History Main / RageAgainstTheLegalSystem

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!!Examples

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}''

* In the final arc of ''Comicbook/TopTen'', Joe Pi [[InvokedTrope invokes]] this trope to subtly manipulate the Superman-analogue Atoman into [[spoiler:committing suicide]] by telling him that when he's arrested, depowered, and jailed, he'll be at the mercy of the various supervillains he defeated [[spoiler:and those who really don't like child molesters]].

* ''The Trial of ComicBook/ThePunisher'' features Frank turning himself in for murdering a District Attorney (as in, he shows up with the corpse in a duffel bag and gives his name to the desk sergeant). The trial happens over several days before he gives the judge and attorneys a tape that is to be watched in his presence to explain the act. It turns out the DA was corrupt and taking bribes, including getting a mob boss into the Witness Protection Program. Then Frank breaks free and escapes with a gun, and it turns out the whole thing was a complicated plan on Frank's part to get inside the courtroom where [[spoiler:said mob boss was now a ''court judge'']] and shoot him.

* The original 1962 ''Film/CapeFear'' had this as Max Cady's motive for tormenting the protagonist, Sam Bowden (the latter was a witness to the former's rape). The 1991 remake changes this, by making Boden Cady's lawyer (who the latter thought didn't do a good enough job of defending him... and actually ''didn't'' do a good job, because he felt Cady so monstrous a man (by seeing what he had done to the woman he had raped) that he decided to risk his career and held back a piece of evidence (the woman's sexual history) which would have given Cady a lighter sentence, if not made him walk).
* ''Film/LawAbidingCitizen'': After a plea deal sets one of his wife's killers free, a man targets the killers, their lawyers, and the judge and D.A. who approved the deal.

* In the movie ''Film/LetsGoToPrison'', Dax Shepard's character, a petty criminal, holds a grudge on the judge that keeps giving him lengthy prison sentences and vows to get revenge. After the judge dies, [[SinsOfOurFathers he manages to frame the judge's preppy son for theft,]] and gets the son locked up in the same prison as him.
* ''Film/ScannerCop'': The villain's reason for unleashing a murder wave targeting the Los Angeles police force is revenge for being imprisoned for engaging in illegal experiments that killed his patients, crimes he was genuinely guilty of.

* In ''[[Literature/TheGreatBrain Me and My Little Brain]]'', a gang of outlaws whom John Fitzgerald's father helped put away tries to take revenge on the Fitzgeralds and the judge.
* In ''{{Literature/Banco}}'', this is what drove Papillon through [[{{Literature/Papillon}} fourteen years of suffering]] in a PenalColony: the idea that one day he'd get his revenge on the French justice system. The novel details his adventures trying to bankroll his RoaringRampageOfRevenge against the prosecutor, judge, police, and jury who wrongly sent him to French Guiana, despite many temptations to stay honest and find happiness in South America.
* The ending of ''Literature/WhiteFang'' has a criminal escape from prison to murder the judge who sent him there. His story is quite tragic: he was actually innocent of the crime he was sentenced for, but the judge had no idea it was a setup, and it ends with the criminal's throat torn out by a wolfdog and the corrupt wardens never being punished.

* In the ''Series/BlueBloods'' episode "Re-Do", a {{serial rapist}} whom Erin put away but then had his conviction thrown out on a technicality targets her in revenge. [[spoiler:In hindsight, targeting a woman who isn't just an A.D.A. but has four current or former NYPD officers in her immediate family [[TooDumbToLive wasn't exactly bright of him]].]]
* ''Series/TheCloser'': In the episode "Off the Hook", a woman kills a member of the California Parole board after she lets out a criminal who then robs and kills her son.
* In an episode of ''Series/TheXFiles'', "[[Recap/TheXFilesS03E05TheList The List]]" a convict is executed, then returns as a spirit (or something) to take revenge on the witnesses/lawyers/judge/prison staff/executioner.
* ''Series/{{CSINY}}'' Season 8 Episode 8 "Crossroads". A [[HangingJudge judge]] is killed in a drive-by shooting and evidence first points towards a [[TheMafiya Russian mob]] hit, only to finally lead to a pair of young men which had been put in a [[JuvenileHell hellhole juvenile detention center]] by the judge, [[DirtyCop who had an arrangement with the warden to be paid for every kid sentenced to serve time there]]. The murderer had been sent there [[DisproportionateRetribution because he stole a pack of gum]].
* [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]] in the episode of ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'' "Dennis Looks Like a Registered Sex Offender", where Mac's father, after having been released from prison, goes to "take care of" several people that took part in sending him to prison in the first place. Mac and Charlie then freak out, thinking he's going to kill them too, until [[spoiler:it turns out that he was just trying to make up with these people for causing trouble in the past]].

