All language subtitles for L.A. Law S04E12 On Your Honor

Previously on L .A. Law.

I hit a boy in my car.

I killed him.

Oh, God.

I mean, I got out to see if he was okay,
but his body had been knocked way down

into the ditch.

You have shown a certain penchant for
brute force when dealing with the office

staff. I also think we should have
talked about it.

Thank you, Michael, for pointing that
out to me. What a caring and

group of people you are. Come on,
Douglas.

But I think we should take a break from
each other.

Don't you think we should work on this?

We've done nothing but work on it.

Now, Stuart's off to appellate court,
and I'm home changing diapers.

And with Rosalind Shays at the office, I
don't even feel met.

You are Mr. Plenty. Believe me.

Are you about done?

I'll be a while, actually.

Do you need something? I need my chair.
I need my desk. I need my office. Get

off the phone.

Norman, I'll call you right back.

So here we are, platonic friend.

Seems perfectly natural.

The Cusack sarcasm.

Oh, I miss it.

I miss you, Michael.

I miss you too, Grace.

You're gonna win this thing, Michael. I
know it.

I'll let you and I go to bed right now.

Just... I understand.

Now, let's you and I go to bed.

Right now.

Grace?

Hey, Bruce.

Grace, this is Steve Sterling from the
governor's office.

Grace Van Owen.

Nice to meet you.

It's nice to meet you.

Thanks. Grace, I don't know if you've
heard.

Judge Rabinow had a fatal heart attack
last night. I did hear.

Um, how old was he?

Only 52.

But he was fat and he had some habits.

Anyway, aside from the human tragedy of
it all, it's created a real docket

crunch, which is why Stephen has come to
me. What can I do? You can take his

place. I beg your pardon?

The governor would like to appoint you
to the position of superior court judge.

You applied for the job, Grace. Don't
you want it?

I applied over two years ago, and
nothing happened. Not true. It was

received quite favorably.

We're acting on it now.

Just like that?

I'm a judge?

You've been an outstanding district
attorney.

Your intellect and your ethics have been
beyond reproach. There's nobody more

deserving.

I have a lot of cases here. I've got a
trial starting. We'll reassign your

cases.

Don't I, um... Shouldn't I take some
course or something on, you know,

judging? Seven years in the trenches is
training enough. You can do this.

I don't know what to say.

Just say you'll accept, Judge.

Okay.

First off, I'm pleased to announce I've
instituted a policy which increases the

work yield of our office staff without
increasing our costs by one penny.

out a legal way to own slaves, Doug?

Staggered lunch hours.

When secretaries eat together, no work
is getting done in the office.

Lunch hours become hours and a half, and
we pay the freight. Don't you think

that might be a little bit small,
Douglas? We live or die on small,

Small details.

Small print.

Small increments of profit and loss,
which add up to prosperity or the lack

thereof. All right, let's move along.

Fahed versus the United States of
America at all. Why do I know this is

going to hate? You shouldn't.

Sherry Fahed is an Iranian woman that I
did some immigration work for.

Her husband, unfortunately, was aboard
that plane that was shot down by the

Navy. We're involved in this why,
Victor?

Well, she's got a damn good cause of
action, that's why.

We're going to go after the government,
the Navy, and the manufacturer of the

radar. Do we have an offer? Yeah,
they've offered all the victims $100

it's just a token.

Well, a token may be better than
nothing.

These cases are being dismissed out of
hand on public policy grounds.

Yeah, I know, and so could this one. We
have an evidentiary hearing on a motion

to dismiss today.

Client doesn't want to settle, though.
Keep us informed on this one, Victor.

Holiday versus The Spike?

The Spike is a jewelry store that
specializes in erotic body piercing for

customers. Oh, gosh.

Linda Halliday availed herself of this
service, and as a result, certain parts

of her body became infected.

These would be erotic parts.

In this context, yes. Don't we handle
any normal cases anymore? Simple stuff

like real estate closings, probate
proceedings?

Let's go, Douglas. I have a day full of
meetings. That's it.

Except, lastly, I'm pleased to announce
that the overjet is a part of my past,

and the braces have at long last been
removed.

Thank you. And on that...

We're adjourned.

Oh, Jonathan.

I, uh, spoke to Grady last night, and
they found the boy's body.

When?

Two days ago. There was no evidence.

I don't think they'll ever be able to
trace the driver.

