Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law.

So, did you get the test results?

Yeah, there's nothing wrong with you. The reason you can't get pregnant is me.

Low sperm count. Low motility.

Am I about to get beat up again for being a lawyer, Grace?

For being single -mindedly devoted to putting a vicious bastard like Calvin

Scholes back on the street.

I have to hear this from you? It occurs to even me.

That there just might be one or two things more important than all us

of the court playing our assigned role.

Right. And Mussolini made the trains run on time.

I will tell you, it's our consensus that you're an exceptional talent.

One who's exceeded our every expectation. We think with proper

nurturing, you could be an outstanding lawyer with a long and rewarding future

at this firm.

Thank you.

Oh, how do you want your phone answered?

Law office. I'm out of it.

Law Offices of Abigail Perkins.

Yeah. Yeah, that's fine.

Hey, what do you think you're doing?

God, Arnie.

Hoping to duck in and out unnoticed?

That was the plan.

How goes the plan, in general?

Well, actually, I think fine.

Which, considering how blindly I got into this, probably translates to grace.

Ah, but are you making any money?

It's coming in.

My expenses are modest.

Not what you're looking for.

Modesty in all things.

No, I would have stayed here if I wanted that.

Well, then let me offer you my going -away present.

Free consultation with my publicist.

A publicist?

Abbey, I am serious. She's great.

She's young, she's classy, she's got fabulous media contact. My professional

visibility is the highest it's ever been, I gotta tell you.

Translates handsomely to the bottom line.

I don't know, Ernie. I think I'll just rely on good old -fashioned word of

mouth. Abbey, listen to me.

Personally, I don't think you should have gone out on your own, but as long

you did, don't become some low -rent ambulance -chasing day player.

Give yourself a competitive edge. There's a trillion lawyers out there.

Okay, I'll meet with her.

Okay?

Okay.

I'm setting it up.

Abby.

Well, nice to see you.

I have a referral for you. A fellow who's done some plumbing work for me.

Expect his call.

Thank you, Douglas.

Well, how's it going, Counselor? Great.

Nice suit.

Abby.

Benny, hi. How are you?

Good. Me too.

You need me to help move stuff?

No, I think I'm fine.

I can come on Saturday or Sunday, anytime you like.

Thank you. You're a real friend, Betty.

So are you.

I gotta go.

You take care.

Abby.

Abby.

I... I miss you all the time.

I miss you too, Benny.

Mackenzie Brackman, good morning.

What I am suggesting, one and all, is that the very people who insisted that

installation of a fax machine would slice our messenger bills in half are

ones who have failed to make good use of it. Can we get on with it?

Coil versus Terranova instruments.

Ready for trial.

That's the wrongful death suit where the guy fell off the mountain? Yeah.

Quack. Exactly where is the liability here? I mean, the guy goes out for a

social outing, he falls down, so what? The liability is the company coercion.

Rock climbing with the boss is practically a required activity if you

promoted. Is anybody else hot in here?

It's like an oven.

Do you want to swap? I'm right here by the AC.

Oh, yes.

Let me come here. Thanks.

Excuse me.

Returning our attention to the trial, Jonathan.

We're a little concerned about you flying solo here on such a potentially

matter. I can handle it. Just the same. Victor.

We'd like you to sit second chair to provide whatever backup may be. Me?

This is nothing against you, Jonathan.

It most certainly is something against me. You're saying you don't trust me.

no, it's not that at all. It's just that you're a second -year attorney without

much trial experience, and we feel we owe it to the client. It's my case.

She's my client, and she is perfectly comfortable with me handling it alone.

Plus, which my schedule for this week is jammed. Ann and Michael can help out on

your... Leland!

The decision has been made.

And I think... Think?

Where are you going? I suddenly have a trial to prepare for.

Look, the quality of your decision aside, your timing is great.

That kid has probably got the biggest trial of his life coming up, and you

undercut his confidence an hour before kickoff?

Very prudent.

Well, Leland, you certainly handled that beautifully.

Stuart, I want you to call the doctor.

Just let me get my bearings in it.

It'll be all right.

I don't care how many sperm this drug is supposed to be building. If it's

blurring your vision, it can't be okay.

It's just sitting there. All of a sudden, this flush starts on my whole

I want you off the drug now.

I'll call the doctor.

Promise? I said, I'll call the doctor.

Hi, Ben.

Michael, you have a call. Who is it? Grace Van Owen.