* ''Franchise/LawAndOrder'':
** Initially suspected in a ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' episode where the BodyOfTheWeek is a superior court judge's son. The judge had just sentenced a rapper for armed robbery and there was a prominent shot in TheTeaser of the rapper's posse verbally threatening the judge. Turns out to be a RedHerring, though.
** ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'', season 11, episode 3, 'Solitary': a guy (played by [[Film/TheCryingGame Stephen Rea]]) wants revenge on Stabler for spending years in solitary, especially because all of the time spent there had [[GoneMadFromTheIsolation driven him borderline insane]] (and when the judge's sentence is to be sent back to solitary, [[AnythingButThat he begs for death instead]]). A rare episode where Stabler develops sympathy for the crook, especially after taking some time in solitary as well. He ensures that the guy doesn't have to spend more time there in the finale.
** This happened in another episode with Olivia. In this case, it was a slightly-more-justified version where the episode's villain was a man who was wrongfully convicted because Olivia railroaded the case and did the show's usual side-stepping of constitutional rights.
* On ''Series/{{Grimm}}'', Oleg Stark was a Siegbarste (Ogre) who was sent to prison for murder after evidence that could have exonerated him was "misplaced" in police custody. After he escapes prison, he kills the prosecutor, judge, and jury foreman who helped convict him. It turns out that Hank was the one who destroyed the evidence, [[FramingTheGuiltyParty but only because Oleg really did commit the murders]] and then fabricated the exonerating evidence.
* In one episode of ''Series/TheRedGreenShow'', Possum Lodge member and reformed criminal Mike Hamar is trying to hide from a fellow criminal, Big Al Finkelman, whom he had ratted out and got sent to prison, but who had just gotten released and is now coming for him. It so happens that the lodge is putting on a masquerade picnic and marathon, where people dress up in costumes, so Mike tries on various costumes, ultimately disguising himself as Red Green himself, but Big Al sees through the disguise. Big Al then runs into the real Red, [[MistakenForAnImpostor thinking he's Mike]]. Red hastily feels around for his driver's license to prove his identity, but he can't find his wallet. Big Al accepts this as proof that he isn't [[StickyFingers Mike]] and leaves.
-->'''Red:''' ''(addressing his wife at the end of the episode)'' Watch out for some guy dressed like me. He's an ex-con who's trying to sub in on my conjugal visits!

-->''R.I.P I wanna kill the judge''
-->''Tryna lock the homie up, they don't feel the thug''
* Music/TheBeatles: After [[Music/AbbeyRoad Maxwell Edison]] is arrested for bashing Joan's and his schoolteacher's heads in with a silver hammer, he appears in the courtroom, and smashes the judge on the head with his silver hammer as he's about to be sentenced.

* The ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "To Love and Die in Dixie" has a robber breaking out of prison, namely to target Chris Griffin whose testimony put the robber away. He didn't originally know Chris was the one who identified him, until [[BumblingDad Peter]] accidentally stumbled into the suspect lineup room looking for Chris, and ended up giving the robber a photo of Chris with his school schedule and a list of all of his fears written on the back.
** In "One If By Clam, Two If By Sea", when Peter and friends end up in prison for a {{frameup}}, one of the inmates Joe arrested intends to kill all four of them. Luckily, Lois, Connie and Roberta manged to clear their names and catch the real culprit in time.
* In the ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' episode "[[Recap/JusticeLeagueS2E5And6OnlyADream Only a Dream]]", it's implied that Dr. Destiny wants revenge on the Leaguers for locking him up. (The thing is, not only was he guilty of the crime, the one he probably should have blamed was ComicBook/LexLuthor for convincing him to do it.)
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', [[Characters/TheLegendOfKorraAvatarKorra Korra]] does this when her father is found guilty of high treason. Her first reaction is to threaten the judge's life ''[[SmugSuper in the courthouse]]''--and then, to kidnap him and threaten to feed him to [[CanisMajor Naga]]. (The judge is corrupt, and so kind of deserves it, but she doesn't know that, at least not at first. And it does not make her look very good to the courtroom audience any which way.)
* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'', "Disorder in the Court", Fred and Barney have jury duty, with Fred acting as jury foreman. They are tasked with trying someone known simply as "The Mangler", a vicious and enormous thief. When he is convicted, the Mangler swears to Fred's face that he'll get him for this. Fred can't help being afraid, especially when word gets out that the Mangler has escaped from custody and is on the hunt for Fred.

* The vigilantes in ''Literature/{{Victoria}}'' reach this point when a corrupt federal judge cracks down on their hitherto successful efforts to smoke out the drug dealers and gangsters infesting their neighborhoods. Their revolution begins by tarring and feathering the malefactor.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', Korra does this when her father is found guilty of high treason. Her first reaction is to threaten the judge's life ''[[SmugSuper in the courthouse]]''--and then, to kidnap him and threaten to feed him to [[CanisMajor Naga]]. (The judge is corrupt, and so kind of deserves it, but she doesn't know that, at least not at first. And it does not make her look very good to the courtroom audience any which way.)

