The legal thriller

genre Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other fo ...

is a type of

crime fiction Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, crime novel, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives or fiction that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professiona ...

genre that focuses on the proceedings of the investigation, with particular reference to the impacts on

courtroom A courtroom is the enclosed space in which courts of law are held in front of a judge. A number of courtrooms, which may also be known as "courts", may be housed in a courthouse. In recent years, courtrooms have been equipped with audiovisual ...

proceedings and the lives of characters. The genre came about in the 16th century with the publication of short stories and novels based on court cases taking place at the time. Some of the novels were later adapted into early television series and film productions during the 1950s. Many legal professionals, including Scott Turow in '' Presumed Innocent'' and Harper Lee in '' To Kill a Mocking Bird,'' constitute the primary authorship of the genre-providing their own relevant experiences. The legal thriller genre's courtroom proceedings and legal authorship are ubiquitous characteristics. The genre features lawyers as legal professionals as the supreme hero. Their actions in the courtroom affect the quality of character's lives, as they determine

innocence Innocence is a lack of guilt, with respect to any kind of crime, or wrongdoing. In a legal context, innocence is prior to the sense of legal guilt and is a primal emotion connected with the sense of self. It is often confused as being the op ...

prevailing against injustice. Legal language is also another characteristic of the legal thriller in that it employs real life lawyer terminology, courtroom, and police procedures among characters. The television shows ''Suits'' and ''

How to Get Away with Murder ''How to Get Away with Murder'' is an American legal drama thriller television series that premiered on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on September 25, 2014, and concluded on May 14, 2020. The series was created by Peter Nowalk and pro ...

'' embody the legal thriller, characterized by episodes based on scenarios of legal proceedings similar to actual court scenarios. Novels, films, and television series such as ''

To Kill a Mockingbird ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' is a 1960 Southern Gothic novel by American author Harper Lee. It became instantly successful after its release; in the United States, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' ...

,'' and ''Marshall'' have received nominated for awards such as the

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...

and

NAACP Image Award The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...

for their awareness of controversial topics such as racial discrimination, gender inequality, the death penalty. The legal thriller genre has expanded to accommodate contemporary social themes while also preserving the general plot and actions of original legal thrillers.

Books

Earliest authors and novels

The earliest written version of legal thrillers came in the form of plays and stories printed in the newspaper date back to the mid-1550s. One of the first authors to bring into existence the legal thriller as a genre in the 1850s was

Wilkie Collins William Wilkie Collins (8 January 1824 – 23 September 1889) was an English novelist and playwright known especially for ''The Woman in White (novel), The Woman in White'' (1860), a mystery novel and early sensation novel, and for ''The Moonsto ...

. Collins learned from another writer who took an interest in the genre known as

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...

. Among the first books Collins produced included '' The Woman in White'' and ''

The Moonstone ''The Moonstone: A Romance'' by Wilkie Collins is an 1868 British epistolary novel. It is an early example of the modern detective novel, and established many of the ground rules of the modern genre. Its publication was started on 4 January 18 ...

'' which was among the first novels to display the storyline of a legal thriller by incorporating the testimonies of various characters to show the storyline of a detective investigating a crime, finding a suspect innocent, and generating a storyline of suspense. In the 20th Century, one of the most popular authors in legal fiction came to be Melville Davisson Post. His style of plots were notoriously fast-paced yet easy to follow as seen in his novel ''Corpus Delicti'' where he showcases a calm, collected, intelligent lawyer who advises his clients to go to extreme lengths to defend his case. The woman in white Cover 1890

Between the 1930s-1940s, author and active lawyer, Elre Stanley Gardner, wrote a series of novels that carried out the same proceedings of a legal thrillers as those in previous novels. In 1933, he wrote ''

The Case of the Velvet Claws ''The Case of the Velvet Claws'' is a 1936 American mystery film directed by William Clemens and starring Warren William, Claire Dodd and Wini Shaw. It is based on the first Perry Mason novel (1933) by Erle Stanley Gardner and featuring the fo ...

'' starring fictional lawyer,

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and four short stories, all of which involve a ...

, who embarks on a journey of proving the innocence of clients that has been found guilty only to find that the culprit was one of the witnesses all along. In 1958, author and former American judge, John D. Voelker wrote ''

Anatomy of a Murder ''Anatomy of a Murder'' is a 1959 American legal drama film produced and directed by Otto Preminger. The screenplay by Wendell Mayes was based on the 1958 novel of the same name written by Michigan Supreme Court Justice John D. Voelker under ...