Tell her I'm in a meeting.

Miss Perkins?

Whitey Holland.

Mr. Brackman referred me?

Of course. Come on in. Excuse the hand. I just came from a job.

It's a real pleasure.

The pleasure's mutual, Mr. Holland.

Please, sit down. I'm hoping you're going to take a big load off my mind

this cork.

Well, we'll do our best.

Now, why don't you tell me exactly where you stand?

This customer of mine, it was a rehab on a health spa.

One of those jobs that's a four -legged bitch from beginning to end.

Rubber checks, lots of promises.

Finally, I told them, you get nothing more from me until I see the dough.

They got somebody else to finish the job.

I'm out about 2 ,500 bucks in labor. I figure, fine, I'm rid of them.

Until I'm sued.

Do you have the papers they served?

I just rushed over.

Don't worry, you can send them over.

I'm supposed to be in court tomorrow.

Tomorrow? I know.

It's hopeless. It's too late. You can't help me.

No, no, no, no, no.

Um... What I'll do is, tomorrow I can get a continuance, which shouldn't be a

problem, and then we can sit down and sift through this in a little more

That'd be great.

Now, I'll need a retainer from you of $1 ,000.

Yeah, sure, fine.

Geez, I hope you'll take a check.

Was your husband looking forward to making the excursion?

Terry was dreading the trip. He had never been rock climbing in his life.

Why did he go?

Because Mr. Osteen invited him. And if you ever want to get a promotion at

Terranova, you go rock climbing with the president of the company if he asks you

to. Objection. Conclusory.

Sustained. Mrs. Coyle, did you ever try to dissuade your husband from making

this trip?

Repeatedly. He was 30 pounds overweight.

He never exercised. It was crazy.

But he felt he'd never get ahead if he didn't go.

And he said he owed it to me and the kids.

Ma 'am, this may be somewhat upsetting for you, but I'd like you to take a look

at a photograph of your husband taken by the Kern County Medical Examiner.

Objection. This hasn't been marked or authenticated. I'm having her

authenticated. Oh, my God.

Is this Terry? She has no foundation to authenticate it, and you know it. Is

this Terry?

This is totally inflammatory, Your Honor.

It is not inflammatory. It's relevant to show the brutal, violent death suffered

by her husband. This is a cheap stunt, Your Honor. He sprung this photo on his

own witness just to manipulate the jury. I object to that.

How could you show him like this? Please, ma 'am. How could you do this to

Look at him! Mrs. Coyle. Just look at him.

Your Honor, I know it's not my role to look out for Mr. Rollins' client.

But I feel we should allow Mrs. Coyle a short recess to collect herself.

Unless Mr.

Rollins objects.

Twenty minutes.

for Terranova Instruments from August of 1980 until February of 1984.

Were you familiar with the term pay your Jews on the rock?

I was.

And what did it refer to?

The head of the company, Peter Osteen, was this avid, fanatical rock climber.

And an invitation to go climbing with him was taken to be the equivalent of

getting rushed by a fraternity. You know, we think we want you, but we'd

take a closer look.

Mr. Noyes.

Were you ever invited on a climb? Yes, I was. October of 83.

Did you go?

Yes, I did.

It was Yosemite.

I got to the foot of what they were calling a rock, and there's this guy way

there, flat against it, and he looks like one of those stuffed cats you see

suctioned to a car window.

Well, nothing short of a cattle prod was going to get me up there, so I thanked

them for the opportunity to come to terms with my mortality, and I went

And what consequence, if any, did you suffer by refusing to climb?

Well, I never got that promotion I was in line for.

And, in fact, I was demoted.

And in February of 1984, I resigned.

Thank you, Mr. Noyes.

I have no more questions.

Mr. Noyes, you lost a major sales account ten days before your demotion,

you? Well, you win and lose accounts all the time. Yes, but this was Fullerton

Hospital, your biggest account, right?

Yes.

Do you make room for the possibility, sir, that your demotion might have had

something to do with your costing Terra Nova over $300 ,000 in lost revenues?

That wasn't it.

Look, everybody knows you're expected to do the rock climb.

Terry Coyle probably felt like he had to do it.

Had you ever met Terry Coyle, sir?

No, not personally.

But at Terranova... So you didn't really know what Mr. Coyle thought or knew,

did you?

I didn't have personal knowledge, no.

And were you there the day of this tragedy?

