American Decades
Court Television
Real-life Drama.
In the 1990s the American appetite for "real" TV grew. In addition to the many "shockumentaries" that showed footage of everything from police chases to animal attacks, Americans began to tune in to courtroom television. Two subgenres experienced increasing popularity throughout the decade—televised coverage of criminal trials and shows starring theatrical judges who generally heard civil cases brought by friends, relatives, neighbors, and business associates against each other.
LEGAL BATTLE OVER LEGAL SELF-HELP
A California publisher of books and software giving detailed instructions on how to complete legal tasks had to go to court in Texas to fight an accusation that the company was engaging in the unauthorized practice of law (UPL). As early as 1992, Texas banned a manual that contained forms and instructions for creating a will. Next the UPL was applied to...
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1990's Media
