LAW-6421 POPULAR CULTURE & THE LAW
Legal themes and depictions of lawyers have pervaded the film medium since its inception. Often public perception of law is shaped either correctly or incorrectly by how the law is portrayed in popular culture. Conversely, popular views of legal problems and lawyers may affect the law. This 3 credit hour seminar will examine legal popular culture from the perspective of both the silver screen and television and will focus upon: The processes by which the public formulates beliefs and opinions as a consequence of viewing film and television. What viewers learn about lawyers, the legal system, and the law from watching lawyer films. How the medium of television affects an audience's understanding about law, the legal system , and lawyers. How the way that the law and lawyers are depicted in popular culture affect society's perception of the law.