The best courtroom dramas have a way of pulling the audience in with convincing and passionate scenes. The ethical intrigue that courtroom dramas offer often reflects real life and shows how difficult upholding the justice system can be. Furthermore, these dramas shed light on the imperfect system within the world and how even those who swear to uphold moral integrity sometimes fall short. Dramatic acting and moral predicaments on screen are both methods of transporting audiences into another world that is easy to invest in.
These powerful and jaw-dropping scenes can be funny, like when Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) crushes the prosecution in Legally Blonde after putting together the pieces based on a witness’s hair routine. These courtroom dramas can also be heartbreaking, like when Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck) loses the trial, even though he undoubtedly proved Tom Robinson’s (Brock Peters) innocence. Although heartbreaking, movies like this depict realistic life prejudices that run rampant throughout our society.
Courtroom dramas do not have just to be funny or heartbreaking to make an impact. One of the most powerful scenes depicting the courtroom occurs during “A Few Good Men” when Colonel Jessup (Jack Nicholson) utters the famous words “You can’t handle the truth.” This remark came after he did everything he could to cover up his abuse of power, and faced intense questioning from Lt. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise.)
The intense drama that ensued on-screen during “A Few Good Men” is just one of the many examples of excellent courtroom films that do a fantastic job of capturing the attention and hearts of viewers. Whether you love your courtroom drama to be hilarious, allowing you to laugh out loud, or you prefer heart-wrenching and intense drama, there are many excellent movies to choose from. Are you in the mood for an incredible movie that transports you into a courtroom? Take a look at the best courtroom drama to watch this week.
To determine the best courtroom dramas, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of May 2024, weighting all ratings equally. Documentaries were not considered. Director information is from IMDb.
50. Absence of Malice (1981)
Source: Francois Durand / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment
DEAUVILLE, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 09: Sydney Pollack poses at his photocall at the 32nd Deauville Festival Of American Film on September 9, 2006 in Deauville, France. The Deauville film festival paid hommage to Sydney Pollack and his contribution in film by presenting him with an award. (Photo by Francois Durand/Getty Images)
Source: Francois Durand / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment
- IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (12,859 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 63% (4,599 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (26 reviews)
- Directed by: Sydney Pollack
49. The Client (1994)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (63,479 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 69% (55,767 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (37 reviews)
- Directed by: Joel Schumacher
48. Boomerang! (1947)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (4,761 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 63% (551 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (20 reviews)
- Directed by: Elia Kazan
47. The Ghost and Mr. Chicken (1966)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (6,245 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (8,432 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 67% (6 reviews)
- Directed by: Alan Rafkin
46. Fracture (2007)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (194,710 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (383,223 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (174 reviews)
- Directed by: Gregory Hoblit
45. The Devil’s Advocate (1997)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (347,585 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (230,631 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 63% (56 reviews)
- Directed by: Taylor Hackford
44. Runaway Jury (2003)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (94,624 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (62,788 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 73% (162 reviews)
- Directed by: Gary Fleder
43. On the Basis of Sex (2018)
Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (35,225 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (2,340 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (264 reviews)
- Directed by: Mimi Leder
42. Presumed Innocent (1990)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (39,897 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 67% (23,090 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (55 reviews)
- Directed by: Alan J. Pakula
41. True Believer (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (4,689 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 63% (2,647 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (22 reviews)
- Directed by: Joseph Ruben
40. Music Box (1989)
Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures
Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (7,472 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (2,899 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (19 reviews)
- Directed by: Costa-Gavras
39. The Young Philadelphians (1959)
Source: Fox Photos / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
American actor Paul Newman (1925 - 2008) outside 1555 Grand Concourse in the Bronx, New York City, during the filming of the movie Fort Apache, the Bronx, circa 1981. (Photo by Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Source: Fox Photos / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (3,573 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (621 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (7 reviews)
- Directed by: Vincent Sherman
38. A Time to Kill (1996)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (140,500 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (95,242 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 68% (56 reviews)
- Directed by: Joel Schumacher
37. The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (1955)
Source: Express / Moviepix via Getty Images
Source: Express / Moviepix via Getty Images
- IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (1,945 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 62% (630 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (8 reviews)
- Directed by: Otto Preminger
36. Amistad (1997)
Source: Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution
Source: Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (78,520 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (51,188 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (65 reviews)
- Directed by: Steven Spielberg
35. The Rainmaker (1997)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (69,502 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (39,497 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (50 reviews)
- Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
34. I Confess (1953)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (20,124 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (7,454 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (30 reviews)
- Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
33. The Enforcer (1951)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (4,765 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 70% (1,295 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (9 reviews)
- Directed by: Bretaigne Windust, Raoul Walsh
32. And Justice for All (1979)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (32,720 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (19,093 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (31 reviews)
