The law is about who wins, not about who should win. Learning that two nearby municipal wells were contaminated with toxic chemicals. Yet, truth and judicial process do not always go hand on hand. When the book begins, a young boy named jimmy anderson gets sick. Harrs 1995 book is a firstrate nonfiction account, fully deserving of the. The woburn families from 1966 to 1986, more than a dozen cases of childhood leukemia hit the small town of woburn, massachusetts. Grace files a motion for a summary judgement in the case due to am alleged lack of evidence on the. Based on jonathan harrs book about a true story, a civil action is a highergrade grisham tale.
A civil action is the true story of a 1980s court case involving contaminated water in a town in massachusetts. Jonathan harrs a civil action is based on the true story of the 1986 court case anderson v. This interesting, but badly flawed, book provides an indepth look at one civil action. A civil action both the book and the movie is a lawyers story. A staff duty analysis has four components, each to be completed in sequence. Legal ethics and a civil action seattle university. Harr spent nine years researching and writing a civil action, which was published in 1995, subsequently nominated for a national book award, and awarded the national book critics circle award. A civil action summary in 1976, at the age of four, robbie robbins was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia.
This person is the chairman of the litigation department of hale and dorr, a prestigious law firm in boston, which represents beatrice foods in the woburn case. A tenacious lawyer takes on a case involving a major company responsible for causing several people to be diagnosed with leukemia due to the towns water supply being contaminated, at the risk of bankrupting his firm and career. The book describes the trial mainly through the eyes of prosecuting attorney, jan schlichtmann, and hi. This synopsis contains no spoilers, in the same way that real life stories reported widely in the news contain no spoilers, only smoking guns. The film and court case revolve around the issue of trichloroethylene, an industrial. Starring john travolta and robert duvall, it tells the true story of a court case about environmental pollution that took place in woburn, massachusetts, in the 1980s. This study guide consists of approximately 34 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of a civil action. A civil action character analysis the average student has to read dozens of books per year. The book became a bestseller and won the national book critics circle award for nonfiction the case is anderson v. The real world of the law, this movie argues, has less to do with justice than with strategy and doesnt necessarily arrive at truth. A civil action photos view all photos 10 movie info. After finding that her child is diagnosed with leukemia, anne anderson notices a high prevalence of leukemia, a relatively rare disease, in her city. It depends on the disposition of the plaintiff, the experience and temperament of the. A civil action was made into a movie starring john travolta and robert duvall.
Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. In the book, the author reminds us that as a harvard law school professor, charles nesson had spent many years pondering the nature of judicial proof proof in. A civil action overview in this short, culminating activity, students view an excerpt from the 1998 film a civil action, which is based on the 1996 nonfiction account of a water contamination case in woburn, massachusetts. Harrs presentation make a civil action a book that is. A teaching tool for professor brills professional responsibility classspring 2007 university of arkansas school of law this power point template is availabl.
Based on a true story about a smalltime, selfpossessed personalinjury attorney whose greed entangles him in a case that threatens to. The purpose of the cadet staff duty analysis program sda is to improve cadets critical thinking and communication skills through the practical application of leadership in a staff organizational environment. A civil action analysis a civil action offers an enlightening view into the world of personal injury law. A civil action provides us with an opportunity to consider how evidentiary systems and civil pleading rules are designed to narrow, not broaden, the focus of the finder of fact. He lives and works in northampton, massachusetts, where he has taught nonfiction. No one has time to read them all, but its important to go over them at least briefly. A civil action focuses on a liability lawsuit filed by eight woburn families. The book became a bestseller and won the national book critics circle award for nonfiction. Civil action and its associated materials into a powerful teaching tool, the book s events vividly illustrate the ethical parameters within which a lawyer must operate, ethical parameters that exist regardless of how. A civil action reads like a fastpaced legal thriller and brilliantly captures the. We hope they will enrich your understanding of this fascinating chronicle of an epic courtroom battle. In 1976, at the age of four, robbie robbins was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia. But the porousness and fragility of the system is inescapable after seeing the machinations that comprise a case that goes to trial. The author, jonathan harr, was a writer for the late, lamented new england monthly, a magazine that spawned more than its share of gifted young nonfiction writers.
Woburns first commercial enterprise had been a tannery. This movie, which was filmed in 1998, is about a water contamination case that happened in massachusetts. Throughout the book, the tragedies of individuals facing disease and. The parents suspected the water supply, which was foulsmelling, rusty, and undrinkable, but they had no hard. Civil action and its associated materials into a powerful teaching tool, the books events vividly illustrate the ethical parameters within which a lawyer must operate. Rich and famous and doing good, mused schlichtmann.
