Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law.

My father kept a mistress who made porno movies?

I was also the mother of his child.

Your?

My mother?

Not your.

Your brother.

Who is he?

His name is Errol Farrell.

And I am very happy to say he's a lawyer right here in Los Angeles, like you and

like your father.

Errol Farrell, I'm Douglas Brockman.

He wants us to represent his nephew in a criminal matter. John Vincent is

reputed to be one of the most powerful figures in organized crime in the

United States. I think the key word there is reputed.

Charles told me you were a little reluctant.

My mind's made up.

Some mistakes are very hard to live with, Ms. Van Horn.

I seriously suggest you rethink your position.

She's still drinking the champagne.

The guy's dead.

It gives us a chance to start over with a clean slate.

You start over, Charlie.

Alone. Please.

I wish you'd reconsider.

Not a chance.

All I'm asking is a little favor, which is let me partake in some of your primo

office space when no one's using it. Where's the harm?

The answer is unequivocally no.

Out of curiosity, does your wife know you're carrying on with that nearsighted

tootsie? Sheila. I'm sick of it, Douglas.

I'm sick of you.

With your sickening little affairs.

My lawyer will call you a lawyer Monday.

Mother?

What?

Like someone who's dying.

What a stupid question.

What are you doing here, anyway?

I wanted to see you.

Why?

Afraid I'll disinherit you before I die?

No, Mother.

Maybe I already have.

It's of no interest to me one way or the other.

You're a disappointment, Douglas.

You always were.

You're like your father.

Emotionally ungiving.

Humilist.

Petty tyrant.

Mean -spirited.

Tenurious. Those are your qualities, mother.

I'm not dead yet, don't you?

Dare use that donut. Please.

Please, Mother.

I don't want to argue.

I love you.

Far too little.

Far too late.

Thank you.

Michael, where are we in your court -appointed killer? I got a suppression

hearing scheduled for later this morning. I don't see how you can

bat for this guy, Michael. I got no choice.

The court assigned this case to me.

I gotta do my best.

Yes, well, since these court appointments usually don't generate fees

commensurate with hours put in, may I submit that a plea bargain of some sort

might be prudent?

Well, not if I can get him off altogether.

How are you gonna do that? He did it. Well, the only evidence they have is

circumstantial. If I can have his prior convictions included...

Case against and falls apart.

Stokes versus Megan Manufacturing. We answered the complaint. Certification

hearing is Friday.

What is this case? It's one lone disgruntled shareholder claiming he

client's stock due to false statements he made in their annual report.

He lost $2 ,000 when the stock went down. $2 ,000?

That's a pimple. That pimple could become a cancer. He's trying to bring a

action on behalf of 1 ,000 shareholders.

Can we stop it, Abby? I think we have a good chance, but I need help.

There's a ton of documentation to go through between now and Friday.

Jonathan?

Help her.

My week's a little tight, Douglas. Maybe Ann... Loosen it. The stakes on this

are huge.

Moving on.

Wheeler versus Redding. Victor?

I'm hoping we can effect the settlement before we go to trial, but I... I don't

know. Aside from my personal distaste for suing a fellow attorney, it would

that the chances of getting a judgment against someone like August Redding are

slim to none.

Listen, I'm not doing this as sport.

Jeanette Wheeler is an uneducated woman who relied on August Redding to get her

compensation for the death of her husband.

I mean, the settlement he came back with wasn't even close.

And nevertheless, proving a case like this is tough against somebody who isn't

legend. I don't know.

Last time I saw him in court, he seemed to be having a hard time remembering his

own client's name.

Well, I'm having lunch with Gus Redding today.

Maybe we can still work something out, hmm?

Well, as that concludes our agenda, we're out of here.

How's mother, Douglas?

Not good.

The doctor says she could go any time.

I'm sorry.

This is the last one, Abby.

Great. Could you take them to the conference room for me?

What is all this?

Annual reports and projections.

The rest are printouts of stock transactions.

And we've got to wait through all this crap?

