In the Crucible there are several different attitudes towards the court. There are many people who challenge the court including John Proctor, Giles Corey and Revd Hale. Also there are some who fear the court such as Mary Warren and Tituba. Abigail is seen to contempt the court greatly winding up the processes of the court too. Also Parris is seen to be obsequious. The whole court scene links to the idea of McCarthyism attitudes in 1950s America and the Hunt for Communists

Parris is one of the highest ranking members of the Salem community by virtue of his job as minister. However when the court summons in Salem he loses his status to Danforth and Hathorne. Keen to keep as much power as he can and not get side-lined he ignores what he already knows, attempts to keep evidence which might undermine the court away from the judges 'He comes to over throw the court.' And generally goes against his morals so that by the end when it is Proctor's turn to hang he realises that he has lost and desperately tries to change Danforth's mind. By this time he realises the village has turned against him. He is afraid there will be 'a riot' and he will be thrown out. Of course by this time Abigail has left and taken his life savings with her too.

Danforth has arrogance and confidence and a history of successful discoveries of witchcraft behind him. He knows that the devil cannot corrupt a minister such as himself. And once he has believed Abigail and the other girls he has decided on a plan of action which he cannot change. So when Proctor comes to the court with evidence that the girls are lying and that it 'were all pretence' he offers John a deal - he can have his wife's sentence altered so she will remain a live for another year or he can give his evidence. When John rejects the deal he calls for Elizabeth to tell the court her version. Ordering that none of the characters can look at one another he demands she say if John is a lecher. Elizabeth opts to lie for John to show her love as she has been unable to do before now, unfortunately choosing the very worst time to do it. Luckily for the judge her lie damns John's evidence and confession. His acceptance of her lie without looking for the obvious reasons and choosing to ignore the equally obvious why would John make something like this up shows his weakness. He is guilty of injustice and abuse of his power. For Hale, this is the last straw and upon John's sentencing he 'denounce[s] these proceedings and quit[s] the court.'

Abigail is of course guilty of manipulation of the court. She is the only one who is completely aware of the flawed nature of the courts. Her evidence is accepted, her status has risen, people in the town give way to her and she has a power she never dreamed of having. Now she uses it to get her own way. She gives false evidence, false witnesses, encourages the girls to do the same and rewards them. The only time she comes close to being doubted in the court she quickly sparks another hysterical outburst this time saying she sees Mary's spirit in the shape of a yellow bird and the courtroom falls apart. By the end of this scene she's is back in control.

Mary is an interesting character in her attitude to the court in that presented by Miller at the beginning as a naive, shy young girl who did not have many friends, she discovers she likes being the court's servant doing 'God's work' but also discovers that her morals hurts her. Convinced eventually by Proctor to tell the court the truth, she struggles with her fear of Abigail and loses, going back over to Abigail's side in a fatal blow to the cause of justice. Then of course there's Reverend Hale who comes to Salem all eager and confident in his own knowledge and authority and goes away a 'broken minister.' Finally Proctor who seems to be the only one who sees to the heart of the matter 'and why not when they would hang' he lectures Hale of those who have 'confessed.'

Miller's point here is that like in his own era the ideals of justice, hard evidence and being innocent until proven guilty have vanished from the courtroom to be replaced by the acceptance of gossip, rumours and accusation. Innocent and guilty alike have been swept up in the hysteria and individual freedom and integrity lost in the battle to survive. This is what McCarthyism did to 1950s America in its hunt for Communist sympathisers and this is what the Salem Witchcraft trials did in late 17th Century America.