Criminal Attorney Television Shows

The character sketch of a criminal attorney is such an interesting one that many popular television shows have been built around lawyers and law practices. It's interesting to the average television viewer to watch cases unfold, to see the legal eagles expertly crafting defenses, questioning witnesses, and defending clients. It's human nature to want to take a look at the underbelly of society and to try to understand how and why crimes are committed. Here are some popular T.V. shows built around the drama of courtrooms and jailhouses.

- Perry Mason: Perry Mason was originally a character in a series of fiction novels. Eventually, in the late 1950's to the mid 1960's, Raymond Burr played the part on television. During the 1970's through the nineties, remakes and movies followed. This attorney always prevailed in the courtroom and was an iconic hero.

- Boston Legal: This television show featured an entire law practice of male and female defense attorneys who had an array of intriguing courtroom battles to watch. Denny Crane was the main defender, a charismatic egotist with some quirky personality traits. His part was played by William Shatner. Boston Legal was on the air from 2004 through 2008 and is still viewed by fans via DVD collections. This series was so well done that it won an array of awards such as Emmys, Golden
Globes and Peabodies.

- Law and Order: Law and Order was on the small screen for twenty years, beginning in 1990 and running through 2010. It was America's longest playing crime drama before being cancelled. In this show, the setting was located in New York City and the storylines were often modeled after actual criminal cases.

- CSI Crime Scene Investigation: CSI is an award winning T.V. show that features both the legal world and police investigators. It began to air in 2000 and is still running today. It has also won an array of awards for its high quality.

- Judge Judy: Judge Judy is a reality based show featuring the goings on of an actual courtroom. Judge Judy's real name is Judith Sheindlin. This television series began in 1996 and is still running strong. While the individuals are represented by themselves and not a criminal attorney, the courtroom atmosphere is still the same. This show has won multiple awards and is popular because of the spunky, outspoken personality of the judge.

- The West Wing: The West Wing is about lawyers and politicians in Washington, DC. It began in 1999 and ran through 2006. This series won several Emmys and Golden Globe Awards.

- LTV or Legal Television Network: This is a show which is designed to educate the public about the legal process and court system. It consists of mini-documentaries about an array of law related subjects.

These shows' casts often include a criminal attorney or two, judges and crime scene investigators can make intriguing character studies for television and movies. The T.V. series that have been built around Perry Mason, Denny Crane, Judge Judy and all the other lawyers and judges develop loyal followings of viewers. Plotlines about criminals, the crimes they carried out and the lawyers who defend them are capable of keeping fans on the edges of their seats.