We have to distinguish the shareholders.

If we can show that they're not all the same, they won't get certified as a

class. But basically they are the same.

They all bought and sold the stock and lost money.

Some bought preferred stock, some bought common. Some bought and sold directly,

some went to brokerage houses. No, the distinction's without a difference,

Not so.

If we can separate all the plaintiffs into a zillion different categories, the

judge might not lump them into a single class.

But you're going about this the wrong way. The focus of our defense should be

Rule 23. We should be moving to disqualify the named plaintiff. I

key is commonality.

waltzing in there with a list of trivial distinctions will not... I don't intend

to argue them as trivial.

Wait a second.

You're not arguing this motion.

I most certainly am. It's my case. But I'm the litigator here. Do you really

think that... I am just as much of a litigator as you are, Jonathan. Maybe,

I think one of the reasons Douglas assigned me to this... He assigned you

this to assist me, which makes you my assistant.

Now, here's a list of the categories.

Pick a box.

Mr. B.

It's Dr.

Connolly, line one.

Yes,

doctor?

I see.

I'll be there shortly.

Thank you.

Your mother?

She's gone.

If anyone needs me, I'll be at the hospital.

The convictions are relevant, Your Honor.

They go to modus operandi. That's crazy. Those crimes have nothing to do with

this case. It would be prejudiced... No, we're talking about a man's pattern for

committing late -night armed robberies.

A pattern which is probative... The bottom line is he is trying to use old

convictions to show that my client had a propensity to commit this crime.

You can't do that. I'm afraid he's right, Mr. Platt.

It would be prejudicial to allow evidence of those prior robberies,

in a Murder One case. If the defendant takes the stand, you could use those

convictions to impeach his credibility, but you're not going to submit that

stuff as independent evidence. I'm also going to exclude the prior conviction of

Mulaney, the co -defendant.

Which brings me to a different problem, gentlemen.

Attorney Michael Greenbaum, representing the co -defendant in this matter, has

apparently taken ill and can't continue.

So we're going to have to suspend our trial schedule temporarily until we

appoint somebody else.

Any ideas?

I want somebody with murder one experience.

Well, I don't know if she'd be interested, but I could ask former

Grace Van Owen. She's done plenty of capital cases.

Well, I know her.

Will she do it? I don't know. I'd have to ask her.

I'd like her appearance filed by the end of the week.

Are we done, gentlemen?

I always hated suing other lawyers, Leland.

That didn't stop you. You can rest assured it was never with a case as

the one you have against me. You've got to learn to be more selective. You can't

let your associates pick your path. Guys, I don't rally suing another lawyer

either. Particularly you, when I do think it's a strong case.

Nice to see you, Mr. Reddick. All right.

August?

I asked you for this lunch out of respect for our long friendship.

This case is just not going to go away.

Jeanette Wheeler has a legitimate cause of action against him. Which is what,

exactly?

Disappointment that our settlement wasn't bigger?

That settlement was a fraction of what it should have been had you done your

job. I did my job? Damn it, Gus, listen to reason.

You went to sleep on that woman's case, and it's not the first time something

like this has happened to you. I may not be as sharp as I once was, but I can

forget more law than these young guys will ever know.

Gus, you've got a real exposure here.

No one's trying to embarrass you or hold you up.

Are your numbers appreciably different from what Santiago communicated to my

office in the past?

Cifuentes. Cifuentes.

Are they?

We're prepared to accept a five -year layout on half a million dollars, all

terms to be kept strictly confidential.

No, sir.

The truth is, this is not a case about money, Leland. It's about my reputation.

My ability as an attorney.

Who steals my purse steals trash, but he who filches from me my good name robs

me of that which not enriches him and makes me poor indeed.

Victor Cifuentes is a very able attorney, August.

You would do well not to underestimate him.

Your cautionary is noted.

I look forward to watching him work.

This woman had a husband and his company killed him.

Just as surely as if they'd taken a shotgun and pointed it towards his

they killed him. She wanted a good lawyer.

