prima facie script



Prima Facie Script Jun 2026

The most striking feature of the Prima Facie script is its unflinching dramatization of two parallel legal systems: the one that works for the defence (in the person of the attorney ) and the one that fails the victim (in the person of the survivor ). The play interrogates the heart of the prima facie standard.

It’s the legal equivalent of: ‘Okay, you’ve shown enough that a jury could rule for you. Now the other side has to respond.’

Unlike many one-person shows that feel like TED Talks, Prima Facie uses the solo format to mirror isolation. There are no other actors because, after the assault, Tessa has no one. Her mother, her boss, the police, the jury—they are all voices she must conjure alone. The script’s rapid shifts between cross-examination, internal monologue, and direct address create a feverish, trapped energy. prima facie script

Suzie Miller also wrote a novel based on the play, published by Hutchinson Heinemann , which is significantly longer at approximately Australian Plays Transform Where to Access the Script Physical Copy: You can find the script at major retailers like or specialized drama bookstores. Digital/PDF:

Think of it as the initial hurdle a claim must clear to proceed. It doesn't guarantee a win. Instead, it creates a of fact, meaning that unless the opposing party introduces contradictory evidence, the case can be decided on the evidence presented. The most striking feature of the Prima Facie

(noting specific changes in dialogue or staging)

Writers for shows like Suits , The Good Wife , and Better Call Saul use a literal prima facie script to ensure legal realism. When Harvey Specter says, "You don't have a case," he is performing a prima facie analysis. Now the other side has to respond

The inciting incident—Tessa’s assault by a colleague—forces her to experience the legal system from the opposite side.

However, the play's plot takes a dramatic turn when Tessa is raped by a male colleague. Forced to navigate the very legal system she once mastered, she becomes the victim, confronting the harsh reality that the law, burden of proof, and morality do not always align.

Similarly, in the world of , the prima facie standard is employed early in the process. When there is a “strong prima facie case and relevant case precedent,” the process may adopt a more advisory, direct approach to settlement, moving away from mere facilitation.