All language subtitles for LA Law s06e07 Lose the Boss

Previously on L .A. Law.

I didn't say we were perfect, but we try
to have respect.

Let me tell you about respect, baby.

I've had a sweat for it all my life.

My family was dirt poor.

I went to a pithant college in West
Virginia.

And about a hundred pounds ago, I worked
my way through law school as a

stripper. Is it hormonal?

Hormonal? As in attraction you don't
know what to do with. Even the idea of

sleeping with you is so repulsive.

So totally nauseating that I would
rather be celibate. You know Steve

Yeah, legal reporter, Channel 3. Well,
he's going on vacation.

And the station needs someone to cover
for him for a couple weeks.

But I'm a divorce attorney.

Don't tell me that under that lawyerly
suit you're really a romantic.

Well, if by that you mean I believe
every woman has one special light in her

that can only be seen by one special
man, then I'm guilty as charged.

Lock me up and throw away the key.

Do you want to be a lawyer?

I must.

I can't seem to get away from them. Then
do it. It's not that easy.

Law school at night and a full -time
job?

Huh, it'll be hell.

You might not make it.

But if you don't try, you'll never know.

Channel 3 spotlights women this week,
and I'm here to focus on the working

woman. How does the law protect her?

What are her problems? Damn it! Gwen,
why do you always have to make things so

hard for me? We'll talk about that and
more when we come back. Jack Dearden

called me on the car phone and he raised
holy hell.

What are you doing here?

You are never up to speed anymore. I
told you I taped my segment this

I've got the meeting with Dearden. Oh,
they never received the third quarter

stock valuation.

I sent them. Oh, how? Pony Express?

Did it ever occur to you that the screw
-up might be on their end? Until

recently, there were no screw -ups. And
there aren't any now.

Really? Last week you lost the Delahunt
file, my expense reports are late, and

there's a giant stack of mail sitting
over there that you haven't even begun

answer yet. That is your personal fan
mail, Arnie. I will get to it when I

or the station can handle it. I want a
personal touch.

You do ten a day, starting now. I have a
class tonight. I'm leaving at six.

You know, I've been really
understanding, Gwen. Yes, I have been

You're going to law school, and I am
trying to be supportive.

But in the end, I am the one who
suffers. There are a lot of other bosses

world, Arnie. Some are even human. Don't
push me too far. Don't you push me!

You don't go to class until you do ten
letters. And if things around here don't

start to improve a lot, you're going to
have to choose either law school or this

job.

First, I'd like to say that I am
especially sensitive to the concerns of

working woman about the need to be
treated with...

Sorry, I had a 6 a .m. photo shoot. The
station has me on a brutal P .R.

schedule.

Next up, Kendrick versus MacArthur.

You're taking the trial. I thought you
lobbed it to Billy. Don't worry, Dougie.

Billy did the prep. It's still a joint
client. This is the man who was nearly

crushed to death over the health food
shake.

Gave the term food fight a whole new
meaning. It was a diet shake. This case

about weight.

I'm an expert, so I figure I can wipe
out the opposition.

Good luck. On a semi -personal note,
Grace Van Owens agreed to handle

Berg's hearing, which is supposed to
start today.

Veronica Berg?

Her son is developmentally disabled.
She's fighting with the school board for

the money to educate him privately.

Oh, and I'd like to thank the partners
for agreeing to take this at a reduced

fee. Don't be silly, Douglas. Glad to do
it. Who's Veronica Berg?

Okay, that's it.

We're adjourned.

Who is Veronica Berg?

Douglas' ex -sister -in -law.

Oh.

We probably should have taken your case
in the first place.

You referred me to a good lawyer. He won
at the administrative hearing. I don't

think he counted on the school board
appealing.

Grace Van Owen, Veronica Burke.

Hello. Hi.

Very nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.

I've just read your hearing transcripts.

You've still got an uphill climb, but I
guess you know that. I've been climbing

this mountain for two years.

This appeal is just another step.

The thing is, is that even though the
federal law says the states have to pay

for educating disabled children, even if
it means moving them to a private

school, in practice it hardly ever
happens. But I think that with a

continuance... No continuance.