And people told her that when she hired August Redding, she'd have herself a

great lawyer.

Imagine then how she must have felt.

when he told her that $20 ,000 was all that her husband's life was worth, or at

least all that he had settled for.

When you have the facts of this case presented before you, I believe that

see that there are only two possible explanations for this.

One is that August Redding is a painfully bad lawyer.

And no one in his right mind would say that.

The other is that he is a great lawyer who can't be a lawyer anymore.

We will present evidence to show that depositions were scheduled but never

taken, that discovery motions were allowed to expire.

Ladies and gentlemen, $20 ,000 does not reflect a man's life cut short at the

age of 47 with a widow and two children left behind. It reflects a lawyer's

failure and neglect.

The evidence will represent an attorney who invited trust, but couldn't keep his

end of the bargain.

What you're being asked to do is to hold him accountable.

Having August Redding for a client is, frankly,

a little intimidating. I don't think there's anyone who's ever seen him in

who hasn't been awed by him.

In a career that spanned five decades, he's shown himself to be a legal scholar

and a man of great compassion for those whose cause he's championed.

And while my adversary will take pains to portray that $20 ,000 as evidence of

Gus Redding having lost it, the truth is there aren't very many lawyers around

who could have gotten that.

Jeanette Wheeler wanted a silk purse from a sow's ear.

Gus Redding made her one. Now she's suing him because it wasn't big enough.

A disappointed plaintiff looks for someone to blame.

Well, that's understandable, ladies and gentlemen.

But it isn't malpractice.

I'm terribly sorry about your mother, Douglas.

Her heart finally gave out.

But the truth is, considering my pending divorce, it comes at a very good time.

It seems she left me her entire estate.

Do you need any help with arrangements?

No.

She left instructions with her attorney for a small memorial service and a

simple cremation.

Would you like to get some dinner? Thank you.

No, I'm not very hungry.

Douglas, I know that you and your mother were never that close, but still.

I remember when my mother died.

She was the last buffer between me and my mortality.

She never loved me, Leland.

I always thought it was my fault.

That if I could be a better son or a more successful lawyer, she'd soften

me.

She never did.

And now, here I am.

Soon to be single, suddenly quite wealthy.

Whole new vistas open before me.

So why is it that I feel...

That's three down.

Seven to go.

Abby, we're not going to make it. Sure we will.

It's taken one full day to get through just three.

So we'll work tonight and tomorrow night if we have to. What do we have to do is

cut out some of these categories. No, no, no. The more categories, the better.

Some of them aren't even relevant.

Take the amount of the shareholders lost. That means nothing for class

certification purposes.

That means a lot. The named plaintiff lost $2 ,000.

Some people lost as much as $10 ,000, which means that you cannot acquit...

That's stupid, and when the judge sees you wasting his time... Jonathan, just

it! I can't take this. Oh, you're bitching because you don't like the

chairing a case. I'm bitching because you're using this thing as a power trip.

Bossing me around gives you goosebumps, and you know it, and it all goes back to

my salary.

The wrong grading or miss... I am bossy because you refuse to cooperate. You

find it degrading to work for me. What's degrading is kowtowing to a legal

strategy that stinks. Oh, what the hell do you... You don't even know about

legal strategy. You've never even tried it, Kate.

At least I've got a good excuse for never having won one. Okay, I've had

of you. I have put up with your attitude. Hey!

What is going on here? I am trying to... See, it's just an arguing emotion in a

way which is guaranteed to lead to... Stop it!

Let me remind both of you.

If we don't defeat this class certification, our client faces

liability in excess of a million dollars in light of that serious possibility.

I suggest you stop this unprofessional bickering and get this job finished.

Mr. B, your brother's here to see you. Get rid of him. He won't leave. He said

he has to see you right away.

What are you doing here? I came down the minute I read the obituaries. Why

didn't you call me, Dougie?

I brought you a basket of dried fruit to help you through your bereavement.

I'm deeply touched, but I'm very busy. Now, if you'll excuse me. At a time like

this, Dougie, you need family.

