Movie Guide for Legal Studies Book

12 Angry Men     1
Key Themes: jury deliberations, reasonable doubt, prejudice versus fairness
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Law, Introduction to Paralegal Studies
The Accused     3
Key Themes: sexual assault and justice, plea bargaining, guilt by encouragement
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Law, Interviewing
Anatomy of a Murder     5
Key Themes: insanity defense, questionable legal strategies, domestic violence
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Law, Legal Ethics, Interviewing
And Justice for All     7
Key Themes: corruption in the legal system, injustice, judicial misbehavior, ethical dilemmas
Best Classroom Use: Introduction to Paralegal Studies, Criminal Procedure, Legal Ethics
Animal Farm     10
Key Themes: justice, freedom, government control, equality
Best Classroom Use: Constitutional Law, Introduction to Law
Body Heat     12
Key Themes: honesty, ethics, legal malpractice
Best Classroom Use: Wills and Trusts, Property
Changing Lanes     14
Key Themes: fraud and deceit in the practice of law, revenge
Best Classroom Use: Legal Ethics, Estates and Trusts
A Civil Action     16
Key Themes: litigation strategies and injustice, discovery tactics, hardball negotiation
Best Classroom Use: Civil Procedure, Litigation, Torts, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Legal Ethics
Class Action     19
Key Themes: litigation and legal ethics, productliability, law firm politics, father/daughter lawyers
Best Classroom Use: Introduction to Paralegal Studies, Litigation, Torts, Legal Ethics
The Client     22
Key Themes: honesty in litigation, attorney-client confidentiality
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Procedure, Legal Ethics, Introduction to Paralegal Studies
Criminal Law     24
Key Themes: miscarriage of justice, attorney-client confidentiality, vigilantism
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Law, Legal Ethics, Interviewing
Disclosure     26
Key Themes: sexual harassment, mediation
Best Classroom Use: Employment Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution
Erin Brockovich     28
Key Themes: toxic waste litigation, paralegal efforts, corporate fraud, overcoming personal and legal odds
Best Classroom Use: Introduction to Paralegal Studies, Litigation, Torts, Legal Ethics
A Few Good Men     30
Key Themes: military justice, the defense of superior orders, courtroom strategies
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Law, Introduction to Paralegal Studies
The Firm     33
Key Themes: corrupt lawyers, blackmail, racketeering, overbilling
Best Classroom Use: Legal Ethics, Criminal Law, Introduction to Paralegal Studies
Jagged Edge     36
Key Themes: murder trial, ethics violations, lawyer-client involvement
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Law, Legal Ethics, Litigation
Liar Liar     38
Key Themes: lawyer dishonesty, law office politics, marital property distribution
Best Classroom Use: Introduction to Paralegal Studies, Legal Ethics, Family Law, Contracts
The Life of David Gale     40
Key Themes: the death penalty, miscarriage of justice, ends justifying the means
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Law, Introduction to Law
Minority Report     42
Key Themes: preventative justice and actus reus, crime control and constitutional safeguards
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Introduction to Law
My Cousin Vinny     44
Key Themes: fish out of water in the criminal justice system, wrongful accusation, mistaken identity, culture clashes
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Procedure, Criminal Law, Legal Ethics, Interviewing
Philadelphia     46
Key Themes: wrongful termination, illegal discrimination, AIDS and the legal system
Best Classroom Use: Civil Procedure, Torts, Employment Law, Introduction to Paralegal Studies
Presumed Innocent     48
Key Themes: murder prosecution, litigation strategies, political maneuvering, revenge
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence
Primal Fear     50
Key Themes: insanity defense, honesty in litigation, corruption in the Catholic Church and in government
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Legal Ethics
The Rainmaker     52
Key Themes: insurance company and wrongful death litigation, David vs. Goliath, lawyer ethics violations
Best Classroom Use: Legal Ethics, Civil Procedure, Litigation, Introduction to Paralegal Studies
Runaway Jury     55
Key Themes: honesty in litigation, jury tampering, situational ethics
Best Classroom Use: Civil Procedure, Legal Ethics, Introduction to Paralegal Studies
The Star Chamber     57
Key Themes: justice vs. law, legal technicalities, misuse of power
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Procedure, Legal Ethics
A Time to Kill     59
Key Themes: racism and legal prejudice, vigilantism and the insanity defense, jury nullification and justice
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Introduction to Paralegal Studies, Legal Ethics
To Kill a Mockingbird     62
Key Themes: social injustice, racism, rape trial
Best Classroom Use: Introduction to Law, Criminal Law
The Verdict     64
Key Themes: medical malpractice, civil litigation, David vs. Goliath, redemption
Best Classroom Use: Civil Procedure, Litigation, Torts, Legal Ethics, Introduction to Paralegal Studies
Wall Street     67
Key Themes: insider trading, business ethics, greed and redemption
Best Classroom Use: Business Law, Criminal Law, Legal Ethics, Introduction to Law
The War of the Roses     69
Key Themes: divorce and property distribution, spousal conflict
Best Classroom Use: Family Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution
The Winslow Boy     71
Key Themes: justice, litigation risks
Best Classroom Use: Interviewing, Introduction to Paralegal Studies
Young Mr. Lincoln     73
Key Themes: justice, wrongful accusation, courtroom shrewdness
Best Classroom Use: Criminal Procedure, Criminal Law, Interviewing, Alternative Dispute Resolution