About
Columbo: the cases on trial
What this is
This collection looks at each episode of Columbo as if the murderer Lieutenant Columbo unmasks had actually been put on trial in California at the time the episode is set.
For each episode it sets out what happens on screen, the evidence Columbo gathers, where that evidence is weak, how the prosecution and defence might have argued the case, what the jury would have been told the law was, and the verdict that seems most likely.
It's written for interest and education, for anyone who has wondered whether Columbo's famous "just one more thing" would actually have stood up in court.
Legal disclaimer
This is not legal advice and is not a legal citation. The analyses are commentary on works of television fiction, written for general interest and education.
They are not an authoritative statement of the law of California or anywhere else, and they must not be cited, quoted or relied on as legal authority in any court, tribunal, inquest or other proceedings. Where historical law is discussed it is summarised, may be incomplete, and may since have been changed or overruled.
Nothing here creates a lawyer–client or expert–client relationship. If you need advice about a real legal matter, consult a suitably qualified lawyer in the relevant jurisdiction.
Characters and events are fictional. Columbo and its episode titles belong to their respective rights holders, and this collection is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.