If we don't do this today, the judge
says we have to wait another six months

a trial date.

Your attorney dropped you three days
ago, Mrs. Berg. I just got this case

morning. I don't see how I could
possibly represent you. Miss Van Owen.

My son can no longer put on his own
clothes or respond to a simple question

like, do you want some ice cream?

I will do whatever you need me to do to
get ready.

Summarize the hearing testimony or
research the judge's cases on education

iron your blouse for court.

But because my son has to stay in that
school until this is resolved, the one

thing I cannot do is wait another six
months. months.

You've had your refreshment concession
on Hollywood Boulevard for how long, Mr.

Kendrick? 25 years.

I'm a Hollywood fixture, ask anybody.

And Mr. MacArthur's been patronizing you
for the past two.

He'd come over every day and he'd have a
health shake, sometimes a veggie

burger. We'd talk sports, all very
cordial, which is why it was such a

The assault?

Yeah, I mean, one minute I'm ringing up
a sale and the next minute he's bearing

down on me.

The floor is shaking with every step. I
thought it was in the middle of the

buffalo stampede from Dances with
Wolves. Object to the buffalo

characterization, Your Honor.

Sustained. What did Mr. MacArthur do
next?

He started yelling at me, cursing,
called me a liar and a fraud. He blamed

for his weight gain. I mean, it was
crazy. He was out of control.

Demanded his money back, demanded an
apology.

And then I just walked away. And he
reached over and he grabbed me and he

me down.

And then he, um, sat on me.

Excuse me?

He sat on me and he wouldn't get up.

And all of a sudden, I heard a crack. I
thought my spine snapped.

There was a ballpoint pen in my pocket,
and they had to surgically remove the

ink cartridge from my thigh.

How long did Mr. MacArthur keep you
forcibly restrained? About five minutes,

till the police showed up. And what
injury did you suffer as a result of

unprovoked attack?

I had a herniated disc, which I may need
an operation.

I can only stand for an hour. It's
killing my business, all because of him.

Thank you, Mr. Kendrick. No more
questions.

Mr. Kendrick.

Your ads say you offer fast food that
isn't fast fat.

Low -calorie, nutritious snacks and
shakes.

Yeah, and I've never had a dissatisfied
customer until Namu over there. Move to

strike, Namu. So ordered.

So you claim your health shake is low
-calorie? Absolutely.

Water, soy paste, skim milk.

70 calories.

But what you don't advertise is the
caloric content of the flavorings that

put into this alleged health shake.

Pineapple, guava, and papaya juices, 100
calories apiece.

Dried coconut, 105 calories.

Banana puree, 168 calories.

So instead of 70 calories, your basic
health shake is actually 670 calories.

Isn't that right? Hey, he didn't have to
order the flavorings. Oh, come on, sir.

We both know that the plain stuff tastes
like coolant fluid.

Objection. Sustained. No one would drink
your so -called health shake if it

didn't have the flavorings, would they?
Absolutely false.

A lot of my customers drink the plain
shake.

I drink it myself.

Oh, really?

Really.

Your Honor, both parties stipulate that
these are Mr. Kendrick's basic 70

-calorie health shake. I'd like the jury
to sample them. Your Honor, I renew my

objection to this.

Each juror's palate is different. This
is highly subjective and totally...

Overruled. Get on with it, Mr. Dunphy.
Thank you.

Let the record show that none of the
jurors turned handsprings after tasting

evidence. So, as we've just seen, the
basic drink is undrinkable.

So to get customers to buy it, like Mr.
MacArthur, you had to sell them on

additives that caused them to gain
weight. And Mr. MacArthur did gain

Nobody held a gun to his head. You had
him drinking six or seven shakes a day.

Doesn't give him the right to attack me.
Didn't you call him a fat -ass pig?

Yeah, after he called me a liar and he
assaulted me with a deadly weapon.

I don't think the state of California
classifies a derriere as a deadly

Oh, yeah? Well, he sure as hell is. It
was your shakes that were deadly, sir,

and you kept pumping them into Corliss
MacArthur. You just kept ringing up

sales so you could make more money.

Objection! Withdrawn. I'm done here.

Hi. Hi.

