Lawyers and courts in the world's archives
1–38 of 38 films, free to watch, from the world's open archives.
Where these films come from, and who sees what
Every film here plays from the archive that keeps it: the Internet Archive, Wikimedia Commons, the NASA Image and Video Library, the Library of Congress and Open Images (the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision). Nothing is copied to this site. Each film's page names its archive, links to its page there, and states its licence or status as the archive does.
Archive films carry no age ratings, so each is placed from the collections it sits in and the subjects the archive gives it, cautiously. Nothing is left out for being sexual: sexual content and nudity are for adults, placed by what the archive files a film as, never by a word of its title alone (The Naked City is a police film). A film filed as pornography is listed for adults without its picture and plays nowhere yet, as the law where it would play asks for a proof of age this site does not have. A sexual depiction of a child, drawn ones too, is listed nowhere.
| Little Ones | Films for young children by name: nursery rhymes, lullabies, preschool. |
|---|---|
| Kids | Cartoons and animation, children's and family films, and educational films, unless they deal with war, propaganda, crime, horror or drugs, or carry racial caricature. |
| Tweens | Documentaries, science, nature and space, classic comedies, newsreels, commercials and lectures. |
| Teens | Everything else, including anything we cannot tell about; war, crime, horror and westerns go no lower. |
| Adult | Sexual content, pornography, nudity and nudism, striptease, sexual themes (such as the old "sex hygiene" films), gore, surgery, slaughter, beheadings, atrocity footage. |
Internet Archive
Scandal
A handsome, suave Toshiro Mifune lights up the screen as painter Ichiro, whose circumstantial meeting with a famous singer (Yoshiko Yamaguchi) is twisted by…
Internet Archive
Inquest
A hidden revolver leads to a suspected murder that in turn sets off an extended courtroom battle between an ambitious county coroner and a famous defense…
Internet Archive
Take My Life
“Suspenseful and stylish” “Great ‘40s thriller” “Stylish britnoir gem” (IMDB reviews quotes). Worthy mystery and suspense drama with a solid cast and…
Internet Archive
Jeeves And Wooster (S1 E1 1990-04-22 BBC] In Court After The Boat Race (aka) Jeeves Arrival
STORYLINE : S01E01 Bertram Wilberforce "Bertie" Wooster returns home with a hangover when a valet named Jeeves rings the doorbell. He fixes Bertie his special…
Internet Archive
The Trial Of Mary Dugan (1929)
I've been researching newly public domain films from 1929 and earlier, so I'm uploading the best possible copies that I can find. The Trial of Mary Dugan was…
Internet Archive
The Warren years: The great decisions.
Producer, Jim Karayn; director, Max Shindler; editor, Howard Milken Examines the major Supreme Court rulings in the areas of school desegregation and civil…
Internet Archive
The Defenders Invisible Badge (1962)
24 Nov 1962 Director: John Newland Writers: Reginald Rose, William Woolfolk E.G. Marshall, Robert Reed, William Shatner Assistant district attorney Charles…
Internet Archive
Alcoa Theaatre 333 Montgomery (1960)
13 Jun 1960 Paul Wendkoss Writer: Gene Roddenberry Jake Brittin is a San Francisco defense attorney opposed to the death penalty. He agrees to defend a…
Internet Archive
Perry Mason - Ancient Romeo(1962) Festive Felon(1963) [1998 VHS]
1998 VHS release of the Perry Mason episodes "Ancient Romeo" from 1962 and "Festive Felon" from 1963.
Internet Archive
Erin Brockovich (2002 Citytv Broadcast VHS Recording)
Erin Brockovich (2002 Citytv Broadcast VHS Recording) This is a digitized copy of Erin Brockovich , recorded from a Citytv broadcast in 2002 . The acclaimed…
Internet Archive
The Big Trees
A Quaker colony tries to save the giant sequoias from a timber baron.