That's good.

The problem is that we need to get our
overtime costs down, and cutting down on

long lunch hours is one way to do it.

Have any of us been guilty of taking
long lunches? No, you haven't.

Consider it a safeguard, a way to
improve office coverage, a signal to the

of the staff.

You're treating us like children.

No, I'm not.

Boy, this is lousy timing.

You already turned us down for our pay
raises, and now... Firm revenues are

down. We can't afford the razors. I
don't want to seem disrespectful, Mr.

Brackman, but, well, there are plenty of
things that we can't afford.

Yeah, like our rent.

Gee, any other complaints, ladies?

Yeah, the new word processors.

They flash messages at us. My world is
calm.

My world is productive.

I love my world.

Plus, video display terminals can cause
birth defects and miscarriages. What do

you want me to do? We want you to look
into making them safer. And we want you

to give us our raise.

We want you to lay off our lunch hour.

All right. Look, let me give it some
thought, and I'll get back to you

Great.

And Mrs. Fahed, could you please tell
the court what your husband was doing in

Iran at the time of this incident?

All our relatives still live back there.

He was visiting family.

He was coming back when it happened.

Ma 'am, when did you first learn that
your husband's plane had been shot down?

In the morning, I heard that the Navy
had shot down an Iranian aircraft.

And when I heard that it was...

A passenger flight from Bandar Abbas to
Dubai.

I thought, oh, God.

I just had this sick feeling.

Somehow I knew he was on it.

What did you do?

I put on the television because all the
news stations were talking about it.

They showed pictures of the ocean with
bodies floating.

They said there were no survivors.

I kept praying and praying.

Maybe he took another flight. Maybe he
changed his plans. Maybe he...

I got the call that night.

They told me my husband.

They said he was dead.

Yes.

You have children, Mrs. Fahed? Yes.

I have a daughter, nine, and a boy,
seven.

They are sitting right there.

Could you describe what life has been
like for your family after the death of

your husband?

Objection.

The sole issue of this hearing is
whether the court should entertain this

of action. Her damages aren't relevant
to this proceeding.

Your Honor, the Assistant U .S. Attorney
is asking you to dismiss my client's

claim, and I think that before you
consider that, you should consider her

economic and emotional suffering, as
well as the fact that she has no other

place to redress this harm except in an
American court.

The objection is sustained.

I'm not listening to any evidence on
damages here.

I have nothing further, then.

One question, ma 'am.

At the time of your husband's death, he
still was an Iranian citizen, was he

not? What difference does that make?

Well, when the United States military
action results in a casualty to an

man, that smacks more of foreign policy
than a civil lawsuit.

There were women and children on that
plane.

You can't just...

kill innocent people and call it foreign
policy.

That would never happen in Iran, would
it? They were civilians.

Civilians blew up the Pan Am 103.

Your student civilians took the
hostages. Objection, Your Honor. Mr.

that isn't relevant.

But it is relevant, Your Honor. Iran is
a country where the civilians can be

every bit as dangerous as the military.

So when our servicemen see any type of
aircraft coming at them, there's got to

be a concern. It's a terrorist state.

Objection. That is...

Mr. Richards, because this is not a
terrorist nation.

But this country shot down that plane.

This country killed my husband.

All right, Michael, check it out. What
do you think?

Come on, this is serious.

If I have any complaints about the fit,
I have to tell them by nine, and that's

in 12 minutes. This is the new uniform,
huh? Yeah, yeah, it feels a little tight

through here.

You think it looks tight?

No, no, it's fine.

Don't start with me, Michael.

What? You know exactly what.

This uniform helps sell the Laker girls.
The Laker girls help sell me.

Great exposure for my choreography.

So let's try not to be overly
dismissive.

Okay, okay. I was just admiring your
exposure, that's all.

Would you get that at the delivery from
the office?

Don't work too hard, Mr. Litigator.

You have a delivery?

No.

Great.

Michael. Grace.

Look, uh,

uh, you know, this is, uh... Kimberly.

Kimberly Dugan, Grace Van Ollen. Hi.

Hi. I, uh... I just came by to say hi,
but you've got company, so I'll... No,

no, no, that's fine. Come on in.

We were just... We were just looking
over Kimberly's uniform.

She's, uh... She's a Laker girl.

Oh, yeah.

And I have to go try on my other outfit
and make a phone call.

