Lowering the Bar explores the rich tradition of lawyer jokes in the U.S., tracing humor from Mark Twain’s classic quips to contemporary anecdotes involving high-profile figures like Dan Quayle, Johnnie Cochran, and Kenneth Starr.

Drawing on hundreds of jokes, public opinion surveys, media portrayals, and political discourse, Marc Galanter examines how Americans both rely on and resent the legal system. His study reveals how humor reflects deep-seated beliefs about law, authority, and the professionals tasked with upholding justice.

Informative and entertaining, this cultural analysis unpacks the tension between the public’s faith in legal institutions and widespread ambivalence toward lawyers. Readers will gain a nuanced understanding of how humor shapes and mirrors societal attitudes toward law and those who practice it.

• Historical range from Twain to modern anecdotes
• Analysis of media and political representations
• Insights into societal views on law
• Hundreds of jokes with scholarly commentary

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