No, I was not.

So you didn't have an opportunity to see or know anything, did you?

I didn't see it, but Mr. Rollins showed me the pictures.

Yes, he's very helpful that way.

Thank you.

Nothing further.

Case number 4271, Mount Olympus House of Tone versus Nathaniel Holland.

Plaintiffs ready for trial.

Abigail Perkins for the defendant. I've just been retained, Your Honor. I'll be

speaking in continuance. What, again?

I'm sorry? This is the third trial date he's shown up for with a new lawyer

looking for a continuance.

Your Honor, my previous counsel was not competent, as guaranteed to me by the

Sixth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States.

Forget it. You're not going to delay this anymore. Not with new lawyers, not

with constitutional amendments.

Your Honor, I've never even seen the papers.

Look, it's a simple case.

We'll put the plaintiff on today, and then I'll give you a day to prepare your

defense. Call your first witness.

Plaintiff calls Leonard Mosier, Jr. to the stand.

The only reason I hired him... The only reason was he promised to finish by

Memorial Day weekend, my grand opening.

Mr. Mosier, could you tell us, did he finish the plumbing work by that date,

sir? Oh!

Move to strike, non -responsive. Answer the question, sir. The morning of my

grand opening, I got a hundred people in the lobby, and he's still whacking on

the pipe.

People in tuxedos waiting to see a full -service health club, restaurant, juice

bar. Were you able to open the club, sir?

Well, finally, about noontime, he says it's finished.

Well, I didn't have no inspection or nothing.

But, hell, I got potential customers here. So you did open. Took them on a

Weight room, life cycle, everything's looking smart.

Here we get to the shower facility. I especially wanted them to see that

I had gold flecks put in the tiles.

Your Honor, this is narrative.

Just tell us what happened, Mr. Mosher. This lady.

Nice lady in a cream -colored dress decides to test the shower.

She turns on the nozzle, and out comes this crap.

What do you mean by crap, sir? I mean crap, like in bowel movement.

The man hooked the sewer line to my plumbing. You're sure?

The water was brown, and some of it was chunky.

Your Honor.

And he tells me it just needs more chlorine. Here, say.

Can I tell him about the bar?

What was wrong with the bar?

Oh, man.

First guy up orders the doors with a splash.

You should have seen that flash. Okay, I get the picture. Things was floating

around in the jacuzzi. All right, Mr. Mosher.

Arnie Becker is a publicist's dream.

Well, he certainly loves you. No, I have not slept with him, if that's what you

mean. Now, I understand, and I think I understand, how it works with actors,

how do you publicize a lawyer without making it, you know... Sleazy.

Yeah, okay.

First of all, what I like to do with our non -celebrity clients is position them

in their field of expertise.

Like, I'll get this.

Like, my goal for Arnie Becker is to have every Rolodex and every newspaper

TV station in L .A. with his name in it under divorce.

Legislature passes a law concerning community property.

Reporters call Arnie for a thoughtful reaction.

This has got to be great for business.

Or I place him as a guest lecturer at an ABA family law symposium. Then I

orchestrate some quality press coverage.

The publicist hands, moi, totally unseemly. People read the paper and they

figure that Arnie Becker is the expert.

Which he is.

But even assuming I can afford you.

I'm not an Arnie Becker. I'm a beginning general practitioner.

Oh. Who happens to be young, attractive, sexy as hell, photogenic.

Single? Single mom.

Me too.

So what would be so wrong with promoting you as, say, a legal consumer advocate

for a local TV station?

Nothing. Or a legal advice column in a magazine like Ladies Home Journal.

That wouldn't be too shabby, would it?

I'd love it. Legal rights for single mothers. Something like that.

What do you normally charge for your services?

Normally two a month. Two hundred?

Two thousand.

But if I can't generate at least that much income for you within the first

month, then I am not doing my job and you can me.

Arnie's right.

You are great.

Thanks.

Abby, I like you too.

And I think I can make things happen for you.

I can't afford you. Don't worry about that now.

Let's worry about a hook. One case with an angle that we can exploit.

I'm not exactly attracting any glamour stuff.

Unless you think you can do something with sewage.

Has a certain raw appeal.

Look, you might have to wait six months, maybe a year. That case is going to

come along, and when it does, watch out.

Deal? Deal.

So you saw nothing wrong with sending a novice such as Mr. Coyle up that rock?

No, he was perfectly capable of making the climb.