Will you excuse me? Sure.

Thanks.

I should have called first. No, no, no,
that's okay. Come on in. Sit down.

Here, here. Look, the reason I came by,
Michael, today I

became a judge.

What? Yes.

Robineau died, and they asked me to take
his place, and I said, yes, Michael, I

am a superior court judge.

Gracie.

This is fantastic.

Oh, for God, I'm scared.

Why? I start tomorrow.

I'm jumping into Muni for arraignment,
and then on Wednesday, Superior for

sentencing.

Tyler's grown up enough to be a judge.
Oh, you are going to be a great judge.

You think so?

I know so. I never thought it could
happen. You know, I'd given up on the

I never thought it could actually
happen.

Now, I know this is tight.

You guys think this is tight?

Well, it's fine.

Very nice.

This court's in session.

The Honorable Grace Van Owen presiding.

Case number 89603. People versus David
Shager.

Illegal possession of firearms with
priors. Wave reading, Your Honor.

Please not guilty.

Question of bail.

O .R.'s okay.

Trial date of April 7th. Mr. Shager, see
probation.

Next case.

Case number 89114. People versus Bosman,
West, Karras, Musry,

and Wyatt. That's mine.

These are the Valley Girl robbers,
Judge.

What? They picked up Mr. Douglas
Wittenberg, who's present here today, at

shopping mall.

Apparently, they convinced Mr.
Wittenberg that he was about to be

persuaded him to remove his trousers, at
which point they fled with said

trousers and his wallet. We didn't,
like, know his pants were loaded. I want

full charges pressed.

Larceny and fraud. We want a lawyer. And
I want my slacks back.

Welcome to the bench, Your Honor.

How hard are we going to push this?

How bad do you want to win?

Mom, I feel real strongly about the
lunch issue. I feel real strongly about

raise. The question is whether I'm
prepared to lose my job over this.

going to lose your job. Are you sure?

Look, we're so used to thinking of
ourselves as subordinates that we refuse

recognize the power that we have.

Roxanne, we're secretary.

First of all, we're good secretaries.
And good secretaries are hard to find. I

happen to know that Douglas Brackman
doesn't speak for the entire firm.

He's the managing partner, huh? That
doesn't mean they're behind him.

The truth is, they don't like him very
much.

Oh, so let's just see what he comes back
with. What if it's nothing?

Then we walk.

Along with all of the other secretaries
in the place.

This is making me nervous. No, they have
never dealt with us as a group before.

I can't believe that Arnie and Michael
and Leland McKenzie would let Douglas

cost them their entire office staff.

What'll they do?

I think they'll cut him off at the
knees.

I think we'll get everything we want.

And as Assistant Secretary of the Navy,
sir.

Do you think that this litigation would
compromise national security?

There'd be no escaping it. What would be
on trial here is the integrity of the

NATO weapon system.

So, in effect, what... Why?

Well, it was the NATO system that
identified the passenger plane as a

aircraft. It would be impossible for us
to have a trial on the limitations of

this technology without giving away
classified information as to how the

works. So the disclosure of this
information would be a national security

breach. Of the highest extreme.

We're talking about the Navy's most
advanced air defense system. But their

complaint also goes to the negligence of
the naval officer who ordered that

plane to be shot down.

That officer relied upon the data
supplied by the radar system.

Whether or not his order was negligent
depends upon the reliability of the

computers. And once again, we would be
required to tell how the system works.

Soviet spies would be sitting in court
taking notes. Thank you, Mr. Stoner.

I have nothing further.

Sir, there is a very easy way for you to
avoid disclosure of all this top

-secret information, isn't there? Yes,
there is.

Dismiss the complaint.

Yes, that would be one way. Another
would be for you to admit liability so

this trial could be solely about
damages. But the Navy wasn't negligent.

Navy shut down that plane, sir. I
understand.

But given the technological data
available and the circumstances of the

the Navy's actions were entirely proper.

Are you telling this court that it was
proper for us to kill 299 people? We're

sorry the tragedy occurred.

That's why we've offered compensation.

But the United States Navy is not a
negligent institution, Counselor. You

damn well you were negligent. You're
just too worried about your public image

admit it. Not true.

October 30th.

1989, one of your F -A -18s accidentally
dropped a 500 -pound bomb on one of

your own ships. Is that right?

