Warwick Downing

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

It's the summer of 1973. Kate Hope is just your average 14-year-old girl. She's got school to deal with (though it's summertime). She's got a friend who's a boy who she's not quite sure if he's her boyfriend or not. And, oh yeah, she's a lawyer!

Her almost-blind grandfather has had Kate helping him in his law office for the past few years. With his failing eyesight, he's needed help with the reading and researching of his cases. And he found a loophole in Colorado's law that allowed Kate to sit for the bar exam. It wasn't easy, but she passed the exam, and is now a practicing lawyer. At least that's what her law license says.

Her grandfather still handles the trial work, but as his health comes and goes, Kate starts handling more of the responsibility. After he collapses and ends up in the hospital, Kate has to take a case to trial on her own. She's nervous and scared, but a dog's life or death depends on her. An elderly woman's dear pet is being blamed for an injury to a small child, but Kate and Miss Willow know Herman wouldn't intentionally hurt anyone!

THE TRIALS OF KATE HOPE is an amusing look at what the life of a teen girl would be like if she could actually practice law. There's so much that Kate has to learn about life yet, but her youthful take on things may just let innocent people (and dogs!) go free!… (mere)

Denver. 1973. Some of the old territorial laws are still on the books, and that means that Kate Hope, age 14, is a bona fide practicing lawyer, part of Hope & Hope, Attorneys, with her grandfather. What started out as her helping out in the office because of "Judge" Hope's failing eyesight has turned in to a genuine appreciation for the law and the hard work that goes into preparing wills, helping people who are about to get evicted, and trying to prove your case to a jury. Judge Hope's goal is to help the downtrodden at all costs, and when he gets ill, it is up to Kate to go to court and argue the case for Herman, a German shepherd, who accused of being a dangerous dog and is on doggie death row. Kate knows that Herman would never hurt anyone, and sets out to prove it to the judge and jury, all the while proving to herself that she IS capable of practicing law. Includes information at the end about points of law and whether this could have really happened.… (mere)