These insightful quotes from A Civil Action by Jonathan Harr reveal the challenging reality of the legal world—where truth, justice, money, and power often collide. Based on the real-life Woburn, Massachusetts water contamination case, the story follows lawyer Jan Schlichtmann and others as they navigate a system that often rewards influence over honesty. Harr, an award-winning nonfiction author, captures the personal and professional costs of pursuing justice, showing that doing what is right can be far harder than achieving wealth or fame, leaving a sad reminder of the sacrifices involved.

For those familiar with the civil action movie, these quotes deepen the understanding of the ethical and emotional struggles portrayed on screen. They highlight how the pursuit of justice requires resilience, careful strategy, and moral courage, offering readers both a gripping narrative and real-world lessons from one of America’s most notorious legal battles.

1.“Rich and famous and doing good,” mused Schlichtmann. “Rich isn’t so difficult. Famous isn’t so difficult. Rich and famous together aren’t so difficult. Rich, famous, and doing good–now, that’s very difficult.”

 ― Jonathan Harr, A Civil Action
Book: A Civil Action
Author: Jonathan Harr
Speaker in the book: Jan Schlichtmann (a real-life American trial lawyer)
Based on A true legal case in Woburn, Massachusetts, involving water contamination and corporate negligence.
💬 Meaning: This line is spoken when Jan Schlichtmann realizes that chasing justice comes at a high personal cost. It shows how being rich and famous is achievable, but staying ethical while doing so is far more difficult in a system driven by money and power.

2.“Truth is found at the bottom of a bottomless pit.” Jerome Facher – A Civil Action.” 

― Jonathan Harr, A Civil Action
💬 Meaning: This line is said to show how difficult it is to reach the truth in powerful legal cases. Jerome Facher means that even when truth exists, it can be buried so deep under money, delay, and legal tactics that finding it feels endless.

3. “If you fall asleep at the counsel table, the first thing you say when you wake up is, ‘I object!”

 ― Jonathan Harr, A Civil Action
💬 Meaning: This line is said as a joke about how intense and exhausting courtroom life is for lawyers. It shows that objecting becomes such a habit that even when a lawyer is tired or half-asleep, their first instinct is still to fight and protect their case.

4.“I used to believe in the idea that justice would prevail if you worked hard enough at it….I thought that if judges saw cheating right in front of them, they’d do something about it. The Woburn case gave me a depressing dose of reality.”

― Jonathan Harr, A Civil Action
💬 Meaning: This line is said when Schlichtmann realizes that the legal system doesn’t always reward honesty or hard work. He learned the hard way in the Woburn case that even when cheating is obvious, justice can still fail.

5.“The case has ruined my life. Schlichtmann” 

― Jonathan Harr, A Civil Action
💬 Meaning: This line is said when Schlichtmann realizes the personal cost of pursuing justice. It shows that even though he fought for what was right, the case destroyed his finances, health, and peace of mind.

6. “To compel the other side to settle… and whoever comes to their senses first loses.”

 ― Jonathan Harr, A Civil Action
💬 Meaning: This line is said to show how civil lawsuits are often a battle of endurance and strategy, not just truth. It means that each side pressures the other to settle, and the first one to give up is considered the loser.

7.“Little questions,” continued Facher. “Little bricks build big walls. Too many of you are afraid to ask simple questions. The tools of the trade are the English language and the rules of evidence.”

 ― Jonathan Harr, A Civil Action
💬 Meaning: This line is said to teach young lawyers that even small, simple questions can have a huge impact in court. Facher is emphasizing that careful use of language and understanding the rules of evidence are the real tools that build a strong case.

8.“syllables. He told Schlichtmann.”

 ― Jonathan Harr, A Civil Action
💬 Meaning: This line is about teaching Schlichtmann that in law, even small details matter. Facher is emphasizing that careful use of words, phrasing, and attention to language are essential tools for building a strong case in court.

9.“Everything Richard Aufiero knew about lawyers he’d learned from television and the movies.”

 ― Jonathan Harr, A Civil Action
💬 Meaning: This line is said to show that Richard Aufiero had a very unrealistic idea of lawyers because he only knew them from TV and movies. In reality, law is full of paperwork, rules, and strategy—not the dramatic courtroom action people imagine.

Conclusion

The quotes from A Civil Action by Jonathan Harr give us a rare glimpse into the harsh realities of the legal world. They reveal how chasing justice is not just a courtroom battle—it’s a personal, moral, and emotional struggle. Through the experiences of Jan Schlichtmann and other lawyers, we see that pursuing truth often comes at a high cost, whether in finances, reputation, or peace of mind.

The story of the Woburn case, and its adaptation in the Civil Action movie, reminds us that being ethical and standing up for what is right is far more challenging than it seems. These quotes help readers understand the complex interplay between law, morality, and human resilience, offering timeless lessons about courage, persistence, and the real cost of justice.

FAQS