Accidents will happen, Counselor.
October 31st, very next day, you lose $4

million worth of missiles at sea.

Objection. There is no relevance here.

Overruled. Mr. Stoner put it in issue.

Thank you, Your Honor. November 9, 1989,
a Navy attack jet crashes into a

Georgia apartment complex, killing two
civilians, injuring four more. Correct?

Yes, but... November 12th, 1989, one of
your destroyers collides with a merchant

ship off the Malaysian coast. Is that
true or false, sir? True. And while that

was happening, two of your A6 attack
jets mistakenly dropped 12 bombs on a

California campsite. These things have
nothing to do with this case. Oh, yes,

they do.

Because it is a pattern of negligence.

which has killed innocent people. It is
that pattern which contributed to the

killing of my client's husband.

Objection. We had a ship stuck in the
middle of a war zone with hostile

buzzing around.

Move to strike, Your Honor. We were in
combat with three Iranian speedboats

the raiders picked up an aircraft coming
right at us from Tehran at a high

speed. Move to strike, Your Honor. The
captain had to make his decision in

seconds, Counselor. Move to strike.

You know, it's so damn easy for the fat
cat lawyers to sit back and second guess

us. Your Honor, move to strike. You get
your ass in the firing line in the

Persian Gulf and your thinking might
change in a hurry.

Yes, sir. Mrs. Stoner, that's enough.

Nothing further.

And it was a relatively small amount of
crack.

Given that my client, other than the
three drug convictions, has no criminal

record and has demonstrated no threat to
society...

I respectfully request three months
suspended.

We'd like six months served, Your Honor.

Approach.

Six months, Billy? There's no intent.

Grace, Your Honor, she's a drug addict,
and she's four months pregnant.

You put her away, she stays clean, and
the baby's got a chance.

You can't punish for status.

Come on, Nancy, is she on the stuff?

Put her in the program.

She's already been through it twice.

All right. All right, I'm giving her
five months, and if she delivers

I'll let her out. Oh, come on.

Listen, if the fetus dies, she could go
off on manslaughter. You want that?

Step back.

One year, seven months suspended.

Next case.

People versus Andrew Steadman.

Mr. Stedman was convicted on two counts
of first -degree murder, Your Honor, in

a drive -by shooting.

The people as previously submitted to
Judge Rabinow are seeking life

imprisonment with the possibility of
parole in 15 years.

Given the defendant's four prior
convictions on robbery and assault, as

the attempted rape conviction, we feel
the life sentence is warranted.

How old is the defendant?

Sixteen, Your Honor.

Pursuant to the order of juvenile court,
he was tried as an adult.

Your Honor?

Yes.

I'll hear from defense counsel.

Your Honor, this is just a boy.

He's 16 years old.

While an adult trial is one thing, an
adult sentence is quite another.

Life imprisonment would be cruel and
unusual.

He shot and murdered two people, Mr.
Wiseman.

Yes, I understand that.

And in lieu of a plea from me...

I would like you to hear a statement
from Martin Steadman, the young man's

father.

Your Honor, this is my fault.

I've never been there for the boy.

I always had to work, and I wasn't there
for him.

But he's got good in him, Judge.

I'm a drunk, and it's my fault.

If he can get some help, then he's going
to be okay.

I'll take this under advisement.

Who am I to be making this kind of a
decision? He is 16 years old. You're the

judge.

Yeah.

With 36 hours of experience.

I thought it was tough being a DA having
to put people away.

Or... To ask for death sentences.

But there, I always knew I was just an
advocate. That it was someone else who

had to make the actual decision. And now
there is no someone else.

And right after this, there'll be
another tough decision staring you down.

And another one after that, and another
one after that.

How do you do it? You decide what kind
of judge you want to be.

What kind of a world you want to affect.

And you move in that direction as hard
as you can, using the law as your

boundary. But I could be wrong.

Sometimes.

And when you are, you'll be challenged.

Appealed. Overturned on appeal.

But you stay true to yourself.

And how will I always know what it is
that I want? I mean, with this kid, I am

not sure.

You struggle with it.

You beat yourself up in your car.

Over supper, in your bed.

But the main thing is, when you get up
on that bench, you leave all those

in chambers.

Up there, you never show the indecision.

You make that room your courtroom.

They listen to your rules.

This is hard.

Yes, it is.

Very hard.

Roxanne. Raid those requests?