''. The novel featured a lawyer named Paul Biegler who is in charge of defending a man accused of murdering someone to protect his wife. It became known for being one of the first most realistic legal thrillers for its thorough investigation and use of evidence to find the truth and defend an unlikable character.

Legal thriller novels today

The plot of contemporary legal thrillers takes on similar tropes to that of early legal thriller novels whereby the protagonist (typically a lawyer) is depicted as the hero and the courtroom is established as the setting for the climax. ''GoodReads'' top five "Best Legal Thrillers" included '' A Time to Kill'' written by John Grisham , ''

The Firm The FIRM is a brand of exercise videos and equipment currently owned by Gaiam. First released in 1986, the video series is best known for popularizing a hybrid of aerobic exercise and weight training. History In 1979, Anna Benson founded th ...

'' by Robin Waterfield, ''A Pitch for Justice'' by Harold Kasselman, ''

The Street Lawyer ''The Street Lawyer'' is a legal thriller novel by John Grisham. It was Grisham's ninth novel. The book was released in the United States on 1 January 1998, published by Bantam Books, and on 30 March 1998 in the UK, published by Century. Plot A ...

'' by John Gisham, and ''The Dravidian'' by Kalyan Kankanala. The book '' A Time To Kill'' was about a white lawyer named Jake Bridge who is defending a black client Carl Lee Hailey after he was charged with capital murder for killing two white men that raped his daughter. After facing several setbacks outside the court with the family of the deceased, on the day of the verdict, the jury decided to extend an equal standard of justice and mercy to Carl after considering what the outcome would have been had he been white. In ''A Pitch for Justice'', veteran prosecutor, Jaime Brooks is asked to investigate the matter of a pitcher accused of murder for his legal throw against a player. The debate between the lawyers in the courtroom established the courtroom as the place where they would study the unwritten rules of baseball. Two academically acclaimed legal thrillers that were made into films included

Bryan Stevenson Bryan Stevenson (born November 14, 1959) is an American lawyer, social justice activist, and law professor at New York University School of Law, and the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative. Based in Montgomery, Alabam ...

's memoir ''Just Mercy'' and the novel ''

To Kill A Mockingbird ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' is a 1960 Southern Gothic novel by American author Harper Lee. It became instantly successful after its release; in the United States, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' ...

'' by

Harper Lee Nelle Harper Lee (April 28, 1926 – February 19, 2016) was an American novelist whose 1960 novel ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and became a classic of modern American literature. She assisted her close friend Truman ...

. The book ''

Just Mercy ''Just Mercy'' is a 2019 American biographical legal drama film co-written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and starring Michael B. Jordan as Bryan Stevenson, Jamie Foxx as Walter McMillian, Rob Morgan, Tim Blake Nelson, Rafe Spall, a ...

'' details the life of a Bryan Stevenson who is set on correcting racial and social injustice through the Equal Justice Initiative. The book ''

'' details a murder mystery novel that provides close analysis of court proceedings amidst a dark period of racial discrimination in the legal system.

Major authors and their books

Major authors and books of this genre include the following:

Television

Earliest legal thrillers in television

The earliest legal drama began with the 1955 premiere of the popular American television show, "Perry Mason." This series follows the career of a criminal defense lawyer by the name of

who deals with clients that had been wrongfully accused of murder. While Mason works on his defense of the client who is accused, detective Arthur Tragg and prosecutor,

Hamilton Burger Hamilton Burger is the fictional Los Angeles County District Attorney (D.A.) in the series of novels, films, and radio and television programs featuring Perry Mason, the fictional defense attorney created by Erle Stanley Gardner. Character Hamil ...

work together to build a case against Mason's client. During trial, Mason conducts his own investigation where he goes on to uncover illegal or morally incorrect behavior of those accusing the client. The show was central in introducing the theme of "moral ambiguity" referring to the moral conflicts that emerge in the plot of legal thrillers. Following Perry Mason's show was ''The Defenders'' (1961). It showcased a father and son lawyer duo named Lawrence Preston and Kenneth Preston who frequently found themselves taking on controversial cases such as

abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...

capital punishment Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence (law), sentence ordering that an offender b ...

insanity defense The insanity defense, also known as the mental disorder defense, is an affirmative Defense (legal), defense by excuse in a criminal case, arguing that the defendant is not responsible for their actions due to a mental illness, psychiatric disease ...

