Reel Justice: The Courtroom Goes to the Movies.

Reel Justice: The Courtroom Goes to the Movies By Paul Bergman and Michael Asimow

Judicial decisions on witness credibility in jury trials. Punitive damage awards in contract disputes. By exposing these types of procedural improprieties and deliberating about lawyer stereotypes and strategies, the authors of Reel Justice: The Courtroom Goes to the Movies counsel readers on the reasons the American legal system lends itself so well to drama, comedy, and suspense on the big screen.

The result is an educational pleasure trip through the legal details and background of more than 150 law-themed movies, and a handy guide to take to the video rental store or read in short sittings.

In this second, updated edition, Reel Justice features short summaries followed by commentary explaining the legal authority and occasional gaffes of courtroom scenes on the silver screen.

Each movie also has a "gavel rating," with four gavels declaring the film "classic," and one gavel imploring readers to "ask for a new trial." In assigning the gavels, the authors focus not on the legal accuracy or import of the movie as a whole, but solely on the entertainment value of the courtroom scenes.

The "Legal Analysis" section is where the authors tear into the jurisprudential meat of each film while providing further explanation on jargon and procedures. Lawyers will enjoy reading what they might have wanted to blurt out during the movie, as well as the deeper discussion of moral and ethical dilemmas that can plague the profession.

And those who simply yearn for more information after the verdict is handed out will appreciate the "Trial Brief " sections, which reveal the true inspiration behind the plots and explore how real-life controversies parallel the storylines. Compact sidebars pepper each chapter, clarifying legal rules and citing to even more titles.

Chosen for the centrality of the courtroom to the narratives, the movies in Reel Justice range from black and white classics like Inherit the Wind to modern treasures like Legally Blonde. The authors categorize the films by legal theme, with chapters covering the death penalty, circumstantial evidence, contempt of court, and other legal doctrines. Other chapters focus on character studies, corruption of justice, and specific areas of law.

Almost as entertaining as the movies themselves, Reel Justice provides a comprehensive and enriching guide to the legal film genre while demonstrating that justice in the movies is often anything but, well--real.

Reel Justice is available from Andrews McMeel publishing for $16.95.