Legal thriller
| Legal thriller | |
|---|---|
| Cultural origins | United States of America |
| Features | Courtroom, equality, justice, lawyers legal language, social justice experience |
| Popularity | Britain, Australia, United States of America, Canada, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain |
| Formats | Books, television and films |
| Authors | Brian Stevenson, Harper Lee, Ernest J. Gaines, John Berendt, Scott Turow, John Grisham, Michael Connelly, Paul Levine Jilliane Hoffman, Mark Gimenez, Linda Fairstein, Marcia Clark, James Grippando, Vish Dhamija, Nathaniel Sizemore |
| Subgenres | |
| Crime, thriller, mystery | |
| Related genres | |
| Suspense, horror | |
| Related topics | |
| Legal drama, social justice, films, novels, television | |
The legal thriller genre is a type of crime fiction genre that focuses on the proceedings of the investigation, with particular reference to the impacts on courtroom proceedings and the lives of characters.
The genre came about in the 16th century with the publication of short stories and novels based on court cases taking place at the time. Some of the novels were later adapted into early television series and film productions during the 1950s.
Many legal professionals, including Scott Turow in Presumed Innocent and Harper Lee in To Kill a Mocking Bird, constitute the primary authorship of the genre-providing their own relevant experiences.
The legal thriller genre's courtroom proceedings and legal authorship are ubiquitous characteristics. The genre features lawyers as legal professionals as the supreme hero. Their actions in the courtroom affect the quality of character's lives, as they determine innocence prevailing against injustice.
Legal language is also another characteristic of the legal thriller in that it employs real life lawyer terminology, courtroom, and police procedures among characters. The television shows Suits and How to Get Away with Murder embody the legal thriller, characterized by episodes based on scenarios of legal proceedings similar to actual court scenarios.
Novels, films, and television series such as To Kill a Mockingbird, How to Get Away with Murder, and Marshall have received nominated for awards such as the Pulitzer Prize and NAACP Image Award for their awareness of controversial topics such as racial discrimination, gender inequality, the death penalty. The legal thriller genre has expanded to accommodate contemporary social themes while also preserving the general plot and actions of original legal thrillers.