At a time like this, I need you to leave me alone.

We need to talk.

I have nothing to say to you. Well, I have something to say to you,

Uh -oh.

You're not a beneficiary, so forget it. A preliminary read of the situation

tells me that the residuary of my father, our father's estate, was

transferred. Are you out of your mind?

His will was executed according to his terms. And the statute of limitations

long expired on it anyway.

See, you're jumping to conclusions that could take a probate court years to

reach.

What are you looking for, you slug? I paid my dues while the old lady was

living. I played by you people's rules.

And now I want what's right.

I'm going to draw up a full waiver of any and all claims, Errol. And when you

sign it...

I'll pay you $15 ,000.

Fifteen? She left you millions. If it's not acceptable, I suggest you and your

crack secretary get busy.

I'll be slapping you with papers it'll take a hand truck to carry. You owe me

better than this.

You are a jackal preying on other people's misery.

And I owe you nothing. Now get out!

Before I have you thrown out.

Given you're going through an emotional bad time, I'm going to forget the harsh

things we said here.

I'll take the 15.

But don't throw it on those papers, because I may change my mind.

So, what do you think? Will you do it?

Well, I don't know. I'm having a lot of fun doing nothing.

And you can't imagine how busy I've been doing it.

Aren't you getting a little bored?

Uh -uh.

You know, I went to the library yesterday.

And the museum the day before. And I spent two hours this morning shopping

didn't buy anything.

But it was wonderful.

It was relaxing.

I don't know.

Interior.

I like it.

I'm not sure I want to stop doing it yet.

The thing is, this is just a short -term situation.

You can find out how you feel about going back to work without actually

to make a full -time commitment.

As I recall, you never would have taken this trial if you'd had the choice.

But your guy's innocent.

All he did was fit in the car.

My guy did the crime. They both say so.

Come on, Gracie. It'd be fun to work together, wouldn't it?

Don't you think?

Yes, it would.

So, am I supposed to take that as a yes?

I'll meet with him, okay?

Okay.

And did you make a diagnosis relative to that finding?

Yes. Based on the lesions found in the colon and bowel wall, we determined he

was suffering from colorectal carcinoma.

Once more in English, Doctor.

Mr. Wheeler died from rectal cancer.

And as an industrial toxicologist, did you form an opinion as to the cause of

this cancer?

I did.

It resulted from breathing the carcinogenic powder or dust in the air

Aviation. Have you known other employees of Simmons Aviation to have been

diagnosed with... Objection. Other diagnoses have no relevance to this

proceeding. I intend to show that there are other plaintiffs with identical

afflictions that have prosecuted and won cases against Simmons Aviation. This

witness has no confidence... She was an expert witness at those trials, and she

has independent knowledge of their claims.

She's seen million -dollar verdicts of similar plaintiffs. Hey! And she's

competent to give an opinion as to this man's decision to throw away Mrs.

Wheeler's claim for a lousy $20 ,000.

Objection! Self -serving and false.

Your Honor. The objection is sustained.

Your Honor, I'd like to state my objection on the record.

You're represented here, Mr. Redding. I'm being represented by my own firm.

And since I personally filed an appearance, I'm entitled to state my

to opposing counsel's irresponsible speechifying.

So noted. Now, if you... I'd also like to point out that opposing counsel's

inexperience as a trial lawyer and his ignorance of negligence law...

...is no excuse... Objection! Mr. Redding... He knows I did nothing wrong.

You did everything... Everything's wrong.

Mrs. Wheeler, sit down.

I make a motion to strike this, Your Honor. You're in violation of 128 .5, my

friend. Your Honor. That's enough.

Now that everybody's made his little speech, I'm going to instruct the jury

disregard all of it, which I trust they've already done.

Mr. Cifuentes, proceed with direct examination.

Mr. Redding, sit down.

And Mr. Spitzer, control your client.

And I just stayed in the car while Andy went inside.

I thought he was going in to buy beer.

Didn't you hear the gunshot?

