Showing posts with label television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label television. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

How Realistic Are Television Courtroom Dramas?


How about a change of pace today!? Let's talk about t.v. programs! In your opinion, are t.v. courtroom dramas realistic? And which program, in your opinion, comes the closest to reality, i.e. what criminal lawyers and criminal trials are really like?
Over the years, there have been countless law-related t.v. programs. When I was a little boy, growing up here in Georgia, Perry Mason, (Raymond Burr), was one of my role models. I also liked to watch actor E.G. Marshall, in "The Defenders." Looking back, the most unrealistic feature of these shows, in my opinion, was that the stars, including Mr. Mason, almost never lost a criminal case!
But what about more recent t.v. programs? Did you watch "The Practice," or "Law and Order?" Surely, everyone also liked the recent show, "Boston Legal!" Do you recall others? Which comes closest to the real deal? I believe "Law and Order" comes closest to reality. But, in my opinion, one of the most unrealistic features of each of these shows is that the trial lawyers, (on t.v.), can yell at, and talk back to, the trial judges!
Trust me, you wouldn't get away with that in a Georgia courtroom! Here, you would find yourself in a very real jail cell!

Monday, January 18, 2010

Law and Order: The Impact of Crime Dramas on Real Juries

What is your opinion? Do television shows, such as "Law and Order-S.V.U.," influence how "real people" view our criminal justice system? I believe they do and here's why.

Most people rarely have any contact with the courts, police, or lawyers. Therefore, when they occasionally must interact with "the system," they must draw upon the impressions which they have formed about cops or lawyers from television, or the movies. I also believe that true crime trial dramas, beginning with the televised O.J. Simpson murder case, (coupled with fictitious t.v. crime dramas), have also had a profound impact on what jurors expect when they are selected to serve on juries. For instance, in my experience, both as a prosecutor and a criminal defense lawyer, jurors chosen in criminal cases expect to be entertained with "C.S.I." caliber scientific evidence, just like they have seen on t.v.

Don't you agree? If you regularly watch "Law and Order-S.V.U.," don't you expect real criminal investigators to solve crimes just like the character portrayed by award-winning actor Marisa Hargitay? Of course, at least in real jury trials, there are no interruptions for commercials!