Scope Note:

Fictional work in which the capacity of the legal system to find the guilty and acquit the innocent is measured through the interaction of lawyers, prosecutors, clients, witnesses, and judges, largely in a courtroom setting. The law may prove capable of rendering justice, or it may prove to be a flawed system open to abuse and susceptible to perpetuating a miscarriage of justice. Note: Work portraying military trials will usually also be listed under Military. Feature examples: ANATOMY OF A MURDER (with Mystery); ... AND JUSTICE FOR ALL (with Crime); THE COURT-MARTIAL OF BILLY MITCHELL (with Biographical; Military); A FEW GOOD MEN (with Military); INHERIT THE WIND (with Social problem; Adaptation); JUDGEMENT AT NUREMBURG; THEY WON'T FORGET (with Social problem); TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (with Social problem; Adaptation); TWELVE ANGRY MEN (with Adaptation); WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (with Adaptation). TV examples: THE DEFENDERS (with Crime); JUDD FOR THE DEFENSE (with Crime); L.A. LAW (with Crime); LAW & ORDER (with Police); MATLOCK (with Mystery); MURDER ONE (with Crime); PERRY MASON (with Mystery); RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY (with Crime; Adaptation).

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