The Runaway Jurytakes place in the mid-90’s at a time when many people are worried about the moral decay of society. Everywhere people look there is corruption- in government, corporations, lawsuits. Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinksy during the presidency reaffirms this feeling of the times. Therefore, Grisham’s book about corruption and disregarding justice fits with the decade of the time. The author also picked the location to be on the Coast in Mississippi for a particular reason. The coast is known for gambling and corruption, especially in Louisiana. His story of corrupting a jury and betting huge money on possibly buying a verdict fits well also. The Coast is also known for putting money ahead of everything else- including morals. The Hoppy sting and Fitch buying a verdict portrays this also.

We know this book is fiction because the tobacco industry is still doing fine today. It’s still being profitable and not having to pay huge lawsuits. However, the story could happen in real life. Grisham presents the story in a very plausible way by utilizing his knowledge of the law and slick ways around it. People file frivolous lawsuits all the time against major companies and it’s certainly possible that the industry could team up to protect itself.