Judges in Film

Over at Picturing Justice, Judge J. Howard Sundermann, Jr., an Ohio appellate judge, has posted an interesting article concerning the increasingly negative way in which judges are depicted by Hollywood.

An exerpt:

There have been two major changes in the treatment of judges in film since the 1970s. First, we are now part of the main story line to a far greater degree, if not the main character in the film. Second, unfortunately, the changes have not been to our advantage, for the most part. Judges often now seem to be portrayed as lazy, corrupt, biased and arrogant. Of course there are some judges who are like this, but not to the extent that the movies would suggest.

If you haven't yet discovered it, Picturing Justice is an interesting compendium of commentary on the way lawyers and the legal system are treated on both the silver screen and television.