13 Best Courtroom Dramas, Ranked

It’s the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth that legal dramas are one of the most reliable TV genres. When someone deserves justice and someone else’s freedom or financial standing is on the line, the stakes are almost criminally high. And it’s up to our favorite small-screen lawyers to convince the fictional juries and judges to see their side, giving TV actors a chance to chew as much scenery as they want.

In selecting the best courtroom dramas, we went through decades of scripted television and ruled out those that veered toward comedy or that didn’t show the inside of a courtroom often. Even so, it was difficult to narrow down the list, so please don’t hold us in contempt when you scroll down to see our picks!