Perry Mason This popular show, which ran on CBS from 1957 to 1966, was based upon a series of novels by lawyer Erle Stanley Gardner. Attorney Perry Mason, portrayed by actor Raymond Burr, became known as a lawyer who never lost a case. In each episode Mason usually represented a defendant wrongly accused of murder. At the end of each show, the identity of the true killer was revealed at the last minute thus clearing Mason's client of the crime. Other actors in the cast included Barbara Hale who played the part of Mason's secretary Della Street, Paul Hopper as detective William Drake and William Talman as District Attorney Hamilton Burger.

Arrest and Trial Like the current NBC hit drama Law Order, this series starring Chuck Conners as attorney John Eagan was split into two sections. The first part concentrated on the investigation of a crime and the second part dramatized the prosecution of it.

Court Marshall This series featured members of the United States Judge Advocate General's office prosecuting war crimes during World War II. Each case, while tried in England was, proceeded by a lengthy investigation in Europe.

Judd, for the Defense In this series, Carl Betz portrayed high priced and high profile attorney Clinton Judd. While it was based in Texas, most of the show consisted of Judd travelling the United States with his sidekick Ben Caldwell, trying cases that mirrored the current issues of the day.

The Law and Mr. Jones The plot lines in this series concentrated mainly on the prosecution of white collar offenses. James Whitmore played Abraham Lincoln Jones or Mr. Jones, who, along with his law clerk and secretary investigated each case.

Other legal shows from this period include:

• The Defenders (1961-1965) [IMDb]
• Misleading Cases (1967) [IMDb] British.
• The Witness (1960) [IMDb]