John Grisham's "The Appeal" and the Election of Judges
John Grisham's latest book is called "The Appeal." The book starts with a jury verdict against a large chemical company. The jury finds that a powerful chemical company has intentionally and illegally polluted the drinking water in a small Mississippi town, causing "cancer clusters."
The chemical company is concerned that the verdict will encourage other cancer victims in the area to sue.
So the company appeals the verdict and then seeks to elect a no-name lawyer to the Mississippi Supreme Court by essentially buying a judicial election using a shady political consulting company and lots and lots of corporate money.
Anyone interested in the civil justice system should read this book. Although fictional, in many ways it rings true. The book casts a bright and critical light on what is often a seedy underworld of people and companies intent on undermining civil justice in whatever way they can.
And it makes quite a statement about the problems of electing judges.
Here is a description of the book from Amazon.com.
Book Description
In a crowded courtroom in Mississippi, a jury returns a shocking verdict against a chemical company accused of dumping toxic waste into a small town’s water supply, causing the worst “cancer cluster” in history. The company appeals to the Mississippi Supreme Court, whose nine justices will one day either approve the verdict or reverse it.
Who are the nine? How will they vote? Can one be replaced before the case is ultimately decided?
The chemical company is owned by a Wall Street predator named Carl Trudeau, and Mr. Trudeau is convinced the Court is not friendly enough. With judicial elections looming, he decides to try to purchase himself a seat on the Court. The cost is a few million dollars, a drop in the bucket for a billionaire like Mr. Trudeau. Through an intricate web of conspiracy and deceit, his political operatives recruit a young, unsuspecting candidate. They finance him, manipulate him, market him, and mold him into a potential Supreme Court justice. Their Supreme Court justice.
The Appeal is a powerful, timely, and shocking story of political and legal intrigue, a story that will leave listeners unable to think about our electoral process or judicial system in quite the same way ever again.
You can order the book here.
The chemical company is concerned that the verdict will encourage other cancer victims in the area to sue.
So the company appeals the verdict and then seeks to elect a no-name lawyer to the Mississippi Supreme Court by essentially buying a judicial election using a shady political consulting company and lots and lots of corporate money.
Anyone interested in the civil justice system should read this book. Although fictional, in many ways it rings true. The book casts a bright and critical light on what is often a seedy underworld of people and companies intent on undermining civil justice in whatever way they can.
And it makes quite a statement about the problems of electing judges.
Here is a description of the book from Amazon.com.
Book Description
In a crowded courtroom in Mississippi, a jury returns a shocking verdict against a chemical company accused of dumping toxic waste into a small town’s water supply, causing the worst “cancer cluster” in history. The company appeals to the Mississippi Supreme Court, whose nine justices will one day either approve the verdict or reverse it.
Who are the nine? How will they vote? Can one be replaced before the case is ultimately decided?
The chemical company is owned by a Wall Street predator named Carl Trudeau, and Mr. Trudeau is convinced the Court is not friendly enough. With judicial elections looming, he decides to try to purchase himself a seat on the Court. The cost is a few million dollars, a drop in the bucket for a billionaire like Mr. Trudeau. Through an intricate web of conspiracy and deceit, his political operatives recruit a young, unsuspecting candidate. They finance him, manipulate him, market him, and mold him into a potential Supreme Court justice. Their Supreme Court justice.
The Appeal is a powerful, timely, and shocking story of political and legal intrigue, a story that will leave listeners unable to think about our electoral process or judicial system in quite the same way ever again.
You can order the book here.