Arnie told me what happened.

I didn't say that I believed him or that
I'm taking sides. I can read between

the lines, Gwen.

Roxanne, I feel uncomfortable talking to
you about this.

Don't. I haven't forgotten what he's
like to work for. He can be a complete

swine. Well, it's not just that you're
involved with him. It's, you know, other

things. Listen, Gwen, what happened
between you and Arnie is... Ancient

I'm just here to help.

I never should have taken this job.

He made it perfectly clear what he
wanted. Complete subordination. That

isn't even in my vocabulary.

I'll talk to Arnie.

We'll redefine your job.

Mackenzie Brackman, work only.

He'll go through the roof. Look when
they don't want to lose you.

I mean, you're the only person besides
me who's ever been able to stand Arnie

for more than a day. He knows that. He
won't fire you.

No. He'll just work me to death.

Listen, I had a talk with Leland and
Douglas. You know, you're due for a pay

raise in March.

Well, we decided it was in the best
interest of the firm to offer that to

now.

Even if I might bolt and run?

Yes.

I mean, working for Arnie isn't that
great, but...

This is a prestigious firm, and they
want you as a secretary now, but why not

a lawyer when you finish school? Just
don't cut off your options.

I hadn't thought of that.

Yeah, I'll talk to Arnie.

I think we can work something out.

When Ricky was two, he was diagnosed as
having mild cerebral palsy, mild autism,

and a severe auditory learning disorder.

And what do the doctors say this would
mean in terms of Ricky's ability to cope

in the world? They said he'd never be
able to do something as simple as button

shirt or ride a tricycle. But you didn't
believe them, did you? No. I sold my

house and used the money to put Ricky
into a residential preschool at the

Institute. And what happened at the
Logan Institute?

At the end of three years, Ricky could
answer questions in sentences.

He could recognize written words.

and identify shapes and colors. And he
not only rode a tricycle, he steered it

around seven traffic cones.

Why didn't you leave him at Logan? I ran
out of money. And Woodrow Wilson, my

local public elementary school, assured
me that they had an appropriate program

for Ricky.

And did they? No.

My son was never violent.

After two weeks at Woodrow Wilson, he
started having outbursts of anger.

He hardly talks anymore.

He's lost 10 pounds, and he won't even
go near a tricycle.

Mrs. Berg, would you please tell the
court how Ricky spends his time at

Wilson? For 15 minutes each day, he's
with the other children in the special

education class.

The rest of the time, he's in a coat
closet in the back of the room with an

aide. What is it that you want, Mrs.
Berg, from the school district?

The law states...

that if a child can't receive an
appropriate education at a public

the state has a responsibility to pay
for one at a private school.

I just want them to obey the law.

Thank you, Mrs. Berg.

Mrs. Berg, didn't you agree that Ricky
should be separated from the rest of the

class because he...

Couldn't handle the stimulation of being
around other children?

The school kept calling me at work two
and three times a week to come and get

Ricky because he was out of control. Is
that a yes or a no, Mrs. Berg?

Yes, I agreed.

I didn't know what else to do.

How much was Ricky's annual tuition at
Logan, Mrs. Berg?

$80 ,000.

And you couldn't afford that? No. But an
overcrowded, underbudgeted school

district can.

What about the alternatives the school
district offered you, Mrs. Berg, such as

the autistic classroom?

Ricky is only mildly autistic.

He needs an individualized program to
address all his disabilities.

A program that includes hypnotism,
acupuncture, faith healing... Objection

irrelevant... Haven't you tried all of
these things with your son, Mrs. Berg?

That's not what this is about. That is
exactly what this is about.

You are not looking for an appropriate
education, Mrs. Berg. You're looking for

a miracle.

Objection! My son doesn't need a
miracle, Mr. Laporte.

All he needs is the help he was
promised.

My weight's gone up and down all my
life.

Took me three years to get it down to
190, and I was determined to keep it

And you thought drinking Mr.

Kendrick's health shakes would help keep
it off.

That's right. I mean, even after I
started gaining weight, I told him my

troubles. I mean, I thought the guy was
my friend. And here he is pushing me to

drink more. And all the while, he knows
how many calories are in these things.