I had the radio going, so I didn't hear anything.

Until Andy gets back in the car real quick and tells me to take off.

Between you and me, Tommy, do you think the shooting was intentional?

Look, Andy's no killer, Miss Van Owen. I mean, he can be pretty wild and

everything, but he'd never hurt anybody on purpose.

It had to be an accident.

Okay. Since you tell me you're broke, there's no use moving for a bail

modification. We could never get O .R.

Well, the first attorney I had said that I should plead to manslaughter.

Well, that wouldn't be my strategy, and I doubt the state would go for it.

Why not?

Felony murder rule.

What's that?

It means that as long as you helped out, you might as well have pulled the

trigger. But I... I didn't know what was going on.

I know, but as far as they're concerned, you drove the getaway car.

You mean they're going to give you the death penalty for that?

Tommy, I know how frightening this is, but from what you're telling me, I think

your chances are pretty decent for an acquittal.

Please, Ms. Maddow, I'm begging you.

Take my case, please. I didn't do anything.

I'm taking your case, Tommy.

I'll be in touch.

And in your opinion, then, sir, how did Mr. Redding handle this case? I renew my

objection as to foundation, Judge. This man doesn't know the facts of the

Wheeler -Simmons Aviation. This man has been a personal injury lawyer for 15

years, Your Honor, and I think that he's quite capable of evaluating another

lawyer's performance.

He can answer the question.

In your opinion, Mr. Evans, my opinion is August Redding was guilty of gross

neglect. He let the discovery deadline pass without bothering to subpoena

environmental or medical records. He never deposed anybody.

You can't even begin to evaluate your case until you meet the witnesses and

ascertain their demeanor and credibility.

And do you have an opinion, sir, of Mr. Redding's decision to settle this

matter?

I consider that to be offensively low.

Liability was clear. The damages were obviously high. Mr. Wheeler was young.

This case was worth half a million dollars.

Easily. Thank you, Mr. Aronson. I have nothing further.

I'm a little confused, Mr. Aronson.

Now, you said it's impossible to even evaluate a case without meeting the

witnesses, seeing their demeanor, and so forth. Is that correct?

Yes. Well, did you meet the witnesses in the Wheeler case?

No. Here you are evaluating its worth at half a million dollars. I admit it's a

ballpark estimate, but... Do you know the amount of medical expenses incurred

Mr. Wheeler as a result of the cancer?

It was in the neighborhood... No, I'm not interested in neighborhoods, sir. Do

you know?

Not the exact amount. What about Mr.

Wheeler's pre -existing colitis condition?

How long did he have that?

I believe it was quite some time.

Quite some time.

I must say, Mr. Aronson, you certainly have a strong command of the details

here. The point is, a lot of that information wasn't even in the file

your client failed to collect it. The point is, you yourself don't have enough

information about this case to really evaluate its worth, right?

Of course, I need more, but I can certainly... Thank you.

Mr. Aronson.

Did you ever have occasion to try a case against Mr.

Redding and see him in action firsthand?

Yes. What happened?

He won.

Well, in fact, sir, he beat you for a $7 million verdict.

The worst pasting you ever took. I object, Your Honor. There is no evidence

here. The relevance is this man is bitter. Objection! He's jealous.

He's envious with a big fat chick. I object, Your Honor.

Mr. Spitzer, that will do.

I'm sorry, Judge.

Mr. Aronson, one last question. To make sure we all understand what's going on

up here, you're a lawyer criticizing another lawyer who once

soundly whipped you, and you're passing judgment on a case that you don't even

have all the facts on.

Now, isn't that exactly right?

In a manner of speaking. No further questions.

In a manner of speaking.

Let us be honest with death.

Let us not pretend that death is less than it is.

It is separation.

It is sorrow.

It is grief.

But let us not pretend that death is more than it is.

It is not annihilation. As long as memory endures, the influence

of Hazel Brackman will be with us.

It is not an end to joy or laughter.

Nothing would less honor this woman than to make our lives drab and counterfeit.