This 70page guide for a civil action by jonathan harr includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis, as well as several more indepth sections of expert. The first reported decision in the case is at 96 f. His mother, anne anderson, believes it is just a cold. The supporting cast includes john lithgow, kathleen quinlan, presopranos james gandolfini, stephen fry, sydney pollack, and uncredited. With john travolta, robert duvall, kathleen quinlan, tony shalhoub. Cadet staff duty analysis civil air patrol national. The plot of a civil action is based on a true story of the successful personal injury ambulance chaser characters words lawyer, otherwise unfulfilled, secretly hoping for that one big case. A civil action summary and study guide supersummary. A civil action is a 1998 american legal drama film written and directed by steven zaillian, based on the book of the same name by jonathan harr. Jonathan harrs a civil action is a nonfiction account of the legal case between several families in woburn, massachusetts, and two corporations, beatrice foods and w. A civil action essaynegligence college business law. A 1995 novel by jonathan harr about this case, titled a civil action, was turned into a movie by the same name starring john travolta and robert duvall. The book details the dedication and triumphs of the citizens action group, the stress, strain, and disdain of the plaintiffs, the legal maneuvering. Ultimately, while i enjoyed the book, i found its lack of analysis a major flaw and i think.
A legal thriller of the decade justice is created to investigate the truth and to provide justice to the people. From perry mason to the verdict, the public has always loved a good lawyers story, and the unfolding, and unraveling, of anderson et al. Jul 31, 20 a civil action provides us with an opportunity to consider how evidentiary systems and civil pleading rules are designed to narrow, not broaden, the focus of the finder of fact. A civil action, by jonathan harr, describes the true story of a lawsuit filed by several families in the city of woburn, massachusetts against two large corporations, beatrice foods and w. Justice the legal system is ostensibly a tool for delivering justice.
He is a former staff writer at the new england monthly and has written for the new yorker and the new york times magazine. The story begins when a woman named anne anderson discovers that her son has. Eventually she gathers other families and seeks a lawyer, jan schlichtmann, to consider their. A civil action is a 1996 work of nonfiction by jonathan harr about a water contamination case in woburn, massachusetts, in the 1980s. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on a civil action by jonathan harr. A civil action paperback bargain price, august 27, 1996. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
A crash course in bigbucks tort litigation, as rich as any novel on the scene. In the mid70s, the small industrial town of woburn, mass. This tale of a somewhat quixotic quest by an idealistic young. Featured content includes commentary on major characters, 25 important quotes, essay topics, and key themes like justice and the value of life. This case illustrates both changing attitudes in the united states towards waste disposal and. This 70page guide for a civil action by jonathan harr includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Jonathan harr is the author of the national bestseller a civil action, winner of the national book critics circle award for nonfiction and the lost painting, a new york times bestseller. This 70page guide for a civil action by jonathan harr includes detailed chapter. In the book, a civil action, the author, jonathan harr, portrays the dark side of our justice system.
From 1966 to 1986, more than a dozen cases of childhood leukemia hit the small town of woburn, massachusetts. A civil action the movie a civil action is focused on describing and explaining what really goes on in a court of law. In my last post, i highlighted several themes that resonated with me while reading a civil action. A civil action offers an enlightening view into the world of personal injury law. Now i will continue the conversation with a discussion of the concept of procedural justice, as it touches upon the questions that i posed regarding the purpose of the litigation process and the lawyers duty to her clients. When i was a wee baby attorney not even, i was a firstyear summer. Sep 22, 2011 a civil action has been a classic account of a mass tort case for years. Grace and beatrice foods, which alleged that tce trichloroethylene dumping at sites owned by the companies contaminated two town wells and caused leukemia in.
Nov 14, 2016 a civil action summary in 1976, at the age of four, robbie robbins was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia. A civil action is a nonfiction book by jonathan harr about a water contamination case in woburn, massachusetts, in the 1980s. Civil action meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. These issues were handled in a legal manner, obviously, because its a lawsuit, but there were also many political factors involved as well in the. A civil action is the story of that lawsuit, and, more generally, of how the moral rightness of a cause can be rendered irrelevant by a trip through americas legal system. A civil action is based on the book by jonathan harr and on a true story. Like many personal injury cases, the woburn case pits corporations against private citizens.
Como 4 january, 20 a civil actiontrial procedure and elements of negligence essay a civil action film depicts the civil lawsuit between the families of the victims of woburn, massachusetts against corporations of beatrice foods and w. Jul 17, 20 in my last post, i highlighted several themes that resonated with me while reading a civil action. Watching it, we realize that grishams lawyers are romanticized hotshots living in a cowboy universe with john wayne values. The questions, discussion topics, and author biography that follow are intended to enhance your groups reading of jonathan harrs a civil action. Check out the novel or movie if youd like to see more about how the drama unfolded. A civil action has been a classic account of a mass tort case for years. A brief summary of a civil action chapters 1 and 2. This person is a flamboyant, somewhat egotistical, personal injury lawyer, who represents the plaintiffs in the woburn case. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone. When i was a wee baby attorney not even, i was a firstyear summer associate, reading it was my first assignment. Buy this book this tale of a somewhat quixotic quest by an idealistic young lawyer. Como 4 january, 20 a civil action trial procedure and elements of negligence essay a civil action film depicts the civil lawsuit between the families of the victims of woburn, massachusetts against corporations of beatrice foods and w. In the late 1970s, civil engineers discovered that local wells g and h were contaminated with several suspected carcinogens, including trichloroethylene tce. He became one 28 children who contracted the disease between 1964 and 1986 in woburn, massachusetts, a boston suburb of 35,000 people.