Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to create a TV show centered aroundt he practice of lw a la Perry Mason, Matlock, etc., running at least 4 years (not sure if 3 or 5 is best guide so I split the difference), which is in the top 10 at least 2 years. (As an alternative, it can fail to be top 10 in the Nielsens but simply crack the top 25 if it's on for at least 8 years.)
The catch: There must be no Criminal Law or Family Law practiced by the attorney in question. He/she can do wills/estate planning/probate, contracts, whatever, but must choose never to handle Criminal law or Family Law cases, but refer them to others who handle such cases off screen.(This to get around those who would argue that Perry Mason never seemed to get as far as the trial itself anyway.)
Now, you can have a Sweeps Month special where a will contest includes a murder, for instance, but you must have the main character only dealing with the any courtroom drama in the prescribed areas. Criminal activity like moving property markers around and having to figure out who did it can also happen. My main interest is in seeing if someone can cleverly develop a show based on areas that in general involve a lot less conflict and witha lot less riding ont he outcomes than in the tradition shows.
The catch: There must be no Criminal Law or Family Law practiced by the attorney in question. He/she can do wills/estate planning/probate, contracts, whatever, but must choose never to handle Criminal law or Family Law cases, but refer them to others who handle such cases off screen.(This to get around those who would argue that Perry Mason never seemed to get as far as the trial itself anyway.)
Now, you can have a Sweeps Month special where a will contest includes a murder, for instance, but you must have the main character only dealing with the any courtroom drama in the prescribed areas. Criminal activity like moving property markers around and having to figure out who did it can also happen. My main interest is in seeing if someone can cleverly develop a show based on areas that in general involve a lot less conflict and witha lot less riding ont he outcomes than in the tradition shows.