And how did you discover the truth?

I gave one to a nutritionist. He told me
it had over 600 calories.

And you confronted Mr. Kendrick. I am
not a violent man, Mr. Dumfries, but he

provoked me.

I just snapped.

I mean, it wasn't like he just ruined my
diet. He ruined my life.

After I started binging again, I got so
fat that... my wife found me...

sexually undesirable.

My marriage collapsed.

All because of him. His lies and his
fraud.

I want him to pay for it. Thank you, Mr.
MacArthur. That's all.

Let me get this straight.

You watched my client add juices,
fruit...

puree and coconut to your shake, and you
didn't think it might add a few

calories? Well, his sign says fewer than
70 calories. That's fraud.

If you see a sale advertising clothes as
low as $20, do you assume that every

item is $20?

Now, isn't it possible that you started
putting on weight because your wife left

you? It's not true.

And you still insist that my client is
responsible for your weight gain? He is,

and he damn well knows it. Your Honor, I
would like to introduce these

photographs. Into evidence.

Is this you, sir, last Thursday night,
eating a large pizza with everything at

Pepe's Posteria?

Objection! Introducing to impeach, Your
Honor.

Overruled. Is this you, sir?

Well, I was under a lot of stress. You
know, the trial was starting. I didn't

know what this thing was. And here,
three months ago, were you under a lot

stress when you ordered two buckets of
fried chicken?

Half a dozen biscuits and a tub of
coleslaw the size of Puget Sound?

It's called binging, Miss Bloom.

It's a vicious cycle.

You get fat, you get depressed.

You eat to feel better, but you feel
worse, so you eat some more.

I know what it's like, Mr. MacArthur.

But no matter how it gets started, don't
we all have it in our power to stop?

Isn't it your own lack of discipline and
willpower to lose weight? Look, I was

like an alcoholic, and he's shoving
drinks into my ass. Oh, come off it, Mr.

MacArthur. You can't face your weight
problem, so you need something or

to blame it on. And this time it's Lyle
Kendricks, isn't it?

I've been director of admissions for
Logan for 12 years.

Ricky's combination of disabilities was
unusual, but his progress was one of the

most remarkable I've seen.

And now, 18 months after he's left
Logan, what is Ricky's condition?

It's almost as if he never went there.

So to make lasting progress, Ricky would
have to stay at Logan indefinitely?

No. Our goal is to give these children a
solid foundation and then return them

to the public school system as soon as
possible, provided there is an

appropriate program for the child to go
back to. What does a child get for $80

,000 a year?

No class has more than eight students.
Along with the teacher and at least one

aide, there's a speech pathologist.

Children who need it receive
occupational and physical therapy on

So in your opinion, Mrs. Rawlinson, what
would become of Ricky if he doesn't get

this kind of one -on -one education?

Ricky could end up living out his adult
life in an institution.

And what would that cost the state of
California?

Up to $200 ,000 a year.

Thank you. No further questions.

Miss Rawlinson, you said that if Ricky
leaves your program, he may have to be

institutionalized as an adult.

Now, do you guarantee that if he stays
in your program, that won't happen? Of

course not.

But his chances could end... Isn't it
true that...

The earlier a disabled child gets
mainstreamed into the public school

the better chance he has at success.

Yes, assuming that the problem is... And
yet of the 50 students currently

enrolled at Logan Institute, 10 have
been there more than three years, and

students have been there more than seven
years, haven't they? We're talking

about individuals.

We're a school, not a sausage factory.

But the longer these children stay in
your school, the more state funds you

Objection irrelevant to the... The
witness has a financial interest in the

outcome of this case, Your Honor.

I will know it. Ms. Rollerson, how many
of your students attending Logan

Institute are on state funds?

47. 47 out of 50.

The Education for All Handicapped
Children Act has been quite a goldmine

you. Objection. Withdrawn.

No further questions.

Why didn't you tell me this last night?

It would have ruined a lovely evening.

I complain about Gwen's competence, her
attitude, her hours, and you give her a

raise? Stuart never had anything but
praise for Gwen. Stuart Markowitz has a

small, quiet back -office practice. His
needs are completely different from

mine. For me, Gwen is a nightmare.