What are you doing here?

Just came to pay my respects.

By the by, did you get around to cutting my check yet?

If you don't stop badgering me, I'll come down on you like the wrath of God.

Dougie, lighten up. It's a funeral.

And like the glory of an autumn sun has lit the world through its day. It's so

terrible. I can't believe his wife didn't even show up.

There are strange drugs here. What difference does that make? His mother

A light we trust still shineth beyond the distant peaks of this world's

horizon. For life goes on. What are you doing?

No death.

Who are you?

Rejoice. I'm your brother, Gordon.

A devotion to loved ones, friends, and family.

For hers was a generous...

The fact that our genetic tide pools may overlap cuts no ice with me, mister.

I've gotten rid of one freeloading brother already.

What'll it take to get rid of you?

Hey, look, I want nothing from you.

I was here. I was attending a conference.

I read your mother's obituary in the paper.

I wanted to reach out to you.

Under the circumstances, I perfectly understand your suspicions. Bartender,

check. I've never heard of you. I've never heard from you.

Why should I even believe you're my brother?

Douglas Brackman, Sr.

And Little Gordon Salt.

It's a pony ride on La Cienega.

1948. I was four years old.

Okay.

So you're my brother.

It doesn't mean anything.

You're right.

Kinship is earned. It's not imposed.

I wish you well, Douglas.

And if you're ever in Seattle, if you feel like looking me up, I'd be honored.

Wait!

What do you do in Seattle?

I'm a psychotherapist.

I should have known.

I suppose you have some probing insights to bestow on me.

It's nothing to probe, really. It's all pretty obvious.

Such as?

Such as you were the dutiful and obedient son, yet your mother gave

herself.

Yes. You were the strong and devoted husband, father, yet your wife and kids

didn't even come to the chapel in your hour of grief.

Yes. Harold Farrell asks you to be a brother while he acts like a parasite?

Yes.

You're always on the giving end.

Douglas, isn't it time you were the one doing the receiving?

I find it so hard to do that.

This might sound like some glib psychological homily, but if you can't

yourself to receive, then giving is not generosity, it's manipulation.

You know, that's interesting you say that.

People have offered me their kindness, and I've sent them all the way.

The lawyers in my office?

It sounds like you're in a lot of pain.

My mommy died, Gordon.

Now she did.

Because she was an unloving parent, it's the worst rejection of all.

But what do you do with the hurt?

Cleanse it with love.

You forgive her.

And you move on.

God.

Where were you when my marriage was breaking up?

I'm here now.

It's too late. Oh, is it?

Are you too frightened to try?

I have to get back to my office to check on a couple of associates right now.

But if I can convince her, would you meet with Sheila and me tomorrow?

Well, my morning is jammed, but I have a free hour at one o 'clock.

If you can come to my suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel, we can order up

lunch. If I have to drag her kicking and screaming, we'll be there.

She has to want it, Douglas.

Because if she doesn't, we can't force her.

It's that simple?

Brotherly love.

Abby.

Abby. What?

Down to our last box.

Great. We're doing more than 12 hours. I don't ever want to see another computer

stock logged for as long as I live.

An annual report.

I can't read anymore.

Yes, you can.

You're almost done.

I don't know where I'm going to die.

I got an idea.

I might just have something... We're saved.

Oh, what's that?

Self -motivation tape?

Better. It's temptation.

What? One of my professors used to tell us that you just can't study anymore,

but you've got to keep going.

Dance. I'm too tired to dance. Trust me, Abby, this work should be energized in

three minutes.

Yeah, I need three weeks on a beach.

I know you won't believe me, but I refuse to let you go.

If I have...

Oh, my God.

It's gratifying to see both of you have worked out your differences.

Good night.

Different plaintiffs will be relying on different sets of facts to prosecute

their claims. Depending on the date of the transaction.

The means of purchase. The amount involved.

The way in which... Hold it, will you please?

Why does it take two of you to argue this matter?

