealing with adverse parties centers on treating opponents with respect, avoiding pressure or coercive tactics, and following due process. This means engaging honestly, listening to the other side, and ensuring decisions are made through a fair procedure that gives each party a real opportunity to present their case and respond to evidence. Keeping interactions respectful and ensuring procedural fairness preserves the integrity of the process and helps ensure outcomes are based on merit rather than force or manipulation.

Coercive tactics undermine integrity and can contaminate the process, which is why they aren’t acceptable. Favoring a friend’s position introduces bias and compromises impartiality. Withholding information to hinder the other party breaches trust and fairness, again undermining the entire process.