I never had these problems with you.
Why, Cal?

Eleven years, I had to fight tooth and
nail for every raise I got. Did you ever

think about promoting me? No, it took
Douglas Brackman to do that.

And let's not forget, you fired me. When
did this turn into a conversation about

you and me? What is it you really want,
Arnie? For Gwen to quit law school so

she could spend more time sending out
your 8x10 glossies? I am a partner in

firm. Gwen is our employee.

As long as this firm benefits from my
exposure, she will answer my fan mail,

period. This is your ego talking, Arnie.

You're a legal segment on a local news
show, not Tom Brokaw.

And you identify too closely with the
secretarial staff.

You're an office manager, Roxanne. You
ought to be a little more objective.

If I were more objective, I probably
wouldn't be with you.

Overeating is a disease much like
alcoholism. If Mr. MacArthur were

stay sober and Mr. Kendrick had spiked
his drink with liquor, I doubt anyone

would blame Mr. MacArthur for losing
control.

And doctor, what frame of mind would a
person have to be in to do what Mr.

MacArthur did?

An obese person's weight is tied to
their self -image, self -confidence,

assurance. When someone promises to help
you get slimmer and healthier, but

instead they make you heavier, That's
traumatic enough.

But when it's compounded by that same
person calling you a fat pig or namu,

you're looking at psychological damage.

And you trace all this back to what? To
Mr. Kendrick's misrepresentations.

If not for him, Corliss MacArthur might
still be on a diet and a happily married

man. Objection. Move to strike.
Speculative.

Sustained. Thank you, Doctor. Nothing
further.

If not for my client...

Mr. MacArthur might still be on his
diet.

Or he might not. Right, Doctor?

Yes, but... And if my client had never
been born, Mr. MacArthur might have been

so overwhelmed by the sight of a King
Burrito, he could have fallen off the

wagon by himself. Isn't that correct?

Maybe, but Mr. Kendrick's actions
virtually assured it. The obese are

vulnerable to this kind of exploitation.

Really?

All of us?

This is based on demographic studies.

Profiles. Profiles.

Or stereotypes.

Are you saying, Doctor, that all fat
people are so psychologically unstable

they are moved to physical assault more
easily than thin people? No, I'm not. I

was talking about Mr. MacArthur.

Oh, so he's unstable.

He was provoked.

Psychologically damaged?

Emotionally devastated?

He sure sounds unstable to me.

Objection! Sustained. I have nothing
further.

I'm leaving and I'll be out of your way
in a minute. Relax.

All I need is one book.

I'll get out of your way.

How's it going?

Great. It's great.

Don't fall behind in the reading. You'll
never catch up.

And you've got to join a study group or
you'll never survive.

I guess by now you've been called on.

No. No, I haven't been called on to
recite.

I haven't found a study group, and I am
way behind in my reading.

I'm getting four hours of sleep a night.
I'm carrying a full course load I'm not

even sure I can pay for.

And it's a very real question as to
whether I've even got what it takes to

lawyer.

Satisfied?

Mrs. Palsgraf versus Long Island
Railroad. That brings back memories.

Two porters stop a man from falling as
he tries to catch a train.

What was it he dropped again?

A package which turned out to contain
firework. Right. The fireworks explode

impact with the tracks, causing a set of
scales to topple and fall on dear old

Mrs. Palsgraf, who happened to be
passing.

I agree with the trial court, not the
appellate. She should have recovered

the railroad company.

How can you say that?

Cardozo's absolutely right when he
limits duty to foreseeability. Those

had no way of knowing what was in that
package, and they're not the proximate

cause of Mrs. Palsgraft's injuries.

Proximate cause is a convenience used by
the law to refuse arbitrarily to follow

a chain of events back beyond a
particular point.

Oh, so if I leave a pair of scissors on
this table and someone uses them to

murder someone, I'm liable even though I
couldn't foresee the intended use? I

think that's off the point. It's on
point.

The law requires reasonable behavior,
not being able to predict the weird

of events that you're talking about.

I'd say you have what it takes.

Okay, here's our offer.

You pay $1 ,500 compensation for the
shake, $3 ,500 damages. You're nuts.

about my damages?

