Feb. 6, 2009
Behind Updike's Tale of L.A. Law Was an Eager Young Lawyer
A short story by John Updike reveals a lot about "post-studio Hollywood" — and helping the author on legal issues provided its own lessons for an eager young lawyer, writes Joseph H. Cooper. - Forum Column
Joseph H. Cooper
Joseph was editorial counsel at The New Yorker from 1976 to 1996, and now resides in Culver City. He is compiling his prison-related articles for publication as "Corrections - Essays from Inside: The In-Prison Education of Inmate-Students and Their Language-Arts Professor."
FORUM COLUMN
By Joseph H. Cooper John Updike, who died last week, made an inter vivos conveyance to defendants in defamation actions: In a 1998 short story that served as a relatively civil complaint, he rendered a judgment non obstante veredicto that still serves as a brief on libel law, litigation and Los Angeles. For Updike's take on the Los Angeles of 1972 ("the capital of organized unreality"), read "Bech Pleads Guilty" - an installment ...For only $95 a month (the price of 2 article purchases)
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