Internet Archive
Judge Judy clip, March 1999
Brief clip of Judge Judy, taped off KREM Spokane sometime in March 1999 with commercials. The case involves a party accused of living rent-free after…
Internet Archive
Judge David Young (partial), 11/14/2008 part 1 of 2
Here's a partial episode of Judge David Young, taped off KAPP Yakima in the early morning hours of 11/14/2008. Today's case: paternity battles between Todae…
Internet Archive
Judge David Young (partial), 11/14/2008 part 2 of 2
Here's a partial episode of Judge David Young, taped off KAPP Yakima in the early morning hours of 11/14/2008. Today's case: paternity battles between Todae…
Internet Archive
The People's Court (partial), 1987 episode taped in summer 1994 off WGN part 1/2
Here's a partial episode of The People's Court, originally aired sometime in 1987. Joseph Wapner presides over two cases. The first partial case is about a…
Internet Archive
12 Angry Men - theatrical trailer
Sidney Lumet's first effort as a film director, 12 Angry Men is an adaptation of the 1954 Studio One television series episode of the same name and covers the…
Internet Archive
The People's Court (partial), 1987 episode taped in summer 1994 off WGN part 1/2
Here's a partial episode of The People's Court, originally aired sometime in 1987. Joseph Wapner presides over two cases. The first partial case is about a…
Internet Archive
Judge Joe Brown episode (partial), September 2000
Posting partial episode. Plantiff Brian Caruso is suing defendant Kimberly Gray for locking him out from getting his items. The defendant is counter-suing for…
Internet Archive
Eye for an Eye (partial; 2007) KUTP Phoenix Broadcast
Eye for an Eye (partial; 2007) KUTP Phoenix Broadcast Note: this episode was recorded in Extended Play mode on VHS, resulting in flawed picture and…
Internet Archive
American Justice- March 16, 1994 (Juvenile Justice)
Hosted by Bill Kurtis, here's a classic episode of A&E's crime & punishment-focused documentary series. This episode begins with Craig Price, whose 1989…
Internet Archive
Great Crimes and Trials of the Twentieth Century (1993 TV Series, Granada Television)
Great Crimes and Trials of the Twentieth Century is a British documentary television series first produced by Granada Television in 1993. Narrated by Robert…
Internet Archive
Chicago Hope: Andrew's Injury CBS/WOIO 19 1999-10-07
This is a dramatic advertisement for the Chicago Hope TV show episode featuring a young baseball pitcher named Andrew who loses his arm and the legal troubles…
Internet Archive
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION trailer
Billy Wilder's outstanding courtroom drama with a wicked twist. Laughton steals the show.
Internet Archive
1988 Hyundai - Divorce Courtroom Commercial
Aired May 9th, 1988 during Murder: Live from Death Row.
Internet Archive
A FEW GOOD MEN trailer
Taut military courtroom drama remembered for Jack Nicholson's line, "You can't handle the truth!" An adaptation of Aaron Sorkin's long-running Broadway hit…
Internet Archive
ILLEGAL 1955 trailer
A hard-nosed DA (Edward G Robinson) is sent on a downward spiral by his conviction of an innocent man (DeForest Kelley) for murder. Jayne Mansfield appears in…
Internet Archive
1985.01.19 - 50th Presidential Inaugural Gala - WICS - NBC News - News - WAND - The People's Court
Digitized by: Windsinger Video size: 720x480 FPS: 59.94 Run Time: 05:26:30 Medium Type: VHS With Some Commercials January 19th, 1985 - 50th Presidential…
Internet Archive
THE FORTUNE COOKIE trailer
A crooked lawyer (Matthau) convinces his schnook ex-brother-in-law (Lemmon) to falsely sue the Cleveland Browns for big bucks, while the schnook's ex-wife…
Internet Archive
INHERIT THE WIND trailer 2 (long version)
A semi-fictionalized account of the infamous 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, which prosecuted a Tennessee high school teacher who had been arrested for teaching…
Commons
Thank you for Contributing to the Citizen's Briefing Book
Michael Strautmanis, Director of Public Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs, brings the Citizen's Briefing Book discussion to a close.
Internet Archive
THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE trailer & tv spots
The Devil made them do it
Internet Archive
Fat-Free Newtons Cookies Commercial CNN 1994-06-06
This clip is a commercial for fat-free Newtons cookies that aired during the CNN News Hour program. The commercial features a courtroom scene where a trial is…
Internet Archive
LEGALLY BLONDE 2 trailer
A disappointing sequel recommended only for devoted Reese Witherspoon fans.
Internet Archive
Re-Elect Judge Pat Kelly Political Advertisement HGTV 1998-10-29
The clip is a political advertisement endorsing the re-election of Judge Pat Kelly, a police patrolman turned judge. It highlights his reputation and sets him…
Library of Congress
Fair Labor Lawyer: The Remarkable Life of Bessie Margolin
Marlene Trestman discussed her book "Fair Labor Lawyer: The Remarkable Life of New Deal Attorney and Supreme Court Advocate Bessie Margolin."
Library of Congress
Loren Miller: Civil Rights Attorney and Journalist
Amina Hassan discussed her new book, "Loren Miller: Civil Rights Attorney and Journalist." Loren Miller was one of the nation's most prominent civil-rights…
Library of Congress
A History of Law in American Film
Jessica Silbey presented a lecture that focused on the depiction of the courtroom process from the beginning of film in 1895 to the present day. She also…
Commons
20090203 newDOJ
The Department of Justice has had a rough couple of years. But there's a new sheriff in town. Just a few moments ago, Eric Holder was sworn in by Vice…