He'd already made it to the top. It was...

He was coming down when it happened.

And what exactly happened as you saw it, Mr. Osteen?

Well, we were... We were rappelling.

And Terry was leaning too far out. He tipped over upside down. And I started

down for him as soon as I saw he was in trouble. He was swinging back and forth.

And I just kept screaming at him just to hold on.

But... He panicked.

Then he started pulling the rope off his chest.

And what happened then, sir?

Well, he fell.

I tried to get to him, but he just panicked.

Mr. Osteen, you've heard testimony that your employees felt pressured into doing

this climb.

I can't believe that's true.

Everybody knew that this was a social thing. It was purely social.

And did you ever, sir, directly or indirectly suggest that doing these rock

climbs could promote job security?

No, absolutely not.

Thank you, sir.

I have nothing further.

According to an interview you gave to Recreational Climber magazine four years

ago, and I quote, a mountain takes the measure of a man. It's a better judge of

character than any executive search committee.

I said that.

I was speaking of myself and what rock climbing... You were using those climbs

to judge your executive characters, weren't you? No. It was social. It was

Fun?

How much fun were you having while he was dangling upside down from that rope?

Objection. Was it fun watching him plummet to his death?

Objection! Mr. Rollins! I tried to save him. You helped to kill him! Mr.

Rollins! Your Honor, uh, Your Honor, I'd like to have a few seconds to confer

with counsel, please. Make it fast.

He's up. What the hell are you doing?

Jonathan, the jury's looking at you like a monster. Just dial it back, okay?

Okay. Okay.

I'm sorry if I upset you, sir.

But isn't it true? Had you not pressured Terry Coyle into making that climb,

he'd be alive today.

That's argumentative and cruel. Cruel? Your Honor, we all know how horrible

tragedy was. He needn't exacerbate it like this by punishing and bullying

everybody. I object to that self -serving attack, and I take personal

Both of you, that's enough!

I'm sorry, Your Honor.

And Mr. Rollins.

I'm so sorry if I've hurt your feelings.

Yeah, sure, I'll check. Hang on.

Michael?

It's Grace.

I'm in a meeting.

Still?

Still. Good night, Elizabeth.

Good night, Michael.

How'd the Bloustein audit go?

Lousy.

How do you feel?

Lousy.

Still?

I thought once you stopped taking the drug, the symptoms would disappear.

Oh, yeah, they did.

Right along with my last chance of getting you pregnant.

Do it.

This is not an impossible situation.

Ann, the normal average sperm count is 125 million, give or take.

I got a lousy 16 million.

16 million sounds like a lot to me.

Yeah, well, it's not.

Except if they're all little mad beyondies, then.

Sperm Olympics, I like it.

Yeah, it's great.

I can't even make the qualifying heat.

Hey, all it takes is one cute little sperm in Speedo suit and goggles. Yeah,

it's not funny.

We didn't have much of a chance with the drug without... I just feel like it was

a goddamn wimp.

Stuart, you're not a wimp.

And we're not without other options.

Sperm bank.

Hey, I'm not crazy about the idea, but it's something to think about.

You want to tell your kid he wasn't conceived, he was defrosted?

Listen to me.

According to the doctor, there's still some things we can do.

Techniques we can use.

Times of the month when our chances increase.

Think quality of sperm, Stuart, not quantity.

Lock the door?

Uh -uh.

I'm not doing it all over Maury Blaustein's audit.

I want dinner.

I want candlelight.

I want dancing.

And then maybe... Ba -boom, ba -boom.

Ba -boom, ba -boom.

Or if you prefer... Ba -bing, ba -bing.

Remember, Stuart, think sperm.

And as Mr.

Coyle's supervisor, Mr. Swayze, would you tell the court whether this rock

-climbing expedition was a function of his employment?

It definitely was not.

Was it even remotely connected to career advancement?

Look, a lot of people think, hey, it can't hurt to go hiking with the boss.

But was it policy?

Was it quid pro quo for promotion?

The answer is no.

Thank you, sir. Nothing further.

How much were you paid by Terranova?

Objection. There's no relevancy to Mr. Swayze's salary. The relevancy is this

man gets paid a fat salary by the defendant. A salary he doesn't want to

jeopardize right now. I'll allow it.

How much were you paid by Mr. Osteen, sir?

Terranova pays me $85 ,000 a year.

And you would lie to protect that $85 ,000, wouldn't you?

