Law in Popular Culture

The 25 greatest legal movies

A panel of law practitioners recommends their favorite legal-themed films, including those released in the decade since our last top-25 list. The judges voted for many of the classics from our 2008 list, along with some newer films we hope will get you thinking about the reach of the law in new ways.

Aug 1, 2018 12:09 AM CDT

Dr. Phil takes on child sex abuse allegations by playing participant, advocate, and judge

Criminal allegations normally involve three classes of characters: the participants, the advocates, and the judges. In the Dr. Phil episode I watched, to my surprise, Phil McGraw did an admirable job of maneuvering through all three categories.

Jul 23, 2018 7:10 AM CDT

Criminal injustice: How Netflix’s ‘The Staircase’ illustrates the inequities of our justice system

I’m fascinated with the fascination over the true-crime genre. It allows audiences to see the unfairness of a system which, too often, keeps its secrets in the shadows.

Jul 9, 2018 7:05 AM CDT

Short film dramatizes difficulties of children representing themselves in immigration court

The Department of Justice does not permit cameras or other recording devices inside immigration courtrooms.

Jul 9, 2018 7:00 AM CDT

How could someone confess to a crime they didn’t commit? Watch ‘The Confession Tapes’ and see

Every defense attorney has heard it more than once: “I was coerced!”

Jun 20, 2018 7:00 AM CDT

Civil rights lawyer Crump hosts television series on wrongful convictions

Civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump is hosting a TV series airing this month that chronicles the cases of four people exonerated after spending at least a decade in prison. The series, Evidence of Innocence, airs Mondays in June on TV One, report the National Law Journal and the Tallahassee Democrat.…

Jun 13, 2018 3:38 PM CDT

‘Marcia Clark Investigates’ offers entertainment, but not impact

One of the things I love the most about being an attorney is that moment when a stranger or new acquaintance finds out about my occupation. When someone learns that I am a practicing attorney, the next question is always “What type of law do you practice?”

Jun 6, 2018 7:10 AM CDT

Does Roseanne Barr have a valid legal claim for cancellation of her show?

The First Amendment restricts the government from interfering with free speech rights, but it doesn’t cover job-related consequences for private employees--or even star comedians.

May 31, 2018 11:22 AM CDT

ABA announces winners of the 2018 Silver Gavel Awards

The ABA announced winners of the 2018 Silver Gavel Awards for Media and the Arts, which recognize outstanding efforts to foster the public’s understanding of law through media. From 19 finalists, the Standing Committee on Gavel Awards selected six pieces of media for Silver Gavels with four others receiving honorable…

May 23, 2018 11:00 AM CDT

‘Westworld’ story lines connect with real-world legal issues

A fictional theme park with a wild west theme is the setting for the HBO series Westworld, where guests pay to live out their fantasies. Those familiar with the darker side of the human condition won’t be surprised to learn that these fantasies often entail patrons killing as many of the amusement park hosts as they please.

May 21, 2018 7:10 AM CDT

It’s time to enter the ABA Journal/Ross Writing Contest for Legal Short Fiction

It's time to get creative. Entries are being accepted for the 2018 ABA Journal/Ross Writing Contest for Legal Short Fiction through 5 p.m. CDT on Friday, June 1.

May 16, 2018 12:55 PM CDT

Harper Lee’s estate settles litigation over Broadway adaptation of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’

The estate of Harper Lee has reached a settlement in litigation over its objections to a Broadway adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird. The estate and the production company Rudinplay announced the settlement Thursday, but provided few details. The New York Times and Law360 have coverage. The estate had claimed…

May 11, 2018 11:47 AM CDT

Does Stanley have a mustache? ‘The Office’ illustrates issues with cross-racial identification

As I’ve been writing this column on law and pop culture over the past year or so, I’ve started to realize that my wife has a helluva legal mind. She just gets it. She’s not educated in the law (she has a masters in nonprofit management), but she’s pretty spot-on.…

May 7, 2018 8:00 AM CDT

'Just Mercy' author Bryan Stevenson tells stories to change the world

Civil rights attorney, writer and law professor Bryan Stevenson, author of the best-selling Just Mercy, employs well-told stories to reveal the plight of people trapped in the criminal justice system.

May 1, 2018 1:30 AM CDT

‘Mindhunter’ takes us into the world of serial killers

The nature of their chosen career path puts criminal defense attorneys in almost daily contact with people who violate the norms of society and the laws contained in state and federal criminal codes.

Apr 18, 2018 8:30 AM CDT