, and more. In the episode, "The Benefactor," they were seen to be defending a doctor arrested by police for performing illegal abortion. The episode ended with doctor being found guilty for performing the abortion but the judge suspended his sentence. When interviewed by ''The View Magazine'' regarding the themes covered by the show, screenwriter,

Reginald Rose Reginald Rose (December 10, 1920 – April 19, 2002) was an American screenwriter. He wrote about controversial social and political issues. His realistic approach was particularly influential in the anthology programs of the 1950s. Rose w ...

stated that "We're committed to controversy."

Contemporary themes and language in legal thriller television

Social justice themes were prevalent within this show and police procedural elements in subsequent shows such as ''

Arrest and Trial ''Arrest and Trial'' is a 90-minute American crime/legal drama series that ran during the 1963–1964 season on ABC, airing Sundays from 8:30-10 pm Eastern. Overview The majority of episodes consists of two segments. Set in Los Angeles, the ...

''. The development of these television shows led to the creation of the most famous TV shows of the 1990s, ''

Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, launching the ''Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire ...

''. Different categories of legal thriller shows also developed, such as courtroom drama, ensemble shows, and police detective dramas. The characters in these shows displayed ardent personality traits when investigating and dealing with complex legal issues of the justice system. In ''

How To Get Away with Murder ''How to Get Away with Murder'' is an American legal drama thriller television series that premiered on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on September 25, 2014, and concluded on May 14, 2020. The series was created by Peter Nowalk and pro ...

'' (2014) the series features a legal professional as the leading teacher and a group of law students who devise tactics to combat various criminal cases and murder mysteries. Australia, Denmark, and Poland import 62% of law and justice shows from the United States. Legal thriller television is mostly sourced from the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

jurisdiction Australian legal thriller shows developed in the 1980s and 1990s covered both

adjudication Adjudication is the legal process by which an arbiter or judge reviews evidence and argumentation, including legal reasoning set forth by opposing parties or litigants, to come to a decision which determines rights and obligations between th ...

and

punishment Punishment, commonly, is the imposition of an undesirable or unpleasant outcome upon an individual or group, meted out by an authority—in contexts ranging from child discipline to criminal law—as a deterrent to a particular action or beh ...

. The television shows concerning adjudication and punishment consist of the soap opera, ''

Carson's Law ''Carson's Law'' is an Australian television series made by Crawford Productions for the Ten Network between 1983-1984. The series was a period piece set in the 1920s and starred Lorraine Bayly as progressive solicitor Jennifer Carson. The e ...

'' and ''

SeaChange ''SeaChange'' is an Australian television program that ran from 1998 to 2000 on the ABC and in 2019 on the Nine Network. It was created by Andrew Knight and Deborah Cox and starred Sigrid Thornton, David Wenham, William McInnes, John Howard ...

''. Both shows feature female lawyers who experience

prejudice Prejudice can be an affect (psychology), affective feeling towards a person based on their perceived In-group and out-group, social group membership. The word is often used to refer to a preconceived (usually unfavourable) evaluation or classifi ...

from males in their legal careers. Thematic ideas of justice and equality are associated with the female lawyer protagonist's fight for change to break the glass ceiling. The inequality of men and women prevalent in the set time of the 1920s contribute to these themes present. In 2014, Australian legal thrillers developed were limited, compared to previous years that are tabulated with "45%". In Britain, the most dominant form of legal thrillers are police and detective shows. Examples of these include the ''

Dixon of Dock Green ''Dixon of Dock Green'' is a BBC police procedural television series about daily life at a fictional London police station, with the emphasis on petty crime, successfully controlled through common sense and human understanding. It ran from 1955 ...

'' and ''

The Sweeney ''The Sweeney'' is a British police drama television series focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London. It stars John Thaw as Detective ...

''. Women also played a role in these television shows as evident in ''

Juliet Bravo ''Juliet Bravo'' is a television in the United Kingdom, British television police procedural drama series, first broadcast on 30 August 1980, that ran for six series and a total of 88 episodes on BBC One, BBC1. The theme of the series concerned ...

'' and '' C.A.T.S. Eyes''. Courtroom drama in Britain featured the series ''Justice'' as a prominent show, where the courtroom drama played a big role in its characteristic of the legal thriller. As Britain has three legal systems, this distinction was made apparent in the television shows, also highlighting barristers and advocates in wigs as part of the show. As American shows dominate the legal thriller genre today, the characteristic of legal language has emerged. In the American legal drama ''Suits'' (2011), the series follows the career of a university expellee named Mike Ross, who is hired as a lawyers at Harvey Spector despite not having a license to practice law. The show features Mike Ross and other lawyers engage in various court proceedings throughout which they make their case using Latin and French legal terminology including terms such as "affidavit", "plaintiff", "defendant", "malfeasance", and "in lieu".

