The Judge (2014) stars Robert Downey Jr. as defense attorney Hank Palmer and Robert Duvall as his father, Joseph Palmer—the small-town judge accused in a fatal hit-and-run. The supporting cast includes Vera Farmiga, Billy Bob Thornton, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jeremy Strong, Dax Shepard, Emma Tremblay and Leighton Meester. This guide covers the film’s main characters and clarifies what its ending does—and does not—say about Joseph’s guilt.
Who is in The Judge?
David Dobkin directed this American legal drama, written by Nick Schenk and Bill Dubuque. Its story follows the strained Palmer family as Hank returns to fictional Carlinville, Indiana, for his mother’s funeral and takes on the defense of his father, Joseph. The film’s cast and premise are summarized by Netflix Tudum; the distributor’s catalog identifies the film’s credits and US origin on Warner Bros. Italia.
| Actor | Character | Role in the story |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Downey Jr. | Henry “Hank” Palmer | A big-city defense attorney and Joseph’s estranged son. |
| Robert Duvall | Joseph “The Judge” Palmer | Carlinville’s local judge, Hank’s father and the defendant in the hit-and-run case. |
| Vera Farmiga | Samantha “Sam” Powell | Hank’s former high-school sweetheart. |
| Billy Bob Thornton | Dwight Dickham | The prosecutor in Joseph’s case. |
| Vincent D’Onofrio | Glen Palmer | Hank’s older brother. |
| Jeremy Strong | Dale Palmer | Hank’s younger brother. |
| Dax Shepard | C.P. Kennedy | Joseph’s attorney before Hank takes over his defense. |
| Emma Tremblay | Lauren Palmer | Hank’s daughter. |
| Leighton Meester | Carla Powell | Sam’s daughter; the story later reveals her connection to Glen. |
| Mark Kiely | Mark Blackwell | A man Joseph had sentenced; his death is at the center of the charge against the judge. |
| Ken Howard | Judge Warren | Another judge in the film. |
| Balthazar Getty | Deputy Hanson | A supporting character. |
| Sarah Lancaster | Lisa Palmer | A member of the Palmer family. |
Warner Bros. Italia’s broader cast list also names Melissa Leo and David Krumholtz, but the cited cast records do not consistently identify their characters. They are therefore not assigned roles here.
How are the Palmer family and the case connected?
Joseph is both the town’s judge and Hank’s estranged father. After Joseph is charged in the fatal hit-and-run death of Mark Blackwell—a man he had previously sentenced—Hank stays in Carlinville to defend him. That legal partnership forces the two men to confront old family tensions. Prosecutor Dwight Dickham argues the case against Joseph, while C.P. Kennedy is the lawyer who represented him before Hank stepped in.
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#1 Best Overall
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Hank’s return also brings him back into contact with Sam, his former sweetheart, and his brothers Glen and Dale. Sam’s daughter Carla has a later-revealed connection to Glen. The story is set in fictional Carlinville, Indiana; the Massachusetts towns of Shelburne Falls, Sunderland, Plymouth, Dedham and Attleboro were filming locations, not the setting.
Did Judge Palmer kill Mark Blackwell?
The film does not establish whether Joseph intentionally killed Blackwell. Netflix Tudum’s ending explainer notes that Joseph’s chemotherapy may help explain why he cannot remember the night, while his private hatred of Blackwell and the evidence presented by Dwight can be read as pointing toward motive. Those clues leave room for interpretation rather than settling his intent.
Rank #2
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The jury finds Joseph guilty of the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. He receives a four-year sentence and later obtains compassionate release. The film ends with Hank and Joseph fishing together before Joseph dies; Hank is left considering whether to become the town’s judge.
Quick Recap
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What else is useful to know about the film?
- Runtime: Warner Bros. Italia lists 141 minutes, while the Commissione Nazionale Valutazione Film record lists 136 minutes. The sources do not explain the difference, so neither figure should be treated as a definitive universal runtime. See the Warner Bros. Italia catalog and the Commissione Nazionale Valutazione Film record.
- Release dates: Rotten Tomatoes lists the US release as October 10, 2014; Warner Bros. Italia lists February 25, 2015 on its catalog page. These refer to different market listings, not a single worldwide release date. See Rotten Tomatoes’ cast and crew page and the Warner Bros. Italia catalog.
- Robert Duvall’s nomination: Duvall received an Academy Award nomination for supporting actor for his performance as Joseph Palmer. The Academy identifies it as his seventh nomination in its 87th Awards materials.
- Home video: Warner Bros. Italia announced DVD and Blu-ray editions in a February 5, 2015 home-video announcement. That establishes the formats were released, not their current stock or availability in every region.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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