Objection. I'm not lying. You're lying to save your job, aren't you? Your

I object to this interruption.

How many noses does he have to bloody? Miss Stritch.

I am sorry, Your Honor.

But it is difficult for me to keep quiet while he continually victimizes

innocent witnesses.

I said that's enough.

Now sit down.

And Mr. Rollins, she's right.

Stop the badgering.

They badgered Terry Coyle into going up that rock.

Objection! Mr. Rollins! I have nothing further.

Any redirect, miss? Excuse me, judge. I've got a couple of questions for the

witness. It better be brief.

What do you think you're doing? Sit down.

Good afternoon, Mr. Swayze.

I'm Victor C. Fuentes, co -counsel with Mr. Rollins.

I just have a couple of questions, and then we can let you go. If I can begin,

how many vice presidents are there at Terranova, sir?

Besides me, there are seven. And of those seven, how many have gone rock

climbing just prior to their promotions?

I wouldn't know.

Well, if I tell you, sir, that through our pretrial discovery, we have

determined that number to be seven, would that surprise you?

Nothing surprises me.

Really?

So when I tell you that nobody who's refused to go rock climbing has ever

on to make vice president, that wouldn't surprise you?

It's just a coincidence.

Coincidence?

If people don't like rock climbing, they don't have to go.

I see.

Are you a rock climbing fan, Mr. Swayze?

Not wild about it. But you've done it. Once. When was that, sir?

When Mr. Osteen invited me. And were you up for the vice presidency at that

time, Mr. Swayze?

I believe I was.

And three weeks after that, you, in fact, were made vice president. Correct,

Swayze? That would be correct.

Thank you, sir.

Nothing further.

You left out key evidence. I had to get in. I could have gotten it in. You lost

your focus, Jonathan.

You had no right to humiliate me like that.

How the hell do you think you looked at me jumping in as soon as I... I jumped

in to save you.

This is my case. It was your case. I'm taking over.

You are like hell. Come on, Jonathan.

Nobody makes a fool out of me like this. Not you. Go ahead.

Well, you want to take a shot at me now? You want to beat me up?

You have got a client out there with no husband who is about to lose a lawsuit

and any chance to salvage a life for her kids, and you're in here crying because

your ego's bruised. You listen to me. My closing argument's all prepared. I'm

the best man to give it. They truly hate you, Jonathan. They don't want to even

look at you, much less listen to you.

Now, I didn't want in on this case, but I am in, and I got to do what's best for

the client.

That means me taking over right now. You don't like it? Talk to Mackenzie.

Or quit.

It was dark. I mistook the waistline for the main. And what percentage of your

work had you completed?

All of it. I did everything except for that one mistake, which I never would

have made if he hadn't been breathing down my back, putting all that pressure

me. All right.

I think I've heard the stories here and I'm going to rule.

Before you do, Judge, let me simply remind the court of the substantial loss

business suffered by my client as a result of that.

putrid raw sewage pulsating through Mr. Mosher's pipe.

I'd also like to remind the court that Mr. Mosher failed to have any permits on

the day of his grand opening. That's because of your guy.

The building inspection is independent of plumbing, Your Honor, and the fact is

that Mr. Mosher had no right to open that club on the day in question.

She's right, Mr. Sylvia.

All right.

I'm fining for the plaintiff, but I'm denying all consequential damages.

Mr. Holland will pay the cost of repair of $2 ,300 plus court course of $500.

We're adjourned.

We got to appeal. I've been screwed.

We're not appealing.

That judge was bought. We can sue him for bribery. Whitey, we are not suing

judge. The case is over and so is our relationship.

What do you mean?

You weren't straight with me. You didn't tell me about the other lawyers and the

continuances. You didn't even tell me the true facts, plus your check balance

today. That's the bank harassing me. I'm bringing a case against them.

Whitey... Miss Perkins, don't abandon me. Look, I will file the necessary

to help you get substitute counsel.

And after that, Whitey, you are on your own. Please, I'm begging you. I know I

got a mess of problems, but I need you.

I'm begging you, Miss Perkins, please!

I've been thinking.

Strategically, it's probably not a good idea for me to do the closing.

It would send out a message to the jury that I don't trust you or your

arguments.

Well,

I think I'd be doing more harm than good.

So I think it's your close.

Try not to make me regret it.

Hey, Victor.

How's the trial going?

