As in his other works, Turow explores the powers and limitations of the legal system. In all of these books, Turow probes to what extent we are capable of assessing the truth. To show how difficult a task this may be, Turow always chooses to present his story from one point of view, realizing the limitations inherent in that choice.

Turow also seems increasingly concerned in his fiction with the role of families. In One L, he chronicled some of the strains that law school put on his own marriage. In Presumed Innocent, he explores Rusty's complicated relationships with his father and his wife. In The Burden of Proof (1990), he will turn once again to the character of Sandy Stern and the complex dynamic of his family. In each case, the protagonist must struggle between the obligations to his family and to his profession.