I agree.

You're in a hole, Joe.

I'd rather take our chances with the
jury.

All right, $3 ,000 total.

No, stop bargaining.

I never wanted to settle. I'll let you
talk me into this. But I won't stand

and bake. You should reconsider.

Joe will tell you I carved up your
expert.

I don't need an expert. I'm in the right
here. Guess again.

What the jury sees is a guy who's got a
lot of emotional problems, who wants the

world to pay for what he... And what
about what you're carrying around, Miss

Bloom? What about your weight? That's
not the issue here, Mr. McCarthy. The

it's not.

You're in denial. You can't even admit
you've got a problem. And instead of

dealing with it, instead of losing your
weight, you beat me up. That's garbage.

Is it?

You know how I feel.

But you make jokes about me.

Well, whether you like it or not, Miss
Bloom, you're one of us.

You're just sleeping with the enemy.

Dr. Leeson, as the district's special
education administrator,

do you believe you are providing Ricky
Berg with the legally mandated

appropriate education?

Yes. Ricky has regular sessions with
speech and physical therapists.

We've also started a home tutoring
program. We've seen improvement in his

concentration and his ability to respond
to direct questions.

The home tutoring seems to be helping
his interaction.

Do you care what happens to Ricky Berg,
Dr. Leeson? Of course I do. We all do.

I just wish Mrs. Berg believed that.

I have no further questions.

Dr. Leeson, if you're giving Ricky Berg
an appropriate education, why are so

many of his skills measurably lower
today than they were when he came to

Wilson a year and a half ago?

Part of the challenge of working with
kids like Ricky is that... No one knows

what's going to get through to them from
one day to the next. Doctor, if Ricky

Berg were your son, would it be okay if
he spent most of his school day in a

closet? Objection. I'll allow it.

It's not a closet.

There are no hangers, no coats, no coat
racks.

Was it a closet before you needed a
place to stick Ricky Berg?

Objection. Was Ricky Berg's private
classroom ever a closet?

Yes, but he's not there alone.

Ricky's calm enough. He and an aide work
towards specific goals using puzzles

and clay and picture books. But he is
not with a qualified teacher.

He is not with other children, is he?

No. So if you were Ricky Berg's parent,
would you be satisfied if he spent most

of his school day inside a former closet
with a babysitter?

Knowing what I know about Ricky and
about Woodrow Wilson, yes,

I would be satisfied.

No further questions.

If that's your last witness, Mr.
Laporte, I'll hear closing arguments.

Your Honor, I request a delay to produce
a rebuttal witness.

Your Honor, either she has the witness
or she doesn't. He is reluctant to

testify, but I think he will.

You have 24 hours, Miss Van Owen. Thank
you.

Lyle Kendrick wasn't just selling health
food.

He was selling hope.

People like him prey on more than their
victims' wallets. They prey on their

dreams. If Mr. Kendrick ripped off old
people by promising them relief from

or aging, if he swindled the handicapped
or minorities, there'd be no question

as to his liability.

But fat people? They're a joke. How can
you hurt them?

Well, you can.

And he did.

Corliss MacArthur has a serious illness.

Lyle Kendrick pretended to be his
friend. He held out health and hope and

promise of a better life.

He betrayed Mr. MacArthur's trust.

That betrayal should have a price.

Lyle Kendrick is not responsible for
Corliss MacArthur's problem.

He is not a therapist, nor a
nutritionist.

He's a businessman trying to sell his
product.

And Mr. MacArthur chose to buy that
product of his own free will.

How dare they?

How dare they suggest that an entire
class of people are more gullible, more

suggestible, and less able to look out
for their own best interest simply

because they are fat?

They want you to believe...

that all fat people are alike.

Why?

Because then they don't have to deal
with us as individuals.

They can claim that we're all driven by
the same demons, that we're so fragile

in our self -image, so unstable, that
physical assault, like the attack on my

client, is somehow justified.

There are good fat people and bad fat
people. There are sloppy fat people and

neat fat people.

There are well -balanced fat people, and
there are unstable fat people.

Corliss MacArthur is an unstable man who
battered my client.

It has nothing to do with his being fat.