Everything's under control, Leland. Good.

Glad to hear it.

Why haven't you returned any of my calls?

I've been busy.

Busy hell.

A deadbeat client gets better treatment.

My deadbeat clients don't lecture me on judicial ethics every opportunity they

get. Is that what this is all about?

Not entirely, no.

Look, I don't know what's going on.

The last two weeks, you have been cold and distant.

I'm not getting love from you anymore. I'm getting lectures.

I still don't know what's happening with us. Are you seeing someone else?

No.

No.

I don't understand.

Do you remember the Tory case?

That double cop killing?

Yeah.

Our key witness...

was a police informant.

His testimony should have been suppressed.

I let it slide.

You know, I'd always thought that there was a special hell for attorneys and

judges with flexible ethics.

The ones who could conveniently forget a little law because they know the guy is

guilty and they want him off the streets.

I could never understand how they sleep nights.

And suddenly, I'm one of them.

How could I tell you that, Michael?

Gracie, you can't do anything about it now. It's over.

The guy killed two cops. He's been put away.

You file it under lessons learned and you go on.

But it bleeds into the rest of my life.

I cannot forgive myself.

What do you want to do?

You want to go public?

If I do, it is not just my career on the block. It is Bruce Rogoff's. It

is how the whole department will look.

It is putting a cop killer back on the streets.

Where's the good in that?

I don't know the answer, Grace.

But I do know that it helps to sometimes realize that you're not alone.

You're not the only one out there who falls short of the mark sometimes.

Oh, Grace.

You'll figure this one out, Gracie.

She'll do the right thing.

I don't know.

I just don't know.

You got a second?

Sure. Guess what?

I just talked for half an hour with Arnie Becker.

And he gave me...

a complete overview of the whole world of adoption out there.

And he said, given our personal timetable and everything, private

absolutely be our best shot.

And he gave me the name of a lawyer that we can talk to.

You talked to Arnie about this?

Yeah, well, he's our family law expert. Who else am I going to talk to?

Me, Stuart.

Me. Yeah, honey, it's just he knows the field, that's all.

And now he knows all about our little pregnancy dilemma, too, doesn't he?

Yeah, and I'm the one with the low -density sperm. What's your problem?

You keep making unilateral decisions about stuff that affects us both,

That is my problem.

Wait a minute, wait a minute. I don't get it. Do you want to have a baby or

I don't know.

What? You were the one who was talking about exploring all the options. Now all

of a sudden you don't know?

I'm 38 years old.

I love my work.

I'm not sure I'm ready to put it on the back burner indefinitely. Why would you

have to put it on the back burner?

Oh, please.

You're not the one that's going to stay home when the kid has an ear infection.

At least be honest about that.

How can you take something so simple, the most natural thing in the world, and

ball it up into this complicated mess?

I want to have a baby, Ann. What about you? I'll be damned if I'm going to let

you railroad me into caving in on something so important, Stuart.

It takes two.

You keep forgetting that, Stuart. You could have world -class Olympic sperm.

still takes two.

Oh, that's great, Ann. Why don't you say it a little louder? Some of the

partners still have their doors closed.

Benny, are you okay?

I guess.

Did I hear my 10 o 'clock?

We'll hear from the planer.

To be perfectly honest, I'm a little scared right now.

Not just because this is the first closing argument I've ever given, but

because I'm afraid my very first big trial might amount to nothing more than

showcase of my own inexperience.

If where I tried to be assertive, I was belligerent.

If where I tried to be self -assured, I was arrogant, then I apologize.

I can only hope for Maura Coyle's sake that the maturity I so badly lacked

exists within the 12 people on this jury.

The maturity that will allow you to rise above the personalities and the

petulance. The maturity that will allow you to focus on the facts of this case.

Because however much contempt you may harbor for me on the facts, Maura Coyle

cannot lose.

Terranova... Through Peter Osteen, its president sent out the message that in

order to climb the ladder, you gotta climb the rock. That's coercion.

Negligent coercion. And because of it, this woman's husband fell 200 feet to

his brutal death.

The mountain takes a measure of a man, Peter Osteen said.

That rock didn't measure Terry Coyle's life, ladies and gentlemen. That job is

totally up to you.

And for this grieving widow, I place now into your hands both her hope and

her trust, her hope that you will measure her husband's life more dearly

did Peter Osteen or Terra Nova or some big rock in the middle of a desert.