* The first game of the ''VideoGame/PoliceQuest'' series has the BigBad Jessie Bains arrested and found guilty of murders and drug dealing. This leads to the sequel, where Jessie escapes prison in order to get his {{revenge|OfTheSequel}} on the witnesses who testified against him, and the PlayerCharacter Sonny Bonds, the cop who busted him.

[[folder:Film]]

* ''WesternAnimation/LaBalladeDesDalton'': Henry Dalton wants his nephews to kill the judge and the jury who convicted him.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'', a number of jailed criminals try to avenge themselves on the [[InPrisonWithTheRogues recently-imprisoned Rorschach]]. [[UnderestimatingBadassery It doesn't go well.]]

This can be TruthInTelevision. It ''might'' potentially be considered justifiable in-universe if [[DirtyCop the authorities are corrupt or outright evil]] and have [[FrameUp framed the protagonist for a crime he did not commit]], especially if they serve [[TheEmpire a tyrannical and oppressive regime]]. However, invoking this trope is considered a MoralEventHorizon in the eyes of the law and society. Under almost any system of government, crimes against officers and officials of the legal system are punished harshly, and penalties can go UpToEleven if they were motivated by revenge. Even where the perpetrator is innocent or [[DrivenToVillainy actually has an excuse]] for what he does, acting like this will typically result in viewers considering him an AntiHero at best.

* The ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "To Love and Die in Dixie" has a robber breaking out of prison, namely to target Chris Griffin whose testimony put the robber away. He didn't originally know Chris was the one who identified him, until [[BumblingDad Peter]] accidentally stumbled into the suspect lineup room looking for Chris, [[UpToEleven and ended up giving the robber a photo of Chris with his school schedule and a list of all of his fears written on the back.]]

* A [=DirecTV=] advertisement claims that having cable TV will eventually lead to your house blowing up (in their bizarre [[RubeGoldbergMachine Rube Goldberg-esque]] logic: you're a lawyer, not having good reception will cause you to go to work irritated, you'll lose your case, the guy that goes to prison will dwell on getting even with you when he gets out...).

* In an episode of ''Series/TheXFiles'', a convict is executed, then returns as a spirit (or something) to take revenge on the witnesses/lawyers/judge/prison staff/executioner.

** In ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice'', the Kingdom of Khura'in faces an outright CivilWar, courtesy of a LaResistance group that justifiably takes umbrage to the "Defense Culpability Act" -- which, in the event of a guilty verdict, forces the defense attorney to share his/her client's fate... and has resulted in ThePurge for over two decades. [[spoiler:It turns out that the current Queen herself is responsible for said law -- as an EvilIsPetty way of concealing her own MiscarriageOfJustice against both the former Queen and her lover (a defense attorney, no less).]]

* The ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "To Love and Die in Dixie" has a robber breaking out of prison, namely to target Chris Griffin whose testimony put the robber away.
** In "One If By Clam, Two If By Sea", when Peter and friends end up in prison for a {{frameup}}, one of the inmates Joe arrested intends to kill all four of them.

This can be TruthInTelevision. It ''might'' potentially be justifiable if [[DirtyCop the authorities are corrupt or outright evil]] and have [[FrameUp framed the protagonist for a crime he did not commit]], especially if they serve [[TheEmpire a tyrannical and oppressive regime]]. However, invoking this trope is considered a MoralEventHorizon in the eyes of the law and society. Under almost any system of government, crimes against officers and officials of the legal system are punished harshly, and penalties can go UpToEleven if they were motivated by revenge. Even where the perpetrator is innocent or [[DrivenToVillainy actually has an excuse]] for what he does, acting like this will typically result in viewers considering him an AntiHero at best.

This can be TruthInTelevision. It ''might'' potentially be justifiable [[DirtyCop if the authorities are corrupt or outright evil]], or if they serve [[TheEmpire a tyrannical and oppressive regime]]. However, invoking this trope is considered a MoralEventHorizon in the eyes of the law and society. Under almost any system of government, crimes against officers and officials of the legal system are punished harshly, and penalties can go UpToEleven if they were motivated by revenge. Even where the perpetrator [[DrivenToVillainy actually has an excuse]] for what he does, acting like this will typically result in viewers considering him an AntiHero at best.

* In one episode of ''Series/TheRedGreenShow'', Possum Lodge member and reformed criminal Mike Hamar is trying to hide from a fellow criminal, Big Al Finkelman, whom he had ratted out and got sent to prison, but who had just gotten released and is now coming for him. It so happens that the lodge is putting on a masquerade picnic and marathon, where people dress up in costumes, so Mike tries on various costumes, ultimately disguising himself as Red Green himself, but Big Al sees through the disguise. Big Al then runs into the real Red, [[MistakingForAnImpostor thinking he's Mike]]. Red hastily feels around for his driver's license to prove his identity, but he can't find his wallet. Big Al accepts this as proof that he isn't [[StickyFingers Mike]] and leaves.