Running Head: LEGAL AND ETHICALA ISSUES IN THE FILM “A CIVIL ACTION”
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LEGAL AND ETHICALA ISSUES IN THE FILM “A CIVIL ACTION”
Name
Institution
LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN THE FILM “A CIVIL ACTION”
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Legal and Ethical issues in the Film A Civil Action
Introduction
A Civil Action is a film in view of the genuine story of a group of families in a residential
community found in the North of Boston who sued key US organizations in the mid 1980s for
leukemia deaths as well as other health issues that resulted from the dumping of harmful
chemicals that polluted the water supply of their community. It is likewise a story of Boston
legal counselor Jan Schlichtmann, the impossible legend who took an effort to address the plight
of North Boston community. The historical backdrop of the legitimate case mounted by
inhabitants of Woburn, Massachusetts against W.R. Beauty and customer merchandise aggregate
Beatrice Foods was chronicled in the 500-page 1995 blockbuster of the same title composed by
Jonathon Harr. Twelve youngsters contracted leukemia in the town of 36,000 from the late 1960s
to the mid '80s. Of these, eight lived inside of a half-mile range of one another and six lived in
one east Woburn neighborhood of only 200 families. Due to the health problems caused by the
companies; there was an increase in cancer deaths around the mid-1970s by 17 percent. A
number of ethical and legal issues are to blame for these deaths and health problems. The essay
therefore identifies the ethical and legal issues that were presented in the film (Randall, 1999).
Discussion
Ethical issues
Ethical issues refer to those issues stemming from a conflict and choice that is central to a
moral dilemma. It therefore involves the choice to do or ought not to do something. A number of
LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN THE FILM “A CIVIL ACTION”
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ethical issues can be identified in the film “A civil Action”. Firstly, a water-well had been
opened in 1964 close to a modern park. Notwithstanding inhabitants' dissensions of "foul, sick
noticing water," the city declined to close it down until 1979. Trichloroethylene (TCE) was later
found in the well water (Randall, 1999). This was unethical of the city. The opening of the well
was exposing the lives of the residents to diseases affecting their well being. The residents
understood the implication of keeping the well open and went ahead to protest the move. Despite
their dissents, the city kept open the well putting more lives in danger. There was a choice to be
made here. Either close the well and have a healthy society, or continue opening the well and
have a suffering and unhealthy society. The city acted unethical by defying the peoples cry to
open the well.
Secondly, in 1979 a half-covered tidal pond dirtied with dangerous chemicals was
additionally found, defiled with arsenic, chromium, lead as well as animal wastes (Randall,
1999). A plant belonging to W.R. Beauty, a tannery belonging to Beatrice Foods and a
processing plant owned by the Unifirst Company were later to be linked to the pollution by the
Environmental Protection Agency. The listed companies were deliberately polluting the
environment to make money at the expense of the residents well being.
There are better ways of managing wastes and ensuring that every activity taking place in
the production process of the companies happen with the aspect of environmental sustainability.
This implies that, the companies should have taken the responsibility in managing their chemical
wastes among other kind of wastes they churn out in a manner that does not compromise the well
being of the community residing around them.
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Nonetheless, an issue of concern is that in the mid 1980s the EPA pronounced that there
was no verification that these companies were the reason for the health issues affecting this
community (Randall, 1999). This was a case of morality being sacrificed at the altar of
selfishness. It was unethical to make such pronouncement. The companies were indeed
channeling out their wastes to the waterways, polluting the environment and putting the lives of
the residents in danger. Therefore, it was very unethical for the EPA to absolve the companies of
the blame. EPA made this declaration regardless of the discharge in January 1981 of a report by
the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Public Health demonstrating that the
leukemia rate in east Woburn was up to 7 times the ordinary rate. This indicates a compromise
by EPA. The CDC the Department of Public Health had given an indicator of pollution through
highlighting the health challenges affecting the community. The EPA ought not to absolve the
companies the blame but rather carry out better investigations to hold them to account. EPA had
a moral obligation to act within its mandate to investigate and sue the companies for
environmental damages.
Legal issues
Legal issues refer to a question of facts or laws disputed by parties. In the Film “A civil
Action”, a number of legal issues can be pointed out. Jan Schlictmann's law firm sat on the case
against the polluting companies for 3 years (Randall, 1999). It was only after such a long period
that they moved to file compensation suit against the three companies. This happened in May
1982 on the grounds of tenacious and gross carelessness in harming the town's water supply. A
Civil Action tells the story of the lawful procedure included in the Woburn occupants' quest for
equity and compensation. The legal system was not inclusive and cared very little about the poor
residents. They did not seriously address the issues of the public.
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A great part of the legal issues is gotten from the way of the case itself. The occupants
were battling against wealthy groups of companies, the legislature and overwhelming chances.
They were mere working individuals in residential area America, a fragment of the populace not
supported by the legal framework. There was no sureness that they would ever accomplish their
prime objective - the confirmation by Grace and Beatrice that they were to be faulted for the
sullying, deaths and sufferings and that somebody would be considered responsible to clean up
and restore the damages.
The Woburn case finished with Beatrice Foods being dropped from the case and W.R.
Elegance settling for $8 million, with no confirmation of wrongdoing. It was not until the mid
1990s that the cleanup of the pollution started in the town, under the supervision of the
Environmental Protection Agency (Randall, 1999). In spite of the fact that the families respected
the EPA's activities, the office's reaction came late and numerous tiring years after their battle for
equity started. As the film “A Civil Action” delineates this determination as an inevitable end
product the legal issues that the community was confronted with is detailed as perpetuating
unjust society that is characterized by flouting of the law.
Conclusion
The story in the movie “A civil Action” tells of a society that is characterized by
unethical practices and disregard to the law. The society is very unjust and unequal. Also, there
is little regard for the voice f the poor as there is little respect to their lives. Several unethical acts
take place among them opening a well albeit inhabitants' dissensions of "foul, sick noticing
water," the city declined to close it down; 1979 a half-covered tidal pond dirtied with dangerous
chemicals was additionally found, defiled with arsenic, chromium, lead as well as animal wastes;
And EPA making a pronouncement that there was no verification that these companies were the
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reason for the health issues affecting this community. The legal issues too exist in the film and
include: Jan Schlictmann's law firm sitting on the case against the polluting companies for 3
years; The occupants were battling against wealthy groups of companies, the legislature and
were a fragment of the populace not supported by the legal framework; the community was
confronted with a perpetuating unjust society that is characterized by flouting of the law.
Reference
Randall, K. (1999, Jan 21). A Civil Action: a compelling tale loses much of its impact. Retrieved
Dec 3, 2015, from World Socialist Web Site:
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/1999/01/civ-j21.html