Yes. The computer people will reprogram
the units to get rid of the subliminal

messages. Good.

As for the razors, there isn't a lot I
can do.

As for the lunch hours, I'd like you to
give the new system a try.

What you've given us is nothing.

Excuse me?

I said, what you've given us is nothing.

It's unacceptable.

Shall we?

What's this?

This, Douglas, is your secretarial staff
walking out.

The terms of your employment require you
to remain here until 5 p .m. It is now

3 .45.

You've heard our demands, Douglas.

When there's a serious response on the
table, we'll come back.

There won't be any other responses,
Roxanne. As of now, you're all fired.

$250 ,000 is as high as they'll go.

It is a lot of money.

You said the claim was worth $2 million.

No. No, what I said was a high -income
husband leaving behind a widow and two

children, no question of liability.

The high end has got to be about $2
million.

But there are other factors here.

Such as?

Such as the defendant is the United
States of America.

Such as the plaintiff is Iranian?

You think the judge will dismiss it?

He could. Two other federal judges have
already dismissed the same claim by the

victims.

You don't know how hard it was to get
out of Iran.

The politics, the threats.

Even the kids, they didn't want to leave
their friends. But my husband would

tell them, America is a moral place. It
is a land of justice.

Yeah.

A quarter of a million dollars is not
nothing.

I will accept on one condition.

I want a public statement from the Navy
that they acted improperly.

If they admit guilt, I will accept their
offer.

Not a chance, Sherry.

Publicly, neither the government or the
Navy will accept blame. They just won't.

Then I am fighting, Victor.

That was my husband.

I cannot just allow them to sweep this
away.

Okay.

Your Honor, Ms. Farhead is suing over
events that transpired during military

hostility. This is foreign policy.

You cannot send a message to our armed
forces overseas that while they are

stationed in combat zones, risking their
lives daily to protect you and me and

everyone else in this country, that
their actions are going to be second

-guessed by lawyers and by judges
sitting high and mighty back here.

This was a terrible tragedy. We all know
that.

But tragedies happen in combat, Your
Honor.

This lawsuit is barred as a political
question.

It is precluded by the state secret
doctrine, and the United States has not

waived sovereign immunity.

In the interests of national security, I
respectfully request that you dismiss

this complaint.

Thank you.

This wasn't military combat.

It was a mistake.

A Navy mistake which resulted in a
civilian airliner in the middle of

airways being blown up. Now, Your Honor,
that's no different than if they'd shot

down an American airliner off the coast
of Florida.

Calling this foreign policy, sir, is an
insult.

Because it is not our foreign policy to
blow up passenger planes.

It is not our foreign policy to kill
innocent people and then crawl behind

cloak of national security in order to
shield ourselves from responsibility.

National security? What about national
morality?

Because of what we did, this woman lost
her husband. Because of what we

did, those children lost their father.

The United States of America did this.
And we have to make good on that, Your

Honor. We have to.

Because what kind of people are we if we
don't?

Thank you.

Mackenzie, Brack, Montini, and Cusack.

I mean Mackenzie, Brack, Montini,
Cusack, and Becker.

Hold on.

Does anyone know how to turn these on?

Yeah, push that button on the right.

Which one? I'll show you.

Benny, you don't know how to type, do
you?

No. Just a second.

It's a disaster out there. Douglas, the
office.

Kale, it was too late to line up temps.

We'll be fully staffed as of tomorrow.

That's beside the point. Roxanne was my
secretary.

You had no right to fire her. I had
every right. I'm the managing partner.

Oh, so now it's come down to pulling
rank. I'll pull whatever I have to pull.

And you don't think this could have been
resolved a little more amicably?

They walked out. Yeah, but this whole
thing was precipitated by your stupid

lunch hour edict. I don't think it was
stupid at all.

I also think that if we are going to
make a rule, we have to stick to it. But

the truth is, these women are being
nickels and dimes to death.

Listen, Michael, nickels and dimes are
the lifeblood of this firm. Since you

Arnie are too grand to worry about them,
I have to. Well, we can't all be as

petty as you are, Douglas.

You don't have to be. I'll putty up the
cracks.

I'll stoop and pick up what falls to the
ground.

Try to remember, though, that the only
reason you can tend to your high

high -profile cases is because I look
after the details and the dirty work.

day you try to preempt me, though,
that's the day I walk out.

