Theodore Boone and his family are the main actors in this novel. Both of Theo’s parents are lawyers, and though, his uncle Ike was mysteriously disbarred, he still retains a well-used knowledge of the law and the legal system. Theo is at first afraid to rely on his straight-shooting parents, feeling that they would report that Bobby had knowledge of the crime as officers of the court while Theo does not want to betray Julio’s trust. As a result, he turns to his uncle Ike, himself a conundrum. Theo at first dreads his weekly visits to his uncle’s, and the mysterious circumstances were under which Ike lost his legal license are like an elephant in the room. However, Ike quickly becomes Theo’s confidante, and Theo comes to see how much his uncle cares for him. When he volunteers to help Theo by keeping an eye on the trial, he says, “I’ll go over to the courtroom and have a look. I’ll do some more research, maybe talk to a friend or two. I won’t use your name. Believe me, Theo, I’ll always protect you” (138). By this point, Theo knows that he can trust his uncle.