Letter of the Law

"Letter of the Law" by Alan Edward Nourse is a science fiction story that plunges into the intricacies of interplanetary law and diplomacy when a human con artist, Harry Zeckler, gets himself tangled in the bizarre legal system of Altair I. Paul Meyerhoff is burdened with the unenviable task of extracting Zeckler from his self-made prison after Zeckler swindles the native Altairians. The Altairians consider deception as a normal part of life and their courts find Zeckler’s fraud a source of confusion. During the trial, Zeckler capitalizes on this cultural variance, leveraging his reputation as a liar into a legal defense that defies logic. The tale cleverly spins a narrative filled with courtroom antics and philosophical quandaries that will lead to unexpected consequences.