Come on, Douglas.

It's a ploy. Just you try me and see.

Decisions on hiring and firing staff are
up to Douglas.

It's his call. I agree.

And I have to live with it. Yes, you
have to live with it.

Mr. Stedman, will you please rise?

I reviewed the transcripts of the trial
as well as the probation report and the

affidavits filed in support of leniency,
and I'm rejecting the defense counsel's

request for a 20 -year sentence.

This was a serious crime, Mr. Stedman.

It was premeditated, it was cold
-blooded, and it caused the violent

two people.

The fact that you were seeking revenge.

of the gang -slaying of a friend of
yours is not a mitigating factor.

On the two counts of first -degree
murder, I am sentencing you to life

imprisonment, sentenced to begin
immediately in the youth authority.

Your Honor, this is just a boy. There is
no precedent for a sentence like this.

There is now.

You're a murderer, young man.

If you kill people, you live your life
in jail.

Like a cake.

Why didn't you come to me?

I don't want to come running to you
every time I have a problem, Arnie.

The secretaries there have to learn how
to stand together.

Well, I don't want to discourage your
career as a labor leader, Roxanne. But

truth is, you're in a different boat
from these other secretaries. Why?

Because you have money, that's why.

You don't need the job. You can afford
to lose it. You led these other women

into battle, and they can't. So long as
I am working there, I am affected by the

working conditions, besides which I
never expected that we would get fired.

Well, maybe you should have.

I just never thought that the firm would
back Douglas.

Well, they did.

And I don't know what we're going to do.

I guess what I'm going to have to do is
go see Douglas.

I'm the one who led the charge here.

I'm the one who's going to have to take
responsibility.

You ready to grovel? No.

But I'm ready to talk.

This is a very difficult situation.

If I allow this cause of action to be
sustained, it could result in top

information being disclosed.

What's more, it would put our military's
rules of engagement on trial, which, of

course... would be a very serious
precedent.

As a matter of public policy, we simply
cannot second -guess our soldiers'

ability to defend themselves in times of
hostility.

On the other hand, I've got a grandchild
who starts first grade next year, and

the thought of him one day in school
reading about sovereign immunity and

it defined as America's right to blow up
passenger planes from countries we

don't like...

That terrifies me even more.

In ten years on the federal bench, I've
probably thrown out over a hundred

complaints against the government on
national security and political question

grounds.

I'm tired of doing that.

Mr. Richards, your client killed
innocent people.

Maybe there was no negligence. That's
entirely possible.

But I'm not dismissing this cause of
action.

If the Navy really wants to keep its
secrets, then pay those victims what

deserve.

I'll certify this ruling for appeal.

So the whole thing's going to take a
while.

But for now, this lawsuit lives.

That's all.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Congratulations. Thank you.

Step one.

Hi, Lou. You want to see me?

Yes. Come on in, Victor.

I heard about the judge's ruling.

Yeah, the president stopped calling. I
know.

That's what I want to talk about.

I don't want this firm handling the
case, Victor.

Excuse me?

One of Rosalind's clients, or one of our
clients, I should say, has bid on a big

defense contract that's worth many
millions of dollars.

And they're concerned that our
involvement in a lawsuit against the

could hurt their chances.

And? And their concern must necessarily
become our concern.

Wait a minute. What are you saying? That
I can't represent her?

Sorry, Victor.

No! She's my client. I'm not going to
turn my back on her. We had a meeting

night on this and took a vote.

This is the decision of the partners.

Yeah? Well, you can all go to hell.

Don't you talk to me like that. Don't
you tell me to abandon my client so that

you can pad your damn purse.

You can't win this case, Victor. I can
win. I am winning. All you've won is the

right to march in front of a red, white,
and blue American jury and ask them to

find foreign Iranian against the United
States. You think that'll happen?

It might.

Oh, come on, Victor. You could comb this
entire country and not find 12 people

sympathetic to Iran.

She is not Iran, Leland. She's a person.
She's a victim. You're up against a

bigotry you can't beat.

You forget, when that plane went down,
there was no public outcry here. The

people in this country weren't outraged.

Now, this case can't be won. And I'm
surprised that you can't see that.

You know, when I...

first joined up with this place, it was
headed up by a man who would never back

down in the face of prejudice, even if
it was endorsed by a partnership vote.

I have to look out for this firm.