- Directed by: Norman Jewison
31. Marshall (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Open Road Films
Source: Courtesy of Open Road Films
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (24,868 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (8,710 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (149 reviews)
- Directed by: Reginald Hudlin
30. The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate
Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (224,941 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (68,839 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (176 reviews)
- Directed by: Brad Furman
29. Erin Brockovich (2000)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (201,137 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (418,741 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (149 reviews)
- Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
28. The Accused (1988)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (36,857 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (20,838 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (22 reviews)
- Directed by: Jonathan Kaplan
27. The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (96,412 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (44,485 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (56 reviews)
- Directed by: Milos Forman
26. The Wrong Man (1956)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (29,194 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (8,205 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (26 reviews)
- Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
25. Reversal of Fortune (1990)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (17,140 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (5,472 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (51 reviews)
- Directed by: Barbet Schroeder
24. Primal Fear (1996)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (200,241 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (65,468 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 76% (46 reviews)
- Directed by: Gregory Hoblit
23. A Soldier’s Story (1984)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (9,609 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (6,518 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (24 reviews)
- Directed by: Norman Jewison
22. Philadelphia (1993)
Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures
Source: Courtesy of TriStar Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (232,086 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (183,439 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (57 reviews)
- Directed by: Jonathan Demme
21. My Cousin Vinny (1992)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (114,422 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (109,520 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (58 reviews)
- Directed by: Jonathan Lynn
20. A Few Good Men (1992)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (247,141 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (325,540 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (65 reviews)
- Directed by: Rob Reiner
19. Defending Your Life (1991)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (18,207 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (9,995 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (35 reviews)
- Directed by: Albert Brooks
18. The Insult (2017)
Source: Courtesy of Cohen Media Group
Source: Courtesy of Cohen Media Group
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (15,925 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (1,101 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (116 reviews)
- Directed by: Ziad Doueiri
17. JFK (1991)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (158,513 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (62,651 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (64 reviews)
- Directed by: Oliver Stone
16. The Verdict (1982)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (38,047 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (10,404 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (34 reviews)
- Directed by: Sidney Lumet
15. A Man for All Seasons (1966)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (35,132 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (5,000 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (81 reviews)
- Directed by: Fred Zinnemann
14. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (139,028 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (43,532 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (52 reviews)
- Directed by: Robert Benton
13. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (179,508 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (2,455 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (331 reviews)
- Directed by: Aaron Sorkin
12. Compulsion (1959)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (6,829 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (1,463 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (10 reviews)
- Directed by: Richard Fleischer
11. Dark Waters (2019)
Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (90,496 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (2,642 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (229 reviews)
- Directed by: Todd Haynes
10. Just Mercy (2019)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (68,990 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 99% (11,827 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (305 reviews)
- Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton
9. Inherit the Wind (1960)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (30,791 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (9,656 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (26 reviews)
- Directed by: Stanley Kramer
8. Fury (1936)
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Source: Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (11,947 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (3,095 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (16 reviews)
- Directed by: Fritz Lang
7. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (304,336 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (179,186 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (66 reviews)
- Directed by: Robert Mulligan
6. Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (78,648 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (8,681 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (23 reviews)
- Directed by: Stanley Kramer
5. Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (67,341 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (12,420 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (50 reviews)
- Directed by: Otto Preminger
4. In the Name of the Father (1993)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (176,952 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (25,000 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (50 reviews)
- Directed by: Jim Sheridan
3. Paths of Glory (1957)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (199,155 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (35,412 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (62 reviews)
- Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
2. Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (116,454 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (9,011 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (33 reviews)
- Directed by: Billy Wilder
1. 12 Angry Men (1957)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 9.0/10 (702,293 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 97% (105,515 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (55 reviews)
- Directed by: Sidney Lumet