The King of Torts, John Grisham

The King of Torts (2003) is a legal/suspense novel written by American author John Grisham. Clay Carter is a poorly paid public defender who dreams of joining a large law firm.

One day he reluctantly takes on the case of Tequila Watson, a man accused of a random street killing.

Watson insists that he somehow wasn't in control of his body when he pulled the trigger, a story which Clay tries to dismiss, but can't get out of his mind.

Clay tries his best to help his client, plunging into the most dangerous parts of the Washington D.C. slums in search of evidence which may help his case.

Clay finally gets a subpoena, forcing drug rehabilitation centers to hand over Watson's medical records, as well as those of another man accused of a similar, apparently motiveless murder. ...

عنوانهای چاپ شده در ایران: «وکیلی برای خسارت»؛ «شاه زیانکاران»؛ نویسنده: جان گریشام؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش روز دوم ماه اکتبر سال2005میلادی

عنوان: وکیلی برای خسارت؛ نویسنده: جان گریشام، مترجم: شهناز مجیدی؛ تهران، شادان، سال1382؛ در374ص؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده 21م

عنوان: شاه زیانکاران؛ نویسنده: جان گریشام، مترجم: فریده مهدوی دامغانی؛ تهران، وزارت فرهنگ، سال1383؛ در595ص؛

شخصیت رمان «شاه زیانکاران»، وکیلی جوان، به نام «کلی کارتر»؛ پسر وکیل بزرگ «جرت کارتر» است، پیروزی چندانی در زندگی و شغل خویش، دریافت نکرده؛ اما دیدار وی با فردی به نام «مکس پیس»، که به گفته ی خودش، «یک مامور آتش نشانی!» است، سبب دگرگون شدن راه زندگی­ش می­شود؛ «مکس» مامورِ پوشاندن اشتباهاتِ مخاطره­ انگیزِ شرکتهایِ بزرگِ تجاری است، و حالا این وکیل جوان است، که باید تصمیم بگیرد، که با «مکس» همکاری کند یا خیر ...؛ دفتر وکالت عمومی، از نامداری شرکت­های حقوقی خصوصی بهره­ مند نیست، اما برخی از وکلای این دفتر با اخلاص کامل، همچنان باورمند به دفاع، و پشتیبانی از ناداران، اندوهگینان و ناامیدان اجتماع بودند؛ و برخی نیز کار در این دفتر را، همانند دوره ­ای آموزشی، و پلی برای کار در شرکتهای شخصی، گرانمایه می­دیدند؛ «کلی کارتر»، یکی از همین وکلای جوان بود، که چند سالی در این دفاتر به کار دلمشغول بود؛ تلاش­های پی در پی او، برای گرفتن حقوق زیان ­دیدگان، و تشکیل پرونده، برای شرکتهای ساختمانی، و داروسازها و ...؛ از او فردی مشهور و گرانمایه ساخت، به گونه ­ای که به «شاه زیانکاران» نامدار گشت، اما ...؛ ادامه ی داستان

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 23/10/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 15/08/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی

A nice page-turner dealing with the dangers of greed and the importance of self-control. I liked reading the character come from humble beginnings, build an empire, and let it come crashing down. A lot happening in-between.

Very interesting learning a lot about tort law and the concept of mass tort litigation. Some lawyers in this country get involved in some pretty unscrupulous stuff.

It is obvious I have been on a Grisham roll. Sometimes that happens to me. I just enjoy being in the midst of an author’s words, until I tire of them. But for now, I am relishing them.

In this case, I am enjoying the older Grisham novels. Especially the courtroom dramas. His willingness to do the research cases. Taking on a cause. And this one is rather different and interesting at the same time. It is highly entertaining with an engrossing narrative. His intention, it feels is to showcase the strengths and failings of the American law system. In this story, he takes on the field of mass tort litigation.

It starts with an insignificant, but unfortunate murder that introduces us to our main protagonist, Public Defender, Clay Carter. He is appointed to represent Tequila Watson, the perpetrator of the crime. While in the midst of collecting evidence about Tequila’s crime, Max Pace, a man of mystery visits Carter. He offers Carter the opportunity to initiate litigation against a drug manufacturer who has negligently produced a product that causes people to kill. Hmmm….could this have anything to do with his current case?

So how does this open the door to class action lawsuits? And the direction the novel takes?

What happens when a class action lawsuit is created? And what kind of attorneys are we dealing with in this arena?

What will happen with Tequila’s case?

It is clear that Grisham has issues here. There is a message here. A debate. A conversation. And Grisham has opened the door for that conversation and discussion for tort reform. Anyone interested in the issue, or just interested in another appealing Grisham novel might enjoy this one.

Perhaps even a great book selection discussion book?

Has anyone noticed that this guy can't write? And that he hates women?

There were scenes in this book so sexist that they literally took my breath away. Clay Carter, the young lawyer with the heart of gold, is being stalked by two beautiful women who are absolute cartoon characters. I mean, really! They are shallow, selfish, two-faced, manipulative, lazy, whiny, clingy, needy, bossy, weepy, and dishonest.

That would be bad enough, but the weird thing about the way Grisham writes is that . . . he doesn't care. Never for one minute do you believe that Clay Carter feels anything about his girl friend, or the downtrodden sick people, or the drug-addled junkies, or anything else. The whole book is like a weird, weird, ego trip . . . yet all the guy actually does is make a whole of money, then blow it, then get beat up.

The happy ending literally made me want to throw up. Given how phony the love story was it was like a big F.U. to everyone who actually read the book.

I don't know why I even read this piece of crap. The worst Harlequin Presents ever written is better than this! And this guy looks down on women?

Not John Grisham’s best day!

