Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer

Theo rides to school, where classes are “gender-separated” as part of a new policy. He tells his government teacher, Mr. Mount, that he procured seats at the trial the next day. He also goes to Spanish, which is taught by Madame Monique, a woman from Cameroon who speaks more than three languages. He is distracted thinking about April’s testimony, though he is also excited to go to the trial.

In the afternoon, Mr. Mount explains that the class will go on a field trip, and Theo gives background on the trial that they will be watching. He gives a presentation showing that it is a murder trial in which a man is accused of murdering his wife. Theo also explains that most of the evidence is circumstantial and that the burden is on the State to prove that the defendant, Mr. Duffy, is guilty.

The chapter closes with Mr. Mount thinking about how talented his class is, including Theo who is also the star of the debate team.

After school, Theo goes to his parents’ law office, Boone & Boone. He goes to see his father, Woods, first. His father’s office is on the second floor because it is messy, and he likes to smoke cigars with the windows closed. He also practices real estate law, which Theo finds to be exceptionally boring. As he and Theo discuss the latter’s field trip the next day, Woods warns Theo that he spoke to Judge Gantry to make sure that Theo does not skip school to watch the remainder of the trial after his field trip the next day.

Theo goes downstairs to see the secretary, Elsa, who has worked for his parents since before Theo was born. He also goes to see his mother, Marcella. Theo can tell from her professional attire that she was in court that day. She complains that women must dress nicer than men, and Elsa agrees. She also tells Theo to focus on eighth grade even though he finds all his classes, except for Spanish and Government, to be boring.

He then goes to his office, a converted closet with a card table for a desk. Judge is there since he spends the days at the office. He must get his homework done before dinner, so he works until Sandy Coe, another student, appears and asks to speak to him. Sandy overheard his parents talking about foreclosure on their house, which he asks Theo to explain. Telling Sandy that it means his parents are behind on mortgage payments, Theo recommends that they go see a bankruptcy lawyer his parents often refer clients to. Sandy thanks him and heads home.

Theo’s mom asks him to go to the courthouse to file some paperwork in family court and to visit his uncle Ike before dinner at seven o’clock. Hoping to find out what happened with April’s parents, Theo is happy to run the errand. He stops first at the clerk’s office and sees Jenny, giving her the paperwork. Theo has a crush on Jenny, and dislikes that she is married with a baby on the way. They talk about the trial and agree that Mr. Duffy is likely guilty.

Afterwards, Theo sees Deputy Gossett, an older bailiff. They also talk about the trial, and Deputy Gossett is surprised when Theo explains that he spoke with Judge Gantry earlier in the day about getting seats the next day. Theo leaves the courthouse to go see his uncle. Ike used to be a tax attorney and started Boone and Boone with Theo’s parents, but many years ago, Ike lost his license to practice law. Now, he helps people file their taxes, though he isn’t a certified accountant.

Theo does not enjoy talking to his uncle, but his parents emphasize how important it is to him that Theo goes every Monday. Ike wants Theo to choose a career other than the law, but Theo is insistent. He also tells Theo he expects the boy to get straight As in school.

Eventually, they start talking about the trial, and Ike shares information that he likely learned from playing poker with retired lawyers. He also thinks that Mr. Duffy is guilty, but he thinks that his attorney, Clifford Nance, is so good that he’ll be acquitted. It is a difficult trial for the prosecution because no one saw Mr. Duffy leave the house after Mrs. Duffy was killed. However, because of the life insurance on Mrs. Duffy, Mr. Duffy did have a motive to kill her, especially because his business was in trouble financially.

They also discuss how Mr. Duffy lived in Waverly Creek, a wealthy community two miles out of the city of Strattenburg, where Theo and his family live. The city dwellers believe that there is a huge divide between them and those in “The Creek.”

The trial begins with the bailiff calling the court to order. Theo, excited and nervous, calls this “the big game” (58).

Jack Hogan, the prosecuting attorney, gives his opening statement, explaining that Peter Duffy had the motive to kill his wife because of the insurance policy. He also points out that there was no evidence of Myra Duffy struggling, suggesting that this was because she knew her attacker. He claims that Mr. Duffy was golfing that morning, but the course was right near the house, allowing him to slip back home and return to his game unnoticed after strangling his wife. He also tells the jury that Mr. Duffy had been planning the murder for two years because he started playing golf alone every week right after taking out the life insurance policy on his wife. Over and over, he repeats that Mr. Duffy “planned it perfectly” (67).

Theo thinks about how there is supposed to be a presumption of innocence, but Mr. Mount has said that it has turned into a presumption of guilt. When the court takes a recess after Hogan finishes, Mr. Mount asks the class what they think, and many agree that Mr. Duffy is guilty.

Clifford Nance begins his opening statement, pointing out that the prosecution does not have any evidence, just a “fanciful version of what maybe could have happened” (68). He emphasizes to the jury that the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Duffy committed the murder, and so they should not base their decision off what “maybe” happened. He suggests that the murderer could even be in the room, causing the jurors to look with concern at the spectators.

Nance agrees that the Duffys’ marriage was rocky but that they were working on it. He also notes that Mrs. Duffy had the same life insurance policy taken out on her husband, which is standard practice.

From their seats, Mr. Mount watches his students closely, seeing how interested Theo is in the proceedings. When Nance finishes, Gantry calls for a lunch recess.