Films

Lawyers in legal thriller films

Legal thriller films provide introspection into the life of a lawyer and legal professionals. Within films, the central character is often engaged in professional work and experiences an obstacle that they have to overcome such as a client's case. The character confronts problems with their personal life and work, as it is under threat by the complex case, creating and series of action and courtroom battles. The problems that characters face are evident within reviews of films such as ''

The Judge The Judge may refer to: Literature * ''The Judge'', novel by Elia W. Peattie, 1889 * ''The Judge'', 1925 American translation of ''The Old Man'' (Gorky play), 1915 * ''The Judge'', novel by Rebecca West, 1922 * ''The Judge'', 2010 English trans ...

'', where family dynamics strain after a lawyer returns home for his mother's funeral. Reviews from the New York Times comment on the film's transformation into a crime story, characteristic of the legal thriller. The film itself unfolds the legal thriller's ideal courtroom drama style. The film takes place in what is deemed as a "nostalgia-tinged town". Further films such as ''

The Lincoln Lawyer ''The Lincoln Lawyer'' is a 2005 novel, the 16th by American crime writer Michael Connelly. It introduces Los Angeles attorney Mickey Haller, half-brother of Connelly's mainstay character Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch. It was adapted as ...

'' have also met similar reviews from Roger Ebert, commenting on the love of three elements in the film: courtroom scene, old cars, and tangled criminals. The 2019 film, '' Dark Waters'' raises an ethical dilemma of lawyers often choosing sides within films, as the defense lawyer has to switch sides to defend a poisoned community. He risks his future, community, and life by dealing with the case, characteristic of the legal thriller.

Film examples

The film ''

Mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal rivers. They have particular adaptations to take in extra oxygen a ...

'' shows the inequalities and injustices prevalent through Britain's Caribbean history.

Steve McQueen Terrence Stephen McQueen (March 24, 1930November 7, 1980) was an American actor. His antihero persona, emphasized during the height of counterculture of the 1960s, 1960s counterculture, made him a top box office draw for his films of the late ...

was the first black director of an Academy winning best picture with ''

12 Years a Slave ''Twelve Years a Slave'' is an 1853 memoir and slave narrative by Solomon Northup as told to and written by David Wilson. Northup, a black man who was born free in New York state, details himself being tricked to go to Washington, D.C., whe ...

''. The five-part anthology, featuring ''

'' as the first visualizes courtroom drama and heroism, characterizing the legal thriller genre. McQueen made his film resemble a landmark of the civil rights trial against black activists. The film uses the characteristics of the legal thriller genre through a powerhouse courtroom drama and focusing on racial justice. The power divide between two opposing sides is intended to shape transformative victory, as audiences can learn about diversity. '' A Fall from Grace'' also features the challenge often taken by lawyers in legal thriller films. For example, a young public defender has to handle the challenging case of a woman charged with murdering her husband. The film features elements of a conventional courtroom drama, such as the heroic lawyer, shady characters, and a law firm setting. Within the film, there are

plot twist A plot twist is a literary technique that introduces a radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work of fiction. When it happens near the end of a story, it is known as a twist ending or surprise ending. It may change ...

characteristics of the legal thriller genre. Furthermore, the film ''

Law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...

'' has ample court scenes and features a character taking on the fight for justice. The film defies the stereotypical expectations of women through featuring the main character as a woman who wants to speak openly about gang rape victimization. The recognition of injustice is another emerging aspect of legal thriller films. ''

Marshall Marshall may refer to: Places Australia *Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria ** Marshall railway station Canada * Marshall, Saskatchewan * The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia Liberia * Marshall, Liberia Marshall Is ...

'' is another example of a legal thriller film, where the lawyer is feature as the main character, traveling the country on behalf of the

NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...

to defend black men who are accused of crimes. The film features a courtroom scene where violence occurs in retrieving the confession of a client and the difficulty to obtain the truth. As a film review reveals, flashbacks are used as a key film technique to craft outrage. The courtroom scenes are considered suspenseful and the setting of the 1940s shows a stage where people threw a facade with fake costumes and bright lights. Racism is exposed as a critical social justice issue explored where the truth demands a voice.

Legal thriller films

Summaries:

Impact of genre

The legal thriller genre has had an expansive impact in the field of literature, film, and television. From its early exploration of social justice through novels such as '' Presumed Innocent'' and ''

'' to its influence on contemporary media such as '' Suits'' and ''

'', the genre has not only entertained but also educated audiences on legal intricacies and the moral dilemmas experienced in the courtroom.

