Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law.

Lack of communication.

This is our problem.

The problem, in a nutshell, is that I don't love you.

And I'm afraid that I will never be able to love you.

Let's give ourselves a running start for a check. How about dinner?

An evening?

A night?

A night.

Are you going to be in my life, Victor Suplentes?

Oh, yes.

Lieutenant Ringstrom.

Miss Van Owen.

You know Michael Cusack? At the Whitey Holland shooting.

Right. Hi.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Miss Van Owen from the DA's office. Mr. Cusack. This is my wife, Sally.

Hi,

got a minute?

Hi, come on in.

Oh, you got a desk full of work. Maybe I should come back another time.

Are you kidding? I haven't seen you in weeks. Get in here.

Want a cup of coffee?

No, no.

Abby, I've got something to tell you.

Is everything okay with Stuart?

Oh, yeah.

Everything's great.

No, this is something else.

I know this is probably none of my business.

And I'm probably sticking my nose in where it doesn't belong.

Tell me.

I really wish that I wasn't the one bringing it to you.

And it's conceivable that you already know, in which case it is really none of

my business.

But if you don't know, and if other people do... And what?

Bill Ringstrom is married.

Good morning.

You're married.

Come on.

Got any kids?

Two boys.

You scummy jerk.

I suppose I'm supposed to sit still now for 16 bars if my wife doesn't

understand me? My wife and I have accumulated our list of grievances, but

don't know anyone married for 12 years who hasn't.

We're as happy as a couple living in Pomona without central air conditioning

be. You lied to me.

At the heart of all this, you are a liar.

Hey, you're the one who set the conditions.

No histories, no dark colors.

I kept waiting for some sign of curiosity from you, not just about

married, but about anything personal.

Like where I went when we left the hotel room. How come we didn't see each other

at night?

I just followed your lead.

And if I had asked you if you were married, would you have told me the

I thought about it enough.

Yeah, I think I would have.

Abigail, I don't blame you for being mad, but believe me, I did not go

for this. It just happened.

And I don't want it to end.

I'm a decent guy who is totally overmatched by what there is between us.

Decent?

Decent guys don't screw around on their wives.

Continuing on, Martin v.

Noonan. Motion to compel document production.

Motion to compel interrogatory. Motion for sanctions.

Motion for costs. Motion to dismiss.

I've gone through all the motions.

Cute.

Anne, forgive me.

I wasn't going to inquire. But since it's endeavoring to participate, may I

ask what that baby is doing in this staff meeting?

We fired our nanny. And until we get a replacement, Kelsey's going to be coming

in. Not that we all don't celebrate your domestic bliss, but in that this child

is already cutting into your billables at the rate of 15 hours per week.

I shudder to imagine the impact on your profitability should you start lugging

the thing into the office. The only alternative is for me to stay home,

resulting in the forfeiture of about 35 billables per week, which at 185 per

hour, coupled with the 20 % markup I notice you've been assessing, means that

either I lug this thing into work or the firm loses about $8 ,000 weekly.

Why don't you decide, Douglas?

And what about the McMahon deposition?

This is major corporate litigation and... I've got it covered, Douglas.

Fine. Moving on.

Fitzpatrick versus Simon. Yeah, wrongful death. We're preparing for trial

endlessly. Right, Dorothy? We have a lot of ground to cover. This is the

construction accident?

Yeah. Dorothy has become our resident expert on the structural properties of

reinforced concrete.

Good.

Michael, Leonard versus Dowell Food Corporation.

Matt Leonard just signed a $3 million endorsement contract with Dowell Foods.

They make...

Cruncho cereal?

The Matt Leonard, the Olympic gold medalist?

Mm -hmm. He's their client? You're kidding.

That's right. Dow Foods was planning to put his face in the cereal box, develop

a major ad campaign around them. Only now, Matt wants to come out of the

He's a homo? He's gay.

And because of that, they want out of the contract.

I don't blame them. Let him go do fruit and nuttys.

All right.

What's the status, Michael? Well, trial starts this week, maybe. This week? The

case just started. Well, we're going the private trial route. We rent a retired

judge, we rent a courtroom, we stick to it in the fact, and we try it. And it's

official? Just like a regular trial.

Both parties agree to be bound by the decision.

It's expensive, though, isn't it? Not really.

We pay the judge about $2 .50 an hour. We have to pay for the room, but it sure

beats going through three years of motions waiting for a court date.

The only tricky part is we're having trouble agreeing on a judge.

Sounds like a loser to me, Mike, no matter what judge you pick.

Maybe. Matt doesn't care. He doesn't want to live a secret life anymore, even

it means losing the contract.

If you ask me, he should have kept quiet and taken the money.

Silence!

Is she going

to see Uncle Arnie?

Give her to Daddy.

Want to go see Daddy?

You want to see Daddy?

I can get her.

People, please.

She likes these keys.

I think she's looking at you, Leela.

Here's my baby.

Hi, honey.

That's it.

We're adjourned.

I don't mind if aggressive, Judge Mickey, but Finkelstein's off the map.

Come on, he's fair, he's smart. He's a lunatic.

How about Adler?

Orange County Hall of Famer.

Charles Rosenberg? Lazy.

Never reads the pleadings.

How about O 'Neill? We both picked him. No.

What do you mean, no?

Here he is, Judge Lawrence O 'Neill, number 10 on your list. I threw him in

there by default. I had to pick 10. There was no one else. The point is,

judge is common to both lists.

Well, he's unacceptable.

Come on, Counselor. Are you going to do this in good faith or not?

Conservatism aside, O 'Neill is fair, he's honest, he's got a four -star

and we both picked him.

What the hell more could you want?

Is he available?

He can start tomorrow.

Okay, O 'Neal, it is.

Call him, and I'll be in touch within the hour.

Remember, this is a field to everybody but the party, the judge, the

stenographer, and us. Now, remember. Okay. I'll talk to you soon. Right.

Matt.

Come