television

The Unrealistic Portrayal of Law on TV

Most of my clients have had little to no experience with the court system, perhaps aside from a simple traffic ticket, and THIS IS A GOOD THING! However, many believe they understand the legal system because their favorite shows are Law and Order, Boston Legal, or the People’s Court. Often, I have to explain that cases don’t get settled in an hour (or 44 minutes with the time for commercials). More often than not, cases take a while…especially family law cases, which can seem to drag on and on. This is a common complaint about law firms. 

In real court cases, there are almost never the dramatic “aha!” moments that solve all of the cases on TV in 30 minutes or less – real cases and evidence are meticulously combed through by attorneys and investigators by use of discovery, formal Motions, depositions, negotiation preparation, subpoenas, etc.  We live in a “microwave society” in which we can mostly get what we want exactly when we want it, and usually RIGHT NOW. In the practice of law, things take time – and this is actually GOOD for you! As you know, most things that happen in a rush aren’t usually good.

Now, of course no one wants their case unreasonably dragged out, and some law firms are not worried about efficiency at all—why, right?  They are usually getting paid by the hour! Here at Holcomb Law, our goal is very different: we purposely prioritize efficiency and endeavor to keep your case moving and to keep you regularly informed with updates all along the way.  

Why? Because we aim to retain you as a client for life, even after your current case is done.  If you leave here contented with your Counsel, with the best result we could obtain given your facts, and not frustrated and broke, you might tell your friends about us and come back if you need a lawyer again. That’s our goal, and our reputation precedes us in this endeavor.  It’s our tagline, but also a philosophy: You Matter Here.