Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer

Every Tuesday, the Boones volunteer at a soup kitchen in Strattenburg. After dinner, both Mr. and Mrs. Boone set up in the soup kitchen’s dining room to see clients whose cases they handle for free. Theo then helps two kids, Hector and Rita, with their English. He also assists their brother Julio with his algebra.

Afterwards, at home, Theo tries to convince his parents that he’s beginning to feel ill, but they see right through his attempt to stay home from school, especially since he has a history faking it. His father reminds him that Judge Gantry knows that Theo isn’t allowed to watch the trial.

Defeated, Theo goes upstairs and chats online with April. The trial for her parents’ divorce had gone until noon that day, and she told the judge that she didn’t want to live with either of her parents. For now, she’s staying with her mother, but the judge will make a final decision in a few days. Theo goes to sleep worrying about her and thinking about the Duffy trial.

The next day at school, Julio approaches Theo at the bike rack, asking Theo about the law and if he knows about the Duffy trial. Julio implies that he may have some information about what happened to Mrs. Duffy, and Theo says that he’ll find him at lunch, wondering what he could know. As class starts, Theo bemoans the fact that he’s missing the trial.

During recess, Theo hides in a study carrel and hacks into court’s system where transcripts of trials are kept. He thinks about how his dad told him that stenographers used to have to take handwritten notes but now computers help to record what each person says in real time.

Reading through the transcripts, he sees that the prosecution called the security guard for Waverly Creek, who testified to the fact that Mr. Duffy’s car was at his house all day. He also describes every vehicle that came and went that morning, and Theo thinks it might be because the prosecutor was trying to show that everyone in the housing development at the time of the murder was a resident. Thinking that this is a stretch, Theo concludes that he isn’t missing anything too exciting.

After eating lunch and unable to find Julio, Theo sneaks back into his hiding place to read the updated transcript, seeing that Clifford Nance cross-examined the witness, getting him to reluctantly admit that it was impossible to know exactly who was in Waverly Creek at the time of the murder. As he reads, Theo comes to admire Nance’s skill. He is startled by April, who recounts her parents’ divorce proceedings.

When school ends, Theo rushes to the courthouse. At first, the judge and jury are not present because Judge Gantry is in his chambers listening to the lawyers. When they return, the prosecution calls a banker to discuss Pete Duffy’s financial troubles. Most of the financial talk goes over Theo’s head, and he believes that the jurors are likewise bored, which is not a good sign for the prosecution.

Eventually, Theo spots Julio in the balcony. A few minutes later, Omar Cheepe is sitting behind him, and Theo doesn’t think Julio realizes.

When Theo gets to his parents’ office after the trial ends for the day, he greets his father and tries not to complain about school. With everyone else busy, he returns to his office just before Julio appears. They talk outside the firm, and Julio makes him promise not to keep what he says a secret before telling Theo about his cousin who works at the golf course where Pete Duffy plays every week. Julio describes how his cousin takes his lunch break alone on the course by the sixth hole, and he saw a man who looked like Pete Duffy drive his golf cart to his house, put on a second golfing glove and enter the house. He saw him leave several minutes later. He didn’t think anything of it that day because he often sees people who live in the neighborhood on the course, but when he heard that Mrs. Duffy was murdered, he grew concerned.

Julio’s cousin is an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, and he is concerned that he could be deported if he testifies. Theo, on the other hand, knows that this is very important and convinces Julio to ask his cousin to come by the shelter, where Theo will be helping him with his math homework.

After Julio leaves, Theo tells his mother that he’s going to stop by the shelter. Before he leaves, however, he stops by the firm’s library to think. He is shocked that he has learned the truth about the Duffy murder and isn’t sure what to do.

At the shelter, Julio’s mother is surprised to see Theo, but then Julio explains that he’s here to help with his homework. They go upstairs to work in a conference room, and they start to work, waiting for Julio’s cousin to show up. Theo’s mom calls and he reassures her that he’s fine.

Julio’s cousin is nervous at first and refuses to tell Theo his name. He describes the day of the murder again for Theo, who has come prepared with a map of the course and photos of Pete Duffy. The cousin says that someone who worked at the course and saw Duffy when he found out his wife had been killed, confirmed for him that his outfit matched the man the cousin had seen. However, he is not able to tell which of the men in the photos Theo printed out is Pete Duffy, though Theo thinks that his remembering the outfit would be enough.

As time passes, Theo begins to worry that his parents will be upset since he’s late for dinner, so he leaves, telling Julio and his cousin that they’ll talk soon and that he won’t tell anyone.

When he arrives home, Theo joins his parents watching Perry Mason. A surprise witness is called during the episode, and Theo uses it as an excuse to ask what would happen if a surprise witness appeared. His father says that the judge might allow them to testify, but his mother adds that the witness list is set ahead of time. Because his parents, as lawyers, are officers of the court, Theo knows that if he tells them about Julio’s cousin, they’ll most likely tell Judge Gantry, which could result in the cousin being deported. Feeling conflicted between Julio’s family’s well-being and the risk of Pete Duffy going free, Theo knows he won’t sleep well.

Theo’s night was filled with nightmares, and he couldn’t decide what to do about Julio’s cousin. He calls his uncle Ike and asks to stop by before school, then departs right at eight o’clock, half an hour before class.

Ike eats a cinnamon roll as Theo talks to him. Theo does not give away Julio’s cousin’s identity, but he explains that he heard about the witness through someone at school and that he believes him. He also tells Ike that he believes it could impact the trial. Ike responds by grabbing a law book and reading about the procedure for witnesses, concluding that a mistrial could be declared if a key witness was missing. He promises to go to the courthouse to do some research but that he will protect Theo and keep his name out of it. He wants Theo to call him at lunch.

At school, Theo is approached by Sandy Coe, who tells him that his parents went to see the bankruptcy lawyer that Theo recommended. The lawyer promised that they would keep their house, and Sandy passes along his parents’ gratitude to Theo.

Mr. Mount asks Theo to give the class an update on the trial, and he does, explaining that the prosecution’s witnesses are being destroyed by Clifford Nance. Ike calls him and agrees that there is no way Duffy will get convicted. He tells Theo to stop by after school.

Hallie, the most popular girl in school, is concerned about her dog, who was picked up by animal control. Even though she is crying, Theo still thinks she is cute, and he assures that he can help her in Animal Court. He files a Notice of Retrieval online, explaining that anyone can go down and plead a case in Animal Court. He tells her to meet him there at four o’clock after picking up money from her mother to pay the fine.

Theo checks in with Ike, who reports that the prosecution has rested their case, meaning that time is running out to make a decision about what to do for Julio’s cousin.

After school, Hallie and Theo sit through a case about an escaped snake in Animal Court before Theo steps to Judge Yeck’s bench. The judge remembers the first time that Theo was in Animal Court, arguing on behalf on a stray who later became Theo’s dog, Judge. Theo asks that all fines be waived, promising that Hallie’s family will bulk up their security so that Rocky the dog does not escape again. The judge agrees, though he promises to double fines if it happens again.

Hallie links her arm with Theo, who is smitten, and she tells him to call her, though he knows he won’t because April wouldn’t approve.