| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20/20 Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Jack Nicholson | Nominated |
| Academy Awards[38] | Best Picture | David Brown, Rob Reiner and Andrew Scheinman | Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actor | Jack Nicholson | Nominated | |
| Best Film Editing | Robert Leighton | Nominated | |
| Best Sound Mixing | Kevin O'Connell, Rick Kline and Robert Eber | Nominated | |
| American Cinema Editors Awards | Best Edited Feature Film | Robert Leighton | Nominated |
| American Society of Cinematographers Awards[39] | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases | Robert Richardson | Nominated |
| ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards | Top Box Office Films | Marc Shaiman | Won |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards | Best Motion Picture | David Brown, Rob Reiner and Andrew Scheinman | Nominated |
| Best Director | Rob Reiner | Nominated | |
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Jack Nicholson | Nominated | |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Aaron Sorkin | Won | |
| Best Film Editing | Robert Leighton | Nominated | |
| Best Original Score | Marc Shaiman | Nominated | |
| Best Cast Ensemble | Nominated | ||
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards[40] | Best Supporting Actor | Jack Nicholson | Won |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |
| Directors Guild of America Awards[41] | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures | Rob Reiner | Nominated |
| Edgar Allan Poe Awards | Best Motion Picture | Aaron Sorkin | Nominated |
| Golden Globe Awards[42] | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated | |
| Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama | Tom Cruise | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture | Jack Nicholson | Nominated | |
| Best Director – Motion Picture | Rob Reiner | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay – Motion Picture | Aaron Sorkin | Nominated | |
| Heartland Film Festival | Truly Moving Picture | Rob Reiner | Won |
| MTV Movie Awards | Best Movie | Won | |
| Best Male Performance | Tom Cruise | Nominated | |
| Jack Nicholson | Nominated | ||
| Best Female Performance | Demi Moore | Nominated | |
| Most Desirable Male | Tom Cruise | Nominated | |
| Best Villain | Jack Nicholson | Nominated | |
| NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture | Wolfgang Bodison | Nominated |
| National Board of Review Awards[43] | Top Ten Films | 4th Place | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Jack Nicholson | Won | |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards[44] | Best Supporting Actor | Runner-up | |
| People's Choice Awards | Favorite Motion Picture | Won | |
| Favorite Dramatic Motion Picture | Won | ||
| Producers Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures | David Brown, Rob Reiner and Andrew Scheinman | Nominated |
| Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards[45] | Best Picture | 7th Place | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Jack Nicholson | Won |
Other honors
The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
- 2003: AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains:
- Colonel Nathan R. Jessep – Nominated Villain[46]
- 2005: AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes:
- Col. Nathan Jessep: "You can't handle the truth!" – #29[47]
- 2008: AFI's 10 Top 10:
- #5 Courtroom Drama Film[48]
