in every tv court scene ever

judge, cautiously saying "i'm going to allow this"

"councilman, get to the point/where IS this going?"

jury swayed

jury listening

laughing mafia man, smugly knowing he can't be got to. OH NO WHAT HE DIDN'T COUNT ON THIS LAWYER

laywer losing his cool and ranting insanely

a declaration of love somwhow affecting the course case

court case...

Unorthodox behaviour somehow getting the job done goddammit

an objection that would not actually be allowed irl

lawyers being called to the bench

detective in the audience

face off between detective and crime boss who are sitting watching

the lawyer asking a single, seemingly off-beam question, during cross-examination

humble plaintiff bamboozled by slick obnoxious more expensive lawyer of smug defendant

diverse but tokenistic jury is all kinda weird looking

judge behaves like an actor and not a judge

everyone who sits down must tap their notes off the table to make them neater

lawyer does a sort of one foot basketball pivot as he asks a seemingly innocuous question on the path to deeper inquisitions

"an objection that would not actually be allowed irl"

Replace "an objection" with "nothing but objections".

Also, witnesses being asked to testify on things they could never possibly know and the judge allowing it.

"I will be representing myself, your honour" (gasps)

OBJECTION SUSTAINED!

OVERRULED!

"Need I remind you that you are under oath?"

In sitcoms: ludicrously incompetent defence lawyer.

Grieving wife/mother wearing a pillbox hat with a veil.

Feigned grieving widow wearing a pillbox hat with a veil.

Verdict read; defendant found Not Guilty. Entire courtroom erupts in cheers. Camera pans to crushed DA looking somber.

Judge: Order! Order!
Bangs gavel frantically.
I WILL have order in my court!

50,000 letters addressed to santa claus dumped on judge's desk

"Your Honor, if I may call to the stand…" Surprise witness!

Gloating and unrepentant murderer let off on technicality.

lawyer: your honour, please consider society, not the specifics of this case in front of you

judge, to self: 'makes u think'

mysteriously silence from defence attorney while prosecutor goads accused into blind fury and an inadvertent revelation of THE TRUTH.

*dramatic string instruments*

Witness offering testimony in a flamboyant, narrative, emotional manner that is completely damning to the other side while opposing counsel sits there mutely, stunned at the righteousness of it all, instead of objecting his/her head off to stop the madness and get the witness back under control.

Maybe that is an x-post.

Witness outsmarts smug attorney, makes joke at attorney's expense, jury chuckles and identifies with witness.

after seemingly damning testimony the other lawyer says "No questions, your honor"

GASPS

what does this lawyer have up his or her sleeve??

A non-Caucasian judge.

People confronting their deeply held prejudices, possibly breaking down in tears.

"I call for a mistrial!"

Defence counsel running out of ideas, looking despairingly to doors at rear of court, judge repeating "Do you have any more witnesses?" - finally the door opens and... "YES! Your honour, the defence calls SOMEONE WHO'LL BLOW THIS SHITTY TRIAL RIGHT OUT OF THE FUCKING WATER!"

http://www.imdb.com/board/bd0000088/nest/167344065

traumatized victim encouraged to testify where he/she breaks down/is triumphant during testimony

Slouching, insolent street gang members.

jury foremen with timing chops lifted straight from american idol - "we find the defendant..."

reaction shot 1 - defendant looking downcast, in another world
reaction shot 2 - defendant's mother looking anxious and pleading
reaction shot 3 - smirking prosecution
and on and on and on

...

Defence lawyer whispers in defendant's ear.

glass of water being poured/sipped while dramatic tension builds

Defence lawyer: "Aw shit, we've got [insert judge's name]"

John Larroquette's character usually wins.

person in the audience gets involved, and their outburst is for some reason allowed as evidence rather than resulting in a mistrial.

"Permission to approach the bench, your honour?"

And judge in his private room, in shirtsleeves, pouring out a tumbler of whiskey as he explains: "Listen, John, you know the law as well as I do ..."

Unkempt, bumbling, eccentric elderly defence lawyer, who can't seem to string a sentence together, and doesn't seem to be listening - to his client's growing horor - UNTIL IT TURNS OUT HE HAS A MIND LIKE A STEEL TRAP!

"One more question like that and I'll have you in contempt! This is a court of law, not a circus."

an audience (unlike every irl court room ever)

no other lawyers sitting around drumming their fingers and waiting for their own procedural hearing to call

kindly court official winks at downtrodden little kiddie, lets him/her know everything's going to be alright

the right verdict as opposed to the legally correct one.

widespread amusement as no one realises beforehand that the little kiddie in the witness stand is too small to be seen over it.

"You're just another scumbag drugs lawyer, Goldstein."
"My clients are entitled to a defence like anyone else, Sergeant. "

case is resolved, romantically-linked protagonists make fleeting eye contact and smile

kindly judge attempts to get through to wayward kid whom he knows did not actually commit the crime. kid is covering for someone else and refuses to squeal...in kindly voice

"al-right, you've left me no choice. but will you think about what i said?"

Jury room unbearably warm and spartan.

"this is most unusual"

Expert witness says a bunch of stuff the judge doesn't understand. Judge looks baffled. Expert witness rephrases testimony in one-sentence metaphor drawn from fishing. Judge unfurrows brow, smiles and nods.

Lawyers talk about the case as they walk up or down the marble steps leading into the courthouse

Vindicated defendant tearfully talks to press on marble steps leading into the courthouse
OR
Guilty defendant who was wrongfully cleared by jury due to technicality smugly talks to press on marble steps leading into the courthouse; righteous prosecutor either walks by sadly or butts in to confront defendant in front of TV cameras

Guilty defendant who was wrongfully cleared by jury due to technicality smugly talks to press on marble steps leading into the courthouse

And is promptly shot by angry victim or victim's family member.

Took a bunch of students to watch a bit of a trial once. Fuck me they're boring.

"yerrrrrrrrrrrrrrr honour..."

just when all seems lost, assistant leans in with a paper or folder and quietly points out some VITAL DISCREPANCY to the dejected prosecutor who looks upward with vaguely amazed "victory is mine!" face.

1)Lawyer continuing to press his line of questioning at the same time the judge is sustaining an objection from the other side regarding it.

2) this line of questioning scoring major points and turning the entire case around.

novice attorney on his/her own ultimately kicking the ass of the other side's platoon of middle aged, white male lawyers. this after starting the proceedings out very poorly, looking like the novice he/she is.

This thread is the script of The Defenders.

50,000 letters addressed to santa claus dumped on judge's desk

― dayo, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 12:32 (7 months ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

wanna see this one

I greatly enjoy The Defenders btw, but only because Jim Belushi is so good in it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyU2p4l5iUA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHknAtVsV88&feature=related

This thread is the script of The Defenders.

haha, haven't seen that one, but was thinking it was a combo of Liar Liar and My Cousin Vinny.

Quality combination of surprise exhibit and unconventional lawyering from The Defenders ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wk0hp86HTw&list=SL

Scene I've always wanted to see:

Bailiff: Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Witness: No.

*collective gasp, followed by 30 minutes of excited murmuring and baffled indecision*