Uh -uh.

You've turned into a scared old man,
Leland.

You're more concerned with your pension
than your principles.

You want to make this personal now,
Victor?

I didn't start attacking you personally.

You don't... When I have to turn away
from clients who are hurt, when I find

myself and the things that I believe in
compromised by office politics, I take

it very personally.

I've made my position clear.

Yeah, you have.

And at the risk of sounding redundant,
let me make my position clear. You can

still all go to hell.

I'm willing to concede that what we did
wasn't too smart.

Agreed. You have no idea how frustrating
it is not to be taken seriously.

Actually, I have a pretty good idea.

In fact...

I suspect one of the reasons you were so
quick to walk out is that you didn't

take me seriously.

I know I haven't commanded a wealth of
respect from my fellow partners,

and I know you know that.

But what I also know is the disrespect
comes with the territory.

Somebody has to be the son of a bitch
around here, and that somebody is me.

Did you really think that the things we
asked for were all that unreasonable?

No. I just can't give them to you.

The lawyers here have all deferred their
bonuses.

The secretaries have to defer their
raises. As for your various complaints

the word processors, I'll look into
them. But that's it.

What about the lunch hour?

Roxanne, why has this become so
important?

Just like you want respect, Douglas, so
do we.

You're treated with respect.

We're not out to cheat you.

You get an honest day's work out of
every one of us.

I'm not saying I don't. That's exactly
what you're saying.

If you've got a problem with someone
slacking off or padding their overtime,

rid of them.

If you've got people putting in a full
day's work out there, let them use their

lunch hour however they want.

Don't rob the people who work for you of
their dignity, Douglas.

You want it back the way it was?

Yes.

Good So the storm has passed This one
has

anyway Things get a little nasty
sometimes seems to me things have been

but nasty around here

There's still residual resentment over
Rosalind.

Arnold is seething.

Victor is seething.

And every day it's somebody else's turn
to quit.

They come to work wondering what crisis
will present itself next.

Well, we'll survive.

Well, I'm not so sure I will.

Getting too old for hand -to -hand
combat.

You know, this was once a pleasant place
to work. There was fellowship.

There was trust?

Hey, it's not that bad, Leland.

Really, it's not that bad.

Yeah, it is.

For me, it is.

Sherry? Hi. What's up? I wasn't
expecting you.

I want to accept the $250 ,000 and
settle this case.

What? You heard me.

What's the matter, Sherry?

The INS subpoenaed my phone record.
What?

Maybe it means nothing. Maybe it means
they are about to start deportation

proceedings. Victor, I cannot lose my
residence.

I cannot.

Sherry, the INS just doesn't deport
people. They do if they find subversive

activities. My husband and I were
politically active.

They could probably come up with
something if they wanted to.

Politically active. You attended a few
protests. We all have.

Yes, well, when a naturalized citizen
protests, he is being patriotic.

If an alien protests, he is a dangerous
dissident.

Victor, you and I both know if the INS
targets somebody, you can't stop them. I

also know that it's just about
impossible to deport somebody to Iran.

I am not taking any chances.

If the lawsuit goes away...

I think immigration would, too. Sherry,
don't you quit. Don't you quit. Drop it,

Victor. It is time to forget about
justice and concentrate on survival.

If I didn't have kids, I would fight,
but I cannot risk being sent back to

I know you tried.

Knock, knock.

Permission to enter and have an ex parte
communication, Your Honor?

Granted.

Very nice.

I brought you a gift. Oh, my.

Look at that.

Oh, Michael.

Oh. I almost traded it in for a rope.

Two days on the job, they're already
calling you the hanging judge.

Yeah, well, I had to sentence a 16 -year
-old kid to a life term yesterday.

You didn't have to, Grace.

He'll be paroled in 15, Michael. If I
want to take a stand against gang

violence, I have to be tough about it.

I think you're going to be good at this

job, Grace.

Thank you for this, Michael.

I'm proud of you, Grace.

I'm really proud of you.

Thank you, Michael.

Michael, I'm really sorry about
surprising you that way the other day.

just... I guess that when something big
happens, instinctively, you're still the

one that I want to rush off and tell.

Why would you do that?

Don't know.

Now, that we shouldn't have done.

Maybe you should go.

I'm a judge.

I have to avoid the appearance of

impropriety.

I know.

I know.

Don't rip my robe.