Billy Bob Thornton goes on 'Trial' for Amazon

Emmy-winning writer/producer David E. Kelley will make Billy Bob Thornton the focus of a new Amazon Prime legal drama, his first for a streaming service.

Trial stars Thornton (of last year's Fargo) as a "down-and-out lawyer who seeks redemption" in the new series, which Amazon describes as "the ultimate David vs. Goliath battle fought in the 21st-century American legal system."   Also starring are William Hurt (Broadcast News), Olivia Thirlby (Juno), Maria Bello (Prisoners) and Molly Parker (House of Cards).

Kelley is no stranger to the law.  He got his start as a writing protege of Steven Bochco on L.A. Law, then went on to create Emmy-winning The Practice, Ally McBeal and Boston Legal. He'll write the new show with longtime collaborator Jonathan Shapiro.

Trial, ordered like a planned Woody Allen series without a pilot, will be available next year to Amazon Prime customers in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Austria and Japan.