The Legal Limelight™

BOSTON LEGAL - Alan Shore - Supreme Court Argument
Boston Legal is a Golden Globe, Peabody and Emmy Award winning American legal drama comedy created by David E. Kelley that has aired since October 3, 2004. It is a spin-off of the long-running legal drama The Practice and follows the professional and personal lives of attorneys at the law firm of Crane, Poole & Schmidt. During the final season of The Practice, Alan Shore (played by James Spader) was hired by Young, Frutt & Berlutti. He brought in vast amounts of money to the firm (over $9 million by his count), but his highly unethical behavior eventually forced the firm to fire him with $15,000 in severance pay. Alan sued for more money, winning his case with a judgment of $2.3 million that resulted in financial hardships on Young, Frutt & Berlutti. He went on to work with Denny Crane at Crane, Poole & Schmidt. In Boston Legal, Alan displays most of the same traits. He is considered an unethical attorney due to the sometimes questionable methods he uses to help his clients; however, Alan seems to be able to help his clients and fellow lawyers when no one else can, due to his quick wit and apparent lack of fear for the consequences of his illegal actions. In the fourth season, Alan Shore reached the high point of his legal career by arguing this death penalty case before the Supreme Court. During this episode, he criticizes many of the sitting justices for politicizing the Supreme Court. One interesting point to note is that he only attacked Republican-appointed justices, consistent with Alan's liberal stance on many issues. Denny Crane (played by William Shatner), though he did not actually argue, insisted on attending the proceedings, as he has never argued before the Supreme Court. Crane considered this occasion as a must for his legacy to be complete.
LISTEN TO REAL SUPREME COURT ARGUMENT - Jack Samuel Ring
Jack Samuel Ring the founder and developer of LAWPEDIA.COM obtained a 9-0 Decision in a landmark case before the United States Supreme Court entitled: Schlunk v. Volkswagen, et al., a case which is still referred to with regard to the issues of this case. Read and listen to an audio portion of the transcript here at LawPedia.

"The rule of law," wrote the Greek philosopher Aristotle in 350 BC, "is better than the rule of any individual." All legal systems elaborate laws, legal rights and responsibilities in different fashion. In every place there is a rich history to the law, with deep philosophical commitments and high ideals underpinning it. In many cases the basic law is what creates a nation, as with the U.S. Constitution. Law corresponds to pressing economic, social, and humanitarian issues, as wells as guides or governs almost every daily routine. Intense political and legal battles are fought to form the law throughout its various institutions. Legal Professionals are the makers, doers, and interpreters of the law. They are mostly well trained in the practice of giving people sound advice about their legal rights and duties, as well as to diligently represent them in court, or before the numerous governmental agencies. For those highly skilled at the law, those attorneys, lawyers, barristers, judges, or justices, who make law a daily passion for advocacy and just implementation of lawful power, there is no better calling and no finer profession. Follow their tales and wales in our upcoming special section for legal professionals.

MOVIES AND THE LAW: When the editors at LawPedia became interested in courtroom drama, we consulted our sister site - MoviePedia: The Movie Encyclopedia - for some early nominations on the all time best movies involving law. Over the next several weeks we will be publishing our own reviews on these great legal films, and take more nominations from our readers. At the end of that process, we will take votes from all of our readers, and compile them with the votes of our legal and editorial staff. When completed LawPedia® will publish the film rankings. Just to start here are a few, in no particular order:
12 Angry Men (1957) - Starring: Martin Balsam, John Fiedler; Director: Sidney Lumet
Inherit the Wind (1960) - Starring: Spencer Tracy, Fredric March; Director: Stanley Kramer
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) - Starring: Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster Director: Stanley Kramer
The Verdict (1982) - Starring: Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling Director: Sidney Lumet
A Few Good Men (1992) - Starring: Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson; Director: Rob Reiner
A Civil Action (1999) - Starring: John Travolta, Robert Duvall Director: Steven Zaillian
Class Action (1991) - Starring: Gene Hackman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio; Director: Michael Apted
The Rainmaker (1997) - Starring: Matt Damon, Danny DeVito; Director: Francis Ford Coppola
The Client (1994) - Starring: Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Jones; Director: Joel Schumacher
A Time to Kill (1996) - Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson; Director: Joel Schumacher
The Pelican Brief (1993) - Starring: Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington; Director: Alan J. Pakula
Runaway Jury (2003) - Starring: John Cusack, Gene Hackman; Director: Gary Fleder

Limelight is a type of stage lighting once used in theatres and music halls. Although it has long since been replaced by electric lighting, the term "limelight" has nonetheless survived, as someone in the public eye is still said to be "in the limelight". An intense illumination is created when an oxyhydrogen flame is directed at a cylinder of lime (i.e. calcium oxide), which can be raised to white heat without melting. The light is produced by a combination of incandescence and candoluminescence. Limelight was first used in public in the Covent Garden Theatre in London in 1837 and enjoyed widespread use in theatres around the world in the 1860s and 1870s. Limelights were employed to highlight solo performers in the same manner as modern followspots. To this day, theatre followspots are referred to as limes. Limelight was quickly replaced by electric arc lighting in the late 19th century.