And her trust that you won't factor in the likability of her attorney into the

equation.

Make sure this goes straight to his office, not the mail room. Okay, then

lunch.

You want me to get you something?

No, I got a sandwich. I should be back about two.

Excuse me.

Mr. Holland?

I've got to apologize to you.

Come on in.

I just don't want you thinking that I'm a guy who does that kind of stuff to

customers. You ask my pal, Mr. Brackman.

He'll tell you what kind of work I do. It's okay, Mr. Holland. You don't have

apologize.

Good.

Now, what's it going to take to get our train back on track?

I'm sorry.

I can't keep you as a client.

I can't afford to.

I'll pay.

I'll pay. I can give you 50 tonight, 500 by Monday.

I'll copper pipe your house. It'll last 100 years.

Please, listen.

I have bills to pay just like you do. I'm being squeezed just like you are.

Don't do this to me.

I'm a drowning man.

And maybe more important, I was not able to represent you well because you were

not candid with me about your situation.

Come on. I was afraid you wouldn't take me. I'll be straight with you, I

promise, 100%. No.

Look, I won't resubmit the check that found it.

We'll say goodbye. We'll call it even, okay?

Don't play with me!

What is it with you?

Let go of me.

That kind of behavior won't get you anywhere with me, Mr. Holland.

Now, I suggest you leave before you get into bigger trouble.

Hazel, it's Abby.

Yeah, um... Eric has soccer today. I forgot completely... Good.

Yeah, if you could just pick him up. Yeah, that'd be great.

Your mouth is bleeding.

Oh.

I bit my lip.

I don't know when.

According to your statement to the officer, you were on the phone when you

in.

Yeah, and I didn't want to frighten the babysitter, so I hung up and I reached

into my purse for my gun.

No, I think you probably reached into your desk drawer.

No, it was in my purse.

Abby!

Hi, Munch. Are you okay?

Yeah, I was a little wobbly before.

Yeah, I got a little wobbly when you called, too.

I hope I didn't sound too strange.

When I called the babysitter to tell her to keep Eric for tonight, I know that

she knew something was wrong. I'll check with her later, all right?

I'm Michael Kuzak. I'm Miss Perkins' attorney.

Lieutenant Ringstrom.

You've been questioning her?

She was filling me in on what happened.

She's been read her rights, I hope. She's not a suspect.

Well, you can see that she's in absolutely no condition to... Mike, I

talked to another officer.

Just let me finish.

Go ahead, Lieutenant.

Now, you pulled your gun out of the desk drawer. No.

No, I'm sure that it was in my purse. Uh -uh.

Desk drawer.

So you purchased that gun for the lawful purpose of protecting yourself in this

office. Not for the dangerous and unlawful purpose of carrying a concealed

weapon without a permit.

Oh.

Are we all right here, Counselor?

Yeah, fine.

Anyway, I didn't mean to interrupt.

I reached into my desk drawer, and I pulled out my gun.

He kept coming, and so I shot him.

And I think I shot him more than once, but I don't know.

Shot him five times.

Oh.

Oh, look.

I shot a guy once.

I had the whole thing.

Flashbacks, the night sweats, the denial.

When it gets hard to handle, give me a call, okay?

Be seated.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

In the matter of Coyle v.

Terranova Instruments, we find in favor of the plaintiff and order the defendant

to pay damages in the amount of $1 ,200 ,000.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, thank you for your time and service.

This court's adjourned.

I can't thank you enough.

I want to thank you both for everything.

Congratulations.

You too.

Mr. Rollins, congratulations.

A little humble pie never hurt anyone, did it?

No, ma 'am.

Don't you forget that now.

Bye, Abby. It's Hazel. Eric's fine.

He can spend the night here if you like. Just let me know.

Bye, dear.

Abby, it's Betsy Major.

I just heard the news and I hope you're okay.

My God, what a world.

Listen, the press is going to be coming after you. Feel free to refer them to me

because I know this is going to sound tasteless as hell, but this is it.

This is your chance. to get in on the game. Now, just off the top of my head,

and all of it can wait till morning, I think we should strongly consider

an exclusive to Northern Ashton's. God, it is a dream for them.

Pint -sized lawyer plugs plumber.

Pistol -packing Abby lays down the law. Abby, get your gun.

And T .C., they are going to eat you up with a spoon.

Kiddo, by the time I get through, you'll be the hottest lawyer in L .A.