Novels

Harper Lee's ''

'' sold worldwide and won numerous awards including the

for fiction. The novel was also translated into a film for which it received nominations in various categories such as best actress, music and cinematography and won the 1963 Oscars. It has impacted schools by becoming a part of the syllabus reading list for learning, as it addresses timeless concepts of

racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one Race (human categorization), race or ethnicity over another. It may also me ...

and

social injustice Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has ofte ...

relevant to America. Scott Turow's novel ''Presumed Innocent'' was a bestseller in 1987. His story introduced the sub-genre of the legal thriller by incorporating aspects of the

criminal trial Criminal procedure is the adjudication process of the criminal law. While criminal procedure differs dramatically by jurisdiction, the process generally begins with a formal criminal charge with the person on trial either being free on bail or ...

process. The core inspiration of Turow's work is examining a witness during a trial, the story stemming from the lawyer's own experiences. Legal thriller books instigate the need for equality. The National Public Radio provides coverage of the legal thriller memoir, ''Just Mercy''. Brian Stevenson provides insight into shaping the need for equality within America, as there have been a hundred years of

supremacism Supremacism is the belief that a certain group of people are superior to, and should have authority over, all others. The presumed superior group can be defined by age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, language, social c ...

and violence against black people in America. The film, ''

'', raises the themes of equality and justice for the racial injustice against black African Americans in the United States of America. It has introduced the

social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives fro ...

issue of the death penalty, as American people disapproved of it after watching the film. The legal thriller enlightens hope that complex social issues such as the death penalty have the potential to change.

Television

Early legal thriller television shows reflected the plots of novels. Over time, they came to encompass the contemporary social themes and language that makes up legal court proceedings. In 2015, the television show ''

'' received the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama for its excellence in depicting LGBTQ characters and themes. In 2019 it was nominated for the

NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Drama Series This article lists the winners and nominees for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Drama Series. Originally entitled Outstanding Drama Series, Mini-Series or Television Movie, the award was first given in 1991, before being retitled to its curren ...

for its representation of lawyers of color. The show '' Suits,'' received numerous awards for its actors including the Outsanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series award and Favorite TV Actress Supporting Role in 2012. The show namely consists of plot that much like the early series, '' The Defenders'' covered controversial themes of racial inequity and the corrupt nature of pursuing power and wealth in America.

Film

The film, ''

'' was based on the history of a lawyer named Marshall who created the NAACP Legal Defence Fund.He was devoted to identifying cases that would change history. The film has made a significant impact on audiences, as it has a turned a real-life hero to the all-time star of a courtroom drama. This is revealed in a film review, where it states the legal thriller has a created a real-life superhero for audiences to gain inspiration. Furthermore, using the idealistic approach of a young lawyer makes a compelling courtroom drama. The elements of historical racism embedded within the film dates back to the 1950s and has created a riveting, touching tale on audiences. Throughout the popular culture of legal thriller films, there have been variations in the character representations of lawyers. The character representation of lawyers affects audiences both negatively and positively. The positive impact is the level of heroism performed by lawyers in saving their client's case. Negative representations are associated with the representation of lawyers as villains and distrustful. The representations reflect lawyers declining after the American Revolution. As many films, novels, and shows are produced within the genre, audiences can choose the images of the lawyer that they like. The process of revealing these images is through showing the beginning action, the action itself and the consequences of the lawyer's actions.

References

External links

10 Best Legal Thrillers That Bring The Courtroom Drama

15 Must-Read Legal Thrillers

20 Best Legal Thrillers of the Last 20 Years

The best legal thrillers (that aren't by John Grisham)

Be Guilty Of Reading The Best Legal Thrillers of 2019

How To Write a Legal Thriller

Elements of a Legal Thriller

Law and Literature: Legal Thrillers

Redefining the Legal "Thriller"

Brief History of the Legal Thriller

When Is A Legal Thriller Not a Legal Thriller?
{{DEFAULTSORT:Legal Thriller

Legal Thriller films Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the art ...

Legal films by genre Legal television series Crime fiction Film genres Thriller genres Thrillers

Books

Earliest authors and novels

Legal thriller novels today

Major authors and their books

Television

Earliest legal thrillers in television

Contemporary themes and language in legal thriller television

Films

Lawyers in legal thriller films

Film examples

Legal thriller films

Impact of genre

Novels

Television

Film

See also

References

Further reading

External links