The Jaihouse Lawyer, James Patterson, Nancy Allen, authors; Megan Tusing, narrator
Martha Foster discovers that the law firm she works for, which self-insures, will no longer provide adequate health insurance for herself and her five-year-old son, Andy, who has a heart condition. She finds herself unemployed after she questions the senior partner about it. He is arrogant and refuses to discuss it, since the costs of his medical care are astronomical. He tells her to take it or leave it.
When she finds a job as a Public Defender in Erva, Alabama, she jumps at it. She soon discovers that Douglas County is not as idyllic as it seems. When she attempts to defend an old lawyer friend who has fallen from grace, Jay Bradford, she finds that the Judge, movie-star handsome, is furious with her for her court filings in his defense. He seems to have the town wrapped around his little finger, and there are roadblocks set up to prevent an adequate defense of those charged with a crime. When Judge Pickens becomes sufficiently enraged, he unfairly holds her in Contempt of Court, and she becomes acquainted with the Pickens Discipline Chair for disruptive prisoners. Everyone fears this punishment chair. When Martha is finally released, battered and exhausted, only because she has been blackmailed into signing papers withdrawing her complaints, she searches for her son. He had been taken from her office when she was taken off to jail. Although she begs for help, no one will tell her where he is or who has taken him. He needs medication daily, and she fears for his health. Her car is gone, her cell phone is gone, her dog Homer is recovering after being poisoned, and she feels as if she is living a nightmare. When she is reunited with her son, she vows to take action to remove Judge Pickens from the bench and to offer counsel to those in need.
Andy is very bright, but he is portrayed as far older than a child of five. Jay has an addiction problem and has lost his law license. Martha is very emotional and often, her quick reactions get her into trouble. Sometimes, the book seems juvenile, but it always leaves you wondering how Martha will resolve the problems to her satisfaction.
This is the first book, another follows, Power of Attorney.