“He Goes off and I Think He Took the Child”: Narrative (Re)Production in the Courtroom

Abstract

This paper examines the narrative (re)production practices of prosecutors in the mode of trial hearing in two magistrates' courts. While stories have been praised for the way in which they possibly challenge dominant legal discourse, this paper shows how the stories that citizens bring to the law must undergo a process of translation in order to be heard. While the law “listens” to outside voices, it does so in a selective manner, only hearing those parts that are relevant to legal concerns. As a result, the stories that are told to legal professionals are subjected to manipulation and are therefore subservient to the law.

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