I'm speaking as to liability for the company, Your Honor, while Mr. Rawlins

focusing on the individual officers and directors. Which directors also have

separate defenses available to them? Depending upon the specific plaintiff

involved. The information actually known to them. The circumstances surrounding

the entire... Time out.

The ping -pong twins have a point, Mr. Mosher.

The common questions don't predominate here. I realize that, Judge, but this

would be completely impractical to litigate on a case -by -case basis.

Each shareholder only lost a few thousand dollars.

I mean, the victims are going to spend more on legal fees than they'd ever

to recover. The ability to finance a lawsuit is not relevant to typicality.

attorney fees are recoverable in 10b -5 actions. I mean, not only that... I'm

sorry. Go ahead. No, that's all right. You go.

No, I insist.

Hey, I'll go.

Mr. Moshe, the common questions don't predominate here. Your motion is denied.

Next case.

You did it.

You were great.

So were you.

So, I guess we should get back to the office. Let the client know there's only

one plan to sue him instead of thousands. Yeah.

Yeah, better let him know.

Abby,

I want to clear the air about last night.

Oh, what about it?

Well, it's no great secret we're kind of attracted to each other. I just don't

want you to get the wrong idea.

About what?

You know, us. I'm just not ready for a heavy office romance.

Oh, God.

You really are a jerk.

Hey, it's not like I forced you into it. Now, Jonathan.

Look, if in the course of killing ourselves for 72 hours, we got a little

Maybe even a little curious?

What's wrong with that?

Nothing. I... I just thought... You just thought that you were the greatest

thing since pimento loaf.

Look,

I think that we both realize it's a lot better for us to be friends for a long

time instead of lovers for a short time.

Okay? Okay.

Now, do you think we can properly congratulate one another?

Absolutely.

I don't even know what I'm doing here.

Why are you here?

Because of his hangdog look. His manipulative begging.

I hate it!

You're free to go. Sure. Then it's all my fault. Well, isn't it? All you ever

is take, demand, bitch about what everyone else has without being grateful

what you've been given. Oh, please. Please, you've given me nothing.

You're an absentee husband, a cold, disinterested, predictable lover.

Well, what do you expect?

Every time I get into bed, I have to compete with Bjorn or Roger or my own

brother Errol, not to mention God knows who else.

Aurelio. Aurelio?

Who's Aurelio?

He's the packaging supervisor at Gelson's. A box boy, for God's sakes?

I don't know why I even brought it here.

What's the point?

What is the point, indeed?

All right, the point is this. You two have armored yourselves with so much

hostility that you have forgotten how to love. What's to love?

His bald head?

His hairy shoulders? His knobby knees?

Stop it!

How can you let her keep saying those things?

Expressing anger is safer than admitting pain. Mumbo jumbo. And your anger is

your excuse.

For not changing.

More mumbo jumbo. Or is it?

Well, now that you're single, are you experiencing your freedom? Or are you

still imprisoned by pain?

By rage? By a life of unmet expectations?

Yes. And it's not fair. He promised me things.

But there are no promises. There are no guarantees. It is your life.

You have to take responsibility for it, whether you're with this man or not.

I don't know how.

I think there's a secret Sheila inside you.

A loving, creative, nurturing Sheila.

She's bursting to be free.

You can see that?

Mm -hmm.

You release her and you will never again look to a man to give you what you can

only give yourself.

I want to throw pots.

You've already broken half the dishes in the house. That's not what she means.

Is it?

No.

I want to be an artist. I want to sit at the wheel, my hands in wet clay.

Then do it.

Reach into your dark, moist well of talent.

Explore it with your heart and your hands and your soul.

Release the anger. Let it go.

You're essential.

Earthy woman with an infinite capacity for giving.

I know it.

But did he?

How could he?

Have you ever given yourself to him?

Not given in.

But really given.

I want to try.

Me too.

Mr. Redding, Jeanette Wheeler signed the settlement papers with Simmons

Aviation, is that right? I witnessed it, yes.

