A gripping courtroom showdown and a conflicted lawyer have been classic cinematic tropes for decades. However, not all of the greatest legal films have taken home an Oscar. Iconic movies like 12 Angry Men and Inherit the Wind may have shaped the genre, but they never won the coveted golden statuette.
With the 97th Academy Awards on the horizon, could we see a new legal classic emerge? Will Zoe Saldaña win Best Supporting Actress for her role as a lawyer in Emilia Pérez? Will Conclave, a film steeped in canon law, claim one of its eight nominations? While we wait for this year’s results, let’s look back at some of the most celebrated law-related films that did win big at the Oscars.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Gregory Peck’s legendary performance as Atticus Finch cemented this adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel as one of cinema’s greatest legal dramas. Finch’s moral integrity and powerful courtroom defense of a wrongly accused Black man remain timeless.
📌 Trivia: Finch was Harper Lee’s mother’s maiden name.
My Cousin Vinny
This comedy-drama follows Vinny Gambini (Joe Pesci), an inexperienced Brooklyn lawyer defending his cousin in an Alabama murder trial. Despite its humor, the film is praised for its accurate portrayal of courtroom procedures.
🏆 Oscar Win: Best Supporting Actress (Marisa Tomei)
Anatomy of a Murder
Starring James Stewart, this gripping courtroom drama explores the ethical dilemmas of criminal defense. The film was inspired by a real case and adapted from a novel written by a Michigan Supreme Court judge.
🎶 Trivia: The jazz soundtrack was composed by Duke Ellington, who also makes a cameo.
Philadelphia
Tom Hanks delivers an Oscar-winning performance as a lawyer battling workplace discrimination after being fired due to his AIDS diagnosis. The film was one of Hollywood’s first major portrayals of the HIV/AIDS crisis and homophobia in the legal profession.
🎵 Trivia: Bruce Springsteen’s Streets of Philadelphia won the Oscar for Best Original Song.
Erin Brockovich
Julia Roberts stars as the real-life legal assistant who helped build a historic class-action lawsuit against a major utility company for groundwater contamination.
📌 Trivia: Both Erin Brockovich and lawyer Ed Masry make cameo appearances.
A Few Good Men
This military courtroom drama features one of the most famous lines in film history: "You can’t handle the truth!" Tom Cruise plays a Navy lawyer defending two Marines accused of murder, while Jack Nicholson delivers a chilling performance as the commanding officer on trial.
📌 Trivia: The film was based on a real military case prosecuted by former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias.
Kramer vs. Kramer
Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep star in this emotional legal drama about a bitter custody battle. The film offers a deeply personal look at the toll of divorce litigation.
🏆 Oscar Wins: Best Picture, Best Actor (Hoffman), Best Actress (Streep), Best Director, Best Screenplay
In the Name of the Father
Based on a true story, this film follows the wrongful imprisonment of Gerry Conlon, an Irishman falsely accused of terrorism. Emma Thompson plays the human rights lawyer who fights to clear his name.
📌 Trivia: Despite seven Oscar nominations, the film didn’t win.
Though they didn’t win Oscars, these legal films are widely considered among the best:
Legal dramas continue to captivate audiences, blending morality, justice, and compelling storytelling. Will this year’s Academy Awards add a new classic to the list? We’ll find out soon.
Did your favorite make the list? Let us know in the comments!
When is the 97th Academy Awards? - 3 March 2025 at 12:00 am GMT
Who's hosting this year's Oscars? Conan O'Brien
Where are this years Oscars? The 97th annual Academy Awards show is being held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood, in Los Angeles.
Who gets invited to the Oscars?
The 10,000 Academy members receive exclusive invitations, but only 3,300 seats are available at the theater. Award presenters and nominees are guaranteed seats for themselves and up to four guests, accounting for approximately 800 seats.
Why are the Academy Awards know as the Oscars?
The origin of the name "Oscars" for the Academy Awards is somewhat debated, but the most popular theory attributes it to Margaret Herrick, the Academy’s librarian (and later its executive director). In the 1930s, she reportedly remarked that the gold statuette resembled her uncle Oscar. The nickname caught on among Academy staff and was later popularized by a Hollywood columnist, eventually becoming the official name of the awards.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences formally adopted "Oscar" as the official name for the award in 1939.
