Review of The Impossible Mock Orange Trial

[Twylla Johnson]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Impossible Mock Orange Trial" by Thad G. Long.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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The Impossible Mock Orange Trial by Thad G. Long tells the story of Ted Born, a patent attorney, and a relatively new attorney in the firm, Dave Thompson. They were asked to handle a case that everyone thought was unwinnable. A little girl died and a young boy suffered severe head trauma from a serious car accident in Groveton, South Carolina. The juries in Phoenix County had a history of awarding outrageously huge settlements for the plaintiffs when the case involved a large corporation, regardless of fault or the truth. They felt like the large corporations owed them a payday to deal with their injured or dead loved ones, even if it wasn’t the fault of the corporation.  

My favorite part of the story was the mock trial. It was fascinating to see how it was done and how the results were used to make the actual trial better.  

This story touches on all of the reasons our court system in America is a dumpster fire. Trials are too expensive. Prosecutors have a clear advantage over defense attorneys, with little accountability. Plaintiffs are driven more by greed than by a sense of right and wrong. Attorneys are allowed to bend the truth and put on a show like actors on a stage. Our justice system allows anyone to sue anyone else for any reason. Hopefully, this book will become more than an entertaining story and trigger reforms in the court system.

The only thing I didn’t like about this book was the length. I made a list of 54 characters. It is hard to keep track of 54 characters. I think the book could have been just as compelling with fewer characters and a shorter story. For example, the discovery of new information was presented as it unfolded, and then the same information was presented in court.

The character development of the main characters was outstanding. To say the plaintiff's attorneys were shady would be an understatement. The defense attorneys were very idealistic and projected a clear sense of justice and fairness. This is the type of book that could inspire a young person to choose a career in law.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good courtroom drama. The Impossible Mock Orange Trial deserves to be on the shelf next to the best of them. This book was professionally edited. I found one minor error that has already been corrected. I am giving this book a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

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The Impossible Mock Orange Trial
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