You recall putting a gun to her head at the time? My arsenal of persuasive

devices has never included firearms, Mr. Spitzer.

You recommended that she sign?

You bet.

Can you tell us why? Well, let me start by offering some objective reasons.

Questionable causality of Tom Wheeler's condition.

contributory negligence in the form of his refusal to use personal safety

devices on the job, the fact that Jeanette Wheeler was already making a

for herself.

All this goes into the hopper. Now, let me add, though, that there's no formula,

there's no book you can read that'll tell you which one's to settle and which

one's to try.

43 years of practice tells you that. And you can't summarize what that means on

a witness stand because it'd take another lifetime to even come close.

but you can rest assured it's all up here.

Thank you, sir.

I have no further questions.

Good afternoon, Mr. Redding. My name is Victor Cifuentes.

I believe we've met.

Does the name Kate Morrison mean anything to you, sir? No, should it?

She's a registered nurse who was employed by Simmons Aviation and was

to testify to the prevalence of cancer victims at that company.

I'm sure you'll forgive me if a few obscure names from two or three years

elude my powers of recall.

Ed Popoff?

Cleve Dortmunder?

Nelson Moon? Ron Nicolaitis? Any of those names ring a bell, sir? Objection.

This isn't a quiz show. What's the significance of these names?

They were all co -workers of Tom Wheeler.

All diagnosed with varying forms of malignancy.

I'll allow it.

Mr. Redding, do any of these names ring a bell?

None of them.

I suppose you never took time to take their depositions either, is that right?

I won't waste time with meaningless discovery exercises, Counselor. Isn't it

true, sir, that the lawyers for Simmons Aviation knew full well that your

failure to carry out even minimal discovery would have resulted in a

judgment against you if you did try and take the case to trial? Not so far as I

know. And wasn't the $20 ,000 a scrap they were throwing to you?

A nuisance settlement?

Objection. Absolutely not. And didn't you grab for that scrap knowing that it

was that or nothing?

Objection, Your Honor. This is argumentative badgering.

Sustained.

What's my name, Mr. Redding? Why, was I supposed to depose you too?

My name is Victor Cifuente.

What cases did you rely on, sir, in deciding that $20 ,000 was all you could

for cancer?

They're in my head. And let me tell you something, Johnny. If I couldn't get her

more than that, no one could.

Did you stand up in court, sir, during this trial and state an objection for

record? I think I did.

Was the objection sustained or overruled? I'm not sure.

What was the objection, sir? I don't remember.

What's my name?

Objection! Overall.

What's my name? I don't remember.

Victor C. Fuentes, where did you have lunch today?

Objection. Goes directly to the witness's short -term memory and

practice the law. I ate lunch at Jimmy's. No, sir. You ate lunch at the

Club. You're trying to trap me.

Yes, sir. That is exactly what I am trying to do. I am trying to trap you

your own inability to remember the simplest, most basic pieces of

I've broken the backs of insurance companies in six states.

What's my name, sir?

Counsel is badgering this witness. This witness has been a trial lawyer for 43

years, Your Honor, and I am asking him a simple question.

You know how many times I've made law?

Common carrier liability.

Ferguson v.

St. Boniface ski tour, 6 Cal, 2nd 42.

Indemnification of agent by principal, Bullock v.

Sakowski, 50 Cal, 309.

Look it up. Your Honor.

What's my name, Mr. Redding? You want names? Delia Maldonado.

Giesler called me, begged me to take her case.

The woman owes her life to me. Will the court direct the witness to either

answer the question or indicate that he is unable to answer the question?

Mr. Redding. They all know me. Percy Foreman, Ed Williams, Jerry Spence. Ask

Weitzman about me. He'll tell you he's seen me in action.

Gus. Mr. Redding, can you answer Mr.

Sifuente's question?

What's the question?

What's my name? I don't know.

Your Honor, I would ask for a 20 -minute recess.

Court to resume at 4 .15.

This court is in recess for 20 minutes.

All interested parties should return at that time.

Can we find a room and settle this out?

Yeah.