The Legal Thriller of the Decade - Book Report/Review Example

Summary and Discussion of how Environmental Change Induced Jonathan Harr (1996) has written one of the best selling Legal Non-Fiction Books. “A Civil Action” has been described by many narrative critics as “The Legal Thriller of the Decade” (Cleveland Plain Dealer). The book notates chronologically the events surrounding a lawsuit filed by Jan Schlichtmann, a young lawyer whose ambitions blurred his vision of the present, against two large American Corporations, Beatrice Foods and W.R Grace. The thrill in the book comes from the efforts of the author to get deep into the complexities of proving responsibility for environmental intoxication. He woofs the procedures involved in putting together a legal case, and combines this with a breathtaking tale of a young lawyer who ends up almost losing everything he has, including his mental soundness. The author is witty in downplaying the importance of the dying children, and highlighting the contest of an ambitious Schlichtmann against lawyers from two well known Multi-Lawyer Firms, namely Jerome Facher of Hale & Dorr (representing Beatrice Foods), and William Cheeseman of Foley, Hoag & Eliot (representing W.R Grace) (Harr, 1996:…) The book is a portrayal of the never-ending struggles between greed and power in their pursuit for justice. It is a resemblance of how people forget the fundamental issues to focus on their ambitions. One obvious theme in the book is the negative portrayal of the protagonist attorney Schlichtmann. Schlichtmann quits his job at a local law firm and agrees to take on the Woburn Case, hoping to reap millions of dollars in the wake of the ruling. It is clear that his drive from the beginning is not justice for the families, but the possibility that the two companies involved are actually large corporations. But as the plot continues, Harr uses some dramatic twists to show the transformation of an attorney as he interacts with the plaintiffs. The plot is mid 1970s through 1988. The child of Anne Anderson, a resident of Woburn, Massachusetts, is diagnosed with leukemia. This is not the first case of Leukemia in the area, for as the Center for Disease Control reveals, there are seven times more cases of Cancer in the area. The author paints the catastrophe by highlighting how several lives have been lost in the recent past. The conclusion of the parents that the disease is caused by the two wells of Woburn is a clear indicator of how far liquid waste infiltration can go in being an environmental hazard. Several parents agree that the water could be the main cause of the disease, basing on the foul and rusty smell from the town’s two main water wells. A young Schlichtmann is introduced as an option of the parents in pursuing the lawsuit. The author pulls no odds in developing the extravagance life of Schlichtmann. Not very old in the profession; he has been polluted by the sizeable damages he is getting. In his first personal injury case, he settles a whooping $2 Million and goes on a drinking spree. Schlichtmann tells the plaintiffs that he cannot represent them for the prospect of the case being a “black hole”. He changes his mind on learning that the suspected firms are owned by Beatrice Foods and W.R Grace respectively, two of America’s largest corporations. In the hope of reaping big returns, Schlichtmann and his newly formed law firm invest in to the Woburn Case every coin. The defendant lawyers, though coming from prestigious law firms, play foul. It is still a speculation why Harr chooses to impress the nature of these two lawyers without really exploiting their real attributes as he does those of Schlichtmann. They withhold evidence, lie blatantly and even attempt to have the case abolished before any hearings begin (Harr, 60). The depositions section is characterized by intense interrogations and questioning, where Schlichtmann seeks to overturn heaven and earth, all in favor of his victory. The author highlights this by use of synoptic passages and illustrations which can only be described as exhilarating. In one instance, Schlichtmann conducts a mock trial in the efforts to ensure that everything goes as planned. The author carefully observes his growing pride and egoistic behavior after he learns that the case could be worth an “astronomical” amount (Harry, 70). He spares no expenses on experts contracted to prepare exhibits for the trial. When the trial is beginning, his firm has spent over a Million dollars and is virtually in debt. Harr implores a dramatic surge by introducing the efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish whether the accused firms actually contaminated the wells. The EPA is the main environmental body in the USA and its verdict on the matter would be very crucial. The trial section is introduced by a packed courtroom. Both litigators present their case. The author avoids unessential details and presents the most important facts, summarizing the events of a 77 days trial into a breath taking novel. The emerging findings and conclusions by the jury are to the very best perturbing. Instead of the plot turning out in favor of Schlichtmann, the author lets everything collapse on the protagonist. The jury finds the evidence provided against Beatrice Foods not sufficient enough. With the possibility of losing the case now looming, Schlichtmann deliberates on settling the case outside court, an offer he had earlier refused. However, Harr is not cruel with his protagonist. Schlichtmann manages to get $8.8 Million from W.R Grace as a settlement. The amount compensates the families and pays for his debts and the legal proceedings (Harr 457). In concluding the novel, Harr is fast to give some hope that the EPA report has come out, almost two years after the trial, showing that both Beatrice Foods and W.R Grace were actually responsible for contaminating the wells. He describes how a desperate Schlichtmann attempts to renew the trial, basing on the ne new evidence, but is denied the opportunity by Judge Skinner. He ends up filing for bankruptcy and flies out to Hawaii, on borrowed money. The book is a clear representation of the struggles between greed and power in their quest for justice, and how this affects the biased judge, Skinner. We see how a small law firm, represented by Schlichtmann, fighting against the prestigious Hale & Do and Foley, Hoag & Eliot, finds bias in front of a long serving judge. There is also the struggle between plaintiffs group of citizens against the multimillion dollar companies. Harr portrays how differences in financial authority and power may influence the proceedings of the court. Besides, it is astonishing how the author manages to withdraw the attention of the reader from the main issue here, having the wells of Woburn cleaned out and the families compensated for their losses, to the struggle of an anxious attorney against luck, hereby represented by the mega companies, and a biased judge. Notwithstanding, there are some mischievous connotations in the book. For instance, Schlichtmann is portrayed as a greedy ambitious attorney, whose interest in the case is the money. Schlichtmann is following a worthy cause, and even if his interest is money, it is worth the effort. Harr does not clearly bring out the real antagonist. He leaves the reader to decide between the Judge Skinner, the lawyers, Facher and Cheeseman or the corporations. To some extent, he seems to suggest that Schlichtmann himself is in the list of antagonists. As a conclusion, Harr achieved his intention and even more in writing the book. Immediately after its first publication, it was recommended as a must read for all environmental law students worldwide. Its captivating order gives inspiration on the construction of a legal proceeding. Its release has also ignited a renewed interest in the Woburn case. Harr managed to bring to the world a rather unheard of story. There has been an increase of environmental research in the area. Medical practitioners have also been engaged in understanding the resistance of the Leukemia during the time. The Impact of “A Civil Action” cannot be overemphasized. This novel is a must read for every lover of prose, be it comedy, or tragedy. Works Cited Committee on Global Change Research, National Research Council. Global Environmental Change: Research Pathways for the Next Decade. Washington D.C, National Academy Press. Print. Harr, Jonathan. A Civil Action. New York, Random House-Vintage, 1996. Print Oldfield, Frank. Environmental Change: Key Issues And Alternative Approaches. New York. University of Cambridge Press, 2005. Print. Pérez-Perdomo, Rogelio, Merryman, John-Henry. The Civil Law Tradition: An Introduction to the Legal Systems of Europe and Latin America. 3rd Ed. California, Stanford University Press, 2007. Print Schroeder, Kathryn. Environmental Law. New York, Delmar Learning, 2008. Print. Read More