Book on Alexander the Great innocent until proven guilty. But in Above the Law, defense attorney Noah Carter discovers the terrifying truth – for many Americans, especially those from marginalized communities, the system works exactly opposite to its ideals. When Carter takes on the defense of Marcus Johnson, a Black teenager accused of murdering a police officer’s son, he quickly realizes this isn’t just another case. Critical evidence disappears from police custody. Key witnesses suddenly change their stories. The judge blocks every defense motion while allowing questionable prosecution tactics. As Carter digs deeper, he uncovers a shocking network of prosecutors, judges and law enforcement officers who’ve turned the justice system into their personal fiefdom, where verdicts are predetermined and the scales of justice are permanently tipped in favor of the powerful.

What makes Above the Law so compelling – and disturbing – is how closely it mirrors reality. The novel exposes the dark underbelly of our legal system through authentic details that only an insider would know. From the way prosecutors cherry-pick cases they know they can win (the so-called “90% Club”) to the shocking frequency with which exculpatory evidence “goes missing,” the book reveals how the system is designed to produce convictions rather than justice. Author J. Michael Dimmer, a former public defender, draws from his own courtroom experiences to craft a story that reads more like investigative journalism than fiction. The tactics used to railroad Marcus Johnson – coached witnesses, suppressed evidence, rigged jury selection – aren’t dramatic exaggerations but standard practice in courtrooms across America.

At its core, Above the Law forces readers to confront uncomfortable questions about who really benefits from our current justice system. With over 95% of criminal cases resolved through plea deals (often coerced from innocent defendants) and wrongful conviction rates estimated between 4-6%, the novel holds up a mirror to a system that prioritizes efficiency over truth. Through Carter’s desperate fight for justice, we see how public defenders are set up to fail with impossible caseloads, how forensic evidence can be manipulated, and how the entire legal apparatus often functions more like a conviction machine than a truth-seeking process. The terrifying revelation isn’t that the system is broken – it’s that for many Americans, especially people of color and the poor, the system is working exactly as designed.

More than just a legal thriller, Above the Law serves as a wake-up call about the realities of criminal justice in America. After reading Dimmer’s explosive novel, you’ll never watch a courtroom drama or true crime documentary the same way again. The book doesn’t just entertain – it fundamentally changes how readers understand terms like “reasonable doubt,” “eyewitness testimony,” and “justice served.” For anyone who cares about fairness, equality and the rule of law, Above The Law is essential reading that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about how justice really works in America.