This riveting work of legal reportage is at once the story of an emotionally explosive lawsuit and a searing expose of the American legal system. When young lawyer Jan Schlichtmann initiates a civil suit against two of the nation's largest corporations who stand accused of the deaths of children in a Massachusetts suburb, he finds himself locked in an epic struggle that costs him his home, his reputation, and very nearly his sanity.
This true story of an epic courtroom showdown, where two of the nation's largest corporations were accused of causing the deaths of children from water contamination, was a #1 national bestseller and winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Described as "a page-turner filled with greed, duplicity, heartache, and bare-knuckle legal brinksmanship by The New York Times, A Civil Action is the searing, compelling tale of a legal system gone awry--one in which greed and power fight an unending struggle against justice. Yet it is also the story of how one man can ultimately make a difference. Representing the bereaved parents, the unlikeliest of heroes emerges: a young, flamboyant Porsche-driving lawyer who hopes to win millions of dollars and ends up nearly losing everything, including his sanity. With an unstoppable narrative power reminiscent of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, A Civil Action is an unforgettable reading experience that will leave the reader both shocked and enlightened.

A Civil Action was made into a movie starring John Travolta and Robert Duvall.