legal movies

A Time to Kill

The other night I came home from studying when the library closed and grabbed a quick snack. I had planned to relax for a few minutes, check my email, and watch TV for a few minutes.
“A time to kill” was on. If you are not familiar with it then you really need to watch it or maybe read the book. It is by far Grisham’s best work.
The story line is simple. (Caution: Spoiler) A black man who feels the justice system has failed to protect his family takes the law into his own hands. The story follows the trial and the surrounding racial tensions that arise. It is a uniquely southern story reminiscent of “To kill a mockingbird”. The movie is star packed and Jack Brigance, the lawyer for the defendant, is played by a young Mathew McConaughey.
I once owned the VHS tape but wore it out. If I could fast forward it till the end and watch the lawyer’s closing speech, I would. But it was on TV, so I watched the rest of it.
It is one of those movies that make people decide to want to be lawyers and take on the unwinable cause

My favorite line from the movie:
“What is it in us that seeks the truth? Is it our minds or is it our hearts?”
It reminds me of what was said of Atticus Finch:
“There are some men in this world who are born to do our unpleasant jobs for us”…
“We’re paying him the highest tribute we can pay a man. We trust him to do it right.”

Anyway, McConaughey delivers a soliloquy as his closing statement that convinces the jury to return a not guilty verdict. The camera cuts to a jury member and a single tear rolls down her cheek. And you know he has already won. Snatching victory from the snarling jaws of defeat.
We all want to be that lawyer. We want to be that guy who takes on the case that can’t be won because it is the right thing to do. We want to be that guy who saves the world- one case at a time. We want to triumph.

After almost two years of dishing it out and law school has not taken that desire from me.
I hope it never dies.

Sometimes it is good just to sit back and think about why we have decided to do what we do and why we suffer what we suffer in order to make that dream come true.