True justice requires more than just applying the law; it demands an active defense of the vulnerable. A society's legal system must serve as a protective wall for those who lack the power, influence, or financial means to fight against strong and wealthy oppressors [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Specific groups are highlighted in this call to action simply because they are the most frequent targets of exploitation [מאירי]. The people needing this protection fall into various states of vulnerability. Some are economically weak, possessing very little [אלשיך], while others, like orphans, lack an advocate to speak on their behalf [אבן עזרא]. There are those who are entirely broken and submissive [מלבי ם באור המילות], perhaps falling even lower than the standard poor [אלשיך]. Finally, there are the completely destitute who have lost their land and inheritance [מלבי ם באור המילות], leaving them with absolutely nothing [אלשיך].
Judges are tasked with actively taking up the cause of these weak individuals to rescue their resources from those who exploit them [רד״ק]. The primary approach among commentators is that if the vulnerable person is in the right, the judge must rule in their favor clearly and openly. There is no room for tilting the scales toward the wicked or showing favoritism to the wealthy out of fear or a desire to flatter [רש״י, רד״ק, אבן עזרא]. A judge must not rule in favor of a rich person merely to spare them public embarrassment, even with the intention of secretly reversing the decision later [מצודת דוד]. Furthermore, judges might hesitate to take on complex cases involving the poor, fearing that the impoverished party will be unable to pay if they lose. However, judges must never avoid these cases. Walking away would cause the poor to suspect favoritism, which could ultimately corrupt their spirit and lead to despair [אלשיך]. Even with this strong mandate to protect, the trial itself must remain strictly legal and fair. A judge must not rule in favor of a poor person out of mere pity; the judgment must be proper and objective [מצודת דוד].
Conversely, another perspective views this call for justice as an act of charity, reaching beyond the strict letter of the law. According to this approach, true justice requires a broader understanding of the litigants' circumstances rather than just a dry application of legal rules [מלבי״ם]. Therefore, if a fair trial determines that the poor person is indeed liable but lacks the means to pay, the judge should act with compassion and cover the debt from their own private funds. By doing so, the judge fulfills a dual responsibility: first conducting a proper trial, and then extending genuine charity [תורה תמימה, חומת אנך].