Clay Carter is an overworked and underpaid civil servant, a lawyer in the Office of the Public Defender in Washington DC. Despite his overly long experience in a job that he dearly wants to leave, he finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time when a judge assigns him the defense of a young black man charged with a puzzling, random street killing. During the course of filling in his client’s background and trying to make some sense of a completely motiveless murder, Carter finds himself embroiled in a scandal and cover-up in the pharmaceutical industry. The potential payout is breathtaking.

THE KING OF TORTS has a great deal to say about American society – its greedy litigious nature and the equally greedy legal mass tort industry that has grown up to support that thirst for instant wealth; the capitalist drive for profits that prompts the pharmaceutical industry to cut too many corners and to engage in flawed, unethical research and marketing of their products; the systemic racism inherent in the American law enforcement and judicial systems; the futility of the USA’s efforts to curtail the consumption and distribution of illegal drugs.

All of what Grisham has to say in THE KING OF TORTS, insofar as it comprises a comment on American culture, is compelling, informative, provocative and interesting. Much of what he has to say is ugly, disappointing and disturbing. But, insofar as THE KING OF TORTS is supposed to be a legal thriller and a novel, none of what he has to say is enjoyable, uplifting or suspenseful. Every single one of the characters, male and female alike, lawyers and non-lawyers alike, is a despicable, self-centered bottom feeder. The story moves with no real direction from one pharmaceutical scandal and its accompanying legal malfeasance and eye-popping fees to another. THE KING OF TORTS is totally joyless. The plot can only be described as turgid. It simply flows like a deep, slow-moving, sadly polluted muddy river.

You might like John Grisham. I know I do. But he has done so much better. Give this one a wide berth.

Paul Weiss

This is one of my favourite Grisham books.A poorly paid public defender stumbles on to a case which leads him to an enormous settlement and changes his life.

The most interesting part of the book is where Grisham describes the lavish lifestyles of lawyers who win huge settlements and then indulge in all the luxuries that money can buy.

That expensive lifestyle isn't sustainable,and needs ever greater amount of money.Eventually,the consequences of this relentless pursuit of money,are disastrous for the protagonist.

I was interested to read about the staggering sums of money awarded in class-action litigation in the US,and how the biggest beneficiaries are not the victims,but the ambulance chasing lawyers,who profit hugely,and then try to make a career out of it.

A top-notch legal thriller.

As a lover of legal thrillers, I try to read all of John Crisham's books. This book was really interesting and such a page turner from the very beginning: there is not any moment of boredom for readers, nor anything unconvincing! I got more and more intrigued as the story went on, I was constantly thinking about our main man - Clay Carter - even when I am not reading. The book introduced me to a new (and probably very miniscule (in terms of size) world) of mass tort lawyers and pharmaceutical industry: it is incredible It was a nice escape from my daily routine, and something to look forward to at the end of a long day. I would recommend it highly if you like feasible mystery and adventure but in a real world.

Relato sobre los class action lawsuits, las demandas colectivas, y cómo cuando una triunfa el que se lleva la parte del león es el abogado que cazó el caso. El protagonista es un abogado del turno de oficio de Washington DC que nos muestra cómo un pelotazo puede cambiarte la vida, y no necesariamente para bien.
Grisham escribe como quiere, y aunque esta no sea de mis favoritas le reconozco el mérito para llevarnos por donde le apetece llevarnos, y a dotar de profundidad a todo lo que describe. La historia personal del autor, fuera de la parte del derecho, me parece más bosquejada que escrita, y hacia el final la novela parece patrocinada por Disney, pero se puede soportar.

I liked this book, the premise of how easily greed consumes someone, but I thought it was a bit long and dragged out.

Learn quite a bit about tart laws. I loved the characters although I found that Ridley yet Ridley was definitely in it for the money. The ending of this book however could have been a bit better which makes me drop it down a star. But it was all around a fairly good book.

I almost always enjoy a good John Grisham book and love to read them on an airplane as they make the time go by so fast. This was one of my favorites as it gives an inside look at the huge class-action lawsuits and how they can affect the lives of those involved, especially in the legal field. There is so much money to be made, it leads to unscrupulous behavior and should be a warning to us all. It was informative as well as entertaining and that rates five stars from me.

I love a good Grisham book, especially when I haven't read one in awhile. This is the story of Clay Carter, a young lawyer in Washington DC, working for the public defender's office. His job pays him next to nothing, his 4-year relationship is in a rut, and he'd love to live on his own--without a roommate. After wrapping up a lengthy murder trial, he gets stuck with another one. Everything appears to be the typical street crime/indigent story until a mysterious phone call lands Clay in a posh hotel with a very mysterious man.

The man explains to Clay that his defendant was on a drug called Tarvan, which was amazing at cleaning up junkies had one serious problem-- after about a week of being off the drug, some of it's users had the uncontrollable urge to kill--totally at random. The drug company was now asking Clay to pay the victims' families (and Clay) a substantial sum of money to keep the story quiet. Clay agrees-- and so begins his slippery journey with big pharmaceuticals and mass cases.

Clay finds himself suing a large company for a bad drug-- all with the help of this mysterious man who has befriended him. When he becomes a multi-millionaire overnight, the smell of money and his greed only increase. He is hailed as the "King of Torts" and instantly thrown into the spotlight. He buys houses and jets and big boats. He becomes even more greedy and careless, and ultimately winds up with next to nothing.

This was a quick and fun read-- about the life of the rich & famous (a life I'll never know personally). Grisham always does a great job of weaving together several stories and making his characters very life-like. It's impossible not to root for Clay, even though we see his personality shift throughout the story. Although Grisham doesn't always wrap things up neat & tidy (the way the reader might want them), I liked the way he ended this book-- a penniless guy who lived a moment in the spotlight and still gets the girl.