And if you decide that it does, then you
diminish us all.

Tell everybody that we are people, not
profiles, and that each one of us is

different.

Come on in. Good boy.

Look, Ricky's a winner.

You won. Hey, all right.

You are a winner.

Ricky, this is Ms. Van Owen. Hi, Ricky.

Look, there's an elephant here.

See it?

That's neat.

Grace, this is Dan Bardwell, Ricky's
favorite teacher. This is Grace Van

my new attorney.

Hi.

Are you sure you don't want me to stick
around, help get Ricky to bed? Oh, no,

it's okay. I can take care of it.

But Grace would like to talk to you.

Ronnie, we've been over this. Dan, I
know.

And I wasn't going to ask you again,
but... Oh,

sweetie, come on. Come on, let's go
brush your teeth, okay?

You like that, huh? Come on, sweetie.

That's a good boy.

Good boy.

Good night, okay?

Bye.

Veronica tells me you think that Ricky
should move back to Logan.

I need you to tell that to a judge.

Did she also tell you that if I testify
against the school district, I'll lose

my job? They can't fire you if you
testify.

They can't do that. So they'll come up
with some other reason.

Then we'll take them to court. I'll
represent you. No fee.

Will you feed my kids when I'm on
unemployment?

And the students I leave behind, will
you finish teaching them for the rest of

the year? I could subpoena you.

I won't be cooperative.

I won't lie, but I won't say anything
that'll help you either.

I don't need your help.

Ricky needs your help.

Do you think I'd come here three nights
a week if I didn't want to help Ricky?

I want to.

I want what's best for him. Then tell
that to the court.

I care for them all, Ms. Van Owen. For
Ricky, yes, but also for John and Cara

and Billy and Rachel and a dozen more.

And some of them are far more disabled
than Ricky.

I owe them something, too.

I'm sorry.

Your Honor, counsel is supposed to
produce a witness, not a media show. I

produce a witness, but this tape is
relevant to his testimony.

Objection overruled. But let's get on
with it, Miss Vannoy.

Your Honor, about two months after this
home movie was made, the little boy, Eli

King, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy,
autism, and an auditory learning

disability very much like Ricky Berg.

Now, that was 11 years ago.

Your Honor, I would like you to meet Eli
King.

Where did you go to school,

Eli?

I graduated from Grover Cleveland High
School.

And what about when you were a little
boy?

I went to the Logan Institute.

And today, do you have a job at the
public library?

Yes.

I put away books and... You

need some help, Eli?

Yes, I do.

Catalog. Yes.

I catalog.

New books.

Do you get paid for your work?

Yes, and I just got a raise, too.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Do you support yourself?

My parents help.

But I do most of it.

Thank you, Eli.

No more questions.

Hi, Eli.

Who brought you here today?

Grace and Miss O 'Gratherson.

How long were you at Logan?

Till ninth grade.

Eight years.

And then you went to a public high
school.

Yes.

Did you learn as much at the public high
school as you did at Logan?

Yes.

I did.

Thank you, Eli.

Have the jury reached a decision?

We have, Your Honor.

On the claim of assault and battery, we
fine for Mr. Kendrick and order damages

in the amount of $5 ,000.

And on the cross -claim of fraud and
false advertising, we fine for Mr.

McArthur and order damages in the amount
of $5 ,000.

Well, I'll be damned.

Well, it would seem the scales of
justice have balanced out. Ladies and

gentlemen of the jury, thank you. We are
adjourned. Sorry.

I know you call me unstable, but I'd

still like to thank you for what you
said.

Your Honor, have you ever had one of
those dreams where someone is talking to

you, but you don't understand them? No
matter how hard you concentrate, you

cannot figure out what the words mean.

Now imagine experiencing the whole world
like that. Everything you see or touch

or smell makes no sense to you. It's all
chaotic and frightening.

Now imagine...

that you only have partial control of
your own body, and the world is this

constant, clamoring jumble that you're
supposed to navigate somehow.

Well, that's what Ricky Berg experiences
every day.

But somehow, the Logan Institute made
contact with Ricky, and they helped him

to communicate.

