Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice

Year: 1990

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: Andy Wolk

TV MovieDrama

The victim, scarred by a knife attack, is pressed to name her attacker with certainty in court. The suspect, meanwhile, is urged to accept a plea bargain that could spare him a harsher sentence. The film probes whether he is truly guilty and questions whether the legal system itself becomes complicit in injustice.

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Timeline & Setting – Criminal Justice (1990)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Criminal Justice (1990). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Police station, Courthouse, City streets

The story unfolds across a metropolitan police station and a downtown courthouse, with scenes moving from the crime scene vestibule to interrogation rooms and arraignments. The setting emphasizes the procedural spine of the justice system and the claustrophobic atmosphere of legal battles. The surrounding city environment reflects the social issues at play, including crime and poverty.

🏙️ Urban ⚖️ Legal Drama

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:51

Main Characters – Criminal Justice (1990)

Meet the key characters of Criminal Justice (1990), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Denise Moore

A young woman with a drug habit who becomes the complainant and primary eyewitness. Her identification anchors the prosecution, yet her vulnerability and history raise questions about reliability. She experiences fear, anger, and distrust of the legal system as the case unfolds.

❗️ Victim ❓ Credibility 🧪 Drug Dependency

Jessie Williams

A detective assigned to the case who pursues leads and coordinates with witnesses. He navigates the pressure of solving the crime while managing the emotional stakes of the victim and the suspect.

🕵️ Detective 🧭 Persistent 🔎 Investigation

David Ringel

A keen public defender who refuses plea bargains and advocates for his client, highlighting issues of innocent until proven guilty and the limits of the state's case.

⚖️ Defense Attorney 🗣️ Legal Strategist

Liz Carter

A prosecutor who battles to secure a conviction based on the victim’s identification while facing doubts about the victim's truthfulness and potential biases.

⚖️ Prosecutor 🗣️ Ambitious 🎯 Case-builder

Loretta Charles

Mother of the accused who feels torn between family loyalty and a sense of justice, voicing dissatisfaction with the plea outcome and seeking accountability.

👪 Family 💢 Frustration 🗣️ Advocacy

Judge Ratner

A judge presiding over the case, balancing legal obligations with the emotional weight of the testimony and the plea negotiation pressure.

⚖️ Judge 🕊️ Impartial 🔎 Ruling

Raymond Alvarez

A witness or associate whose testimony interacts with the DA's strategy and the defense's objections, contributing to the case's complexity.

🗣️ Witness 🔄 Testimony 🧭 Ambiguity

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:51

Major Themes – Criminal Justice (1990)

Explore the central themes of Criminal Justice (1990), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚖️ Justice vs Truth

The narrative questions what counts as truth within the legal system, pitting the prosecution’s reliance on a single eyewitness against the defense's scrutiny of credibility. Bail decisions, plea negotiations, and courtroom rhetoric shape outcomes as much as any factual certainty. The film examines how procedural mechanics influence justice and fairness.

💊 Addiction & Vulnerability

The victim’s drug lifestyle complicates testimony and credibility, highlighting how addiction can affect trust and accountability in court. The story portrays the vulnerable position of individuals entangled in crime and substance abuse, and how that vulnerability intersects with legal processes. It also comments on broader societal factors that enable this cycle.

🕵️ Evidence & Perception

The case centers on how evidence is collected, presented, and interpreted, revealing tensions between prosecutorial strategy and defense objections. The likelihood of a plea bargain versus a full trial exposes gaps between what is proven and what is believed. The courtroom drama exposes how human fallibility can shape judgments.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:51

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Criminal Justice Summary

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Criminal Justice Summary

Criminal Justice Timeline

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Criminal Justice Timeline

More About Criminal Justice

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Criminal Justice (1990) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

Criminal Justice (1990) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

Criminal Justice (1990) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow