Reel Justice: The Courtroom Goes to the Movies.

• Author: Poniewaz, Carrie May
• Position: Book review

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...