They helped him to recognize shapes and
colors. They helped him take a tricycle

and make it do what he wanted it to do.

And what did Woodrow Wilson Elementary
School do?

They put him in a closet.

And because they cannot provide Ricky
with an appropriate education, they want

you to believe that no one can.

They want you to think that this is
unnecessary spending when the truth

The more we, the taxpayers, spend on
Ricky now, the more we save in the long

run. Ricky Berg can be as independent as
Eli King, but until the

public schools can fulfill their
obligations to a child like Ricky,

sending him back to Logan is not just
the right thing to do, not just

the legally correct thing to do.

It is the responsible thing to do.

Thank you.

Your Honor, in an ideal world, every
child would have his own teacher,

his own computer, the best textbook, and
for a disabled child,

a whole battery of therapists.

In the real world, the state of
California gets about $4 ,500 per child

per year.

Now, if they're going to have to pay
private tuition out of that, they're

to have to cut a lot of services. And
I'm not talking about intramural sports

and art supplies.

They lost those two or three budgets
ago.

I'm talking about science equipment and
desks.

and books, and teachers.

The law says that the state must provide
every disabled child with an

appropriate education, not the best that
money can buy.

The school district can give Ricky Berg
an appropriate, beneficial education

in a mainstream environment.

Let them do it.

Let Ricky Berg Get on with the business
of learning.

On my desk tomorrow a .m. Arnie, these
depositions have to be filed by five

today. So I'm not tracking here. Is
there a problem?

Yes. Another late night. Excuse me,
Gwen.

I have to be on the air in 40 minutes.
The last thing I have time for are your

problems.

There is no question that public school
funding in this state is disgraceful and

that cost is an appropriate and
necessary consideration in these

But the bottom line is a beneficial
education.

While it may be cost -effective to put
this child in a closet with an aide, I

find it neither educationally beneficial
nor the least restrictive environment.

I am upholding the finding of the
administrative hearing officer and order

Ricky Berg be re -enrolled in the Logan
Institute until a truly appropriate

public school program can be found or
designed for him. This hearing is

adjourned. Thank you. No, my pleasure.

Nicely done.

Grace, Mrs. Berg, the school board will
file an appeal, of course.

Wish I could afford you for the next
round.

Well, you can.

Sure.

Thank you.

Fifteen seconds to floor.

Thank you.

How do I look?

Fabulous. Come a long way in five weeks.

You think so? Definitely.

You have mastered the art of video
foreplay. And three.

Two, one.

We're back with legal eagle Arnold
Becker.

Arnie, what do you say we go back to the
phones? We have time for one more call.

Agnes from City of Industries on the
line. She's got a problem at work.

Hi, this is Arnie Becker. How can I help
you? Mr. Becker, I have a problem at

work. I feel like a slave.

I'm sorry to say that's not unusual.

My boss keeps giving me more and more
work to do.

Sometimes he threatens to fire me unless
I stay late. That's really unfair.

Well, I think so, too.

Isn't that anything I can do?

What do you think, Arnie?

It doesn't sound like she has enough for
harassment. Now, if he had

propositioned her... Oh, oh, he's done
that several times.

Well, once he even seduced me right in
his office.

You're kidding. Arnie, I certainly hope
she can sue this slime.

Well, absolutely. In fact, you've got
yourself one hell of a lawsuit.

Agnes, at the very least, I'd say you're
looking at the high six figures.

Wow. Oh, that is assuming that he's got
the money.

What does the creep do for a living?

Well, that's just it. You think he'd
know better.

Well, he's a lawyer.

A lawyer?

Right. Someone who should be able to
sympathize with someone going to law

school.

Law school?

That's what I said, Arnie.

I think maybe you should try talking to
him again. Forget talk. Sue the

miserable pig.

Can I include pain and suffering?

Agnes, let's not be too hasty. People
can change. Now, you sound like an

exceptionally fair -minded person.

Why not avoid litigation? Give him one
last chance. Negotiate. Maybe you'll get

everything that you want.

Why do you really think so?

I've got a very good feeling about this.

Give it a shot.

And if that doesn't work, then sue him.

Well, thank you for the advice, Arnie.

And thank you all for watching.

That's the news for now.