'All Rise' Season 1: Legal drama's second episode polarizes viewers, brings up case of real-life judge Shelley Joseph
'All Rise' debuted on CBS last week and the freshman legal drama upped the stake in its second episode by featuring ICE. The plotlines have polarized viewers, with some saying they will refuse to watch the drama again for bringing politics into the show or for being a "tool for the Democrats", while others have praised the writers for giving a relevant and difficult social issue the spotlight in the episode.
A man is brought to Judge Lola Carmichael's (Simone Missick) courtroom and he is accused of assaulting the guard at a shop while there is video evidence suggesting he did not. The man is an activist from Nicaragua and was putting warning labels on the shop's expired items. The shop's owner calls ICE and an agent in plain clothes steps into the courtroom during the trial - violating California's "Sanctuary Law" bill which was signed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2017 prohibiting local and state agencies from cooperating with ICE regarding illegal criminals who have committed misdemeanors. Lola works with Emily, the man's assigned public defender as well as the prosecutor to help him, eventually leading to him pleading guilty to a lesser charge that will give him time to find an immigration lawyer and seek asylum in the US.
The main thing showcased was empathy, shown by the judge and the lawyers involved in the man's case and many viewers praised the show for the way in which the case was depicted. But others felt the judge was breaking the law on behalf of their "liberal politics" and one such viewer brought up Judge Shelley Joseph. Judge Joseph, a Massachusetts district judge (Newton), was accused of helping an undocumented immigrant escape. Like on the show, a plainclothes ICE officer came into the courtroom. Joseph allegedly made the officer go outside, while she allegedly released the person without bail and helped him escape through a back door.
The case reached the attention of many nationally and 61 retired Massachusetts judges are asking the United States District Court to dismiss the charges against Joseph. They say that prosecuting Joseph would have "devastating" consequences and will exert pressure on the judiciary to "refrain from actions that might antagonize federal officials. That pressure will be particularly acute in cases where noncitizens are before the court as parties or witnesses."
This is why Lola on 'All Rise' is determined to give the undocumented immigrant a chance at a fair result, where he would not have to plead guilty to something he did not do and tries to find a way for him to be punished on a lesser charge so he gets more time to seek asylum in the US. The episode also tries to garner empathy from its viewers undoubtedly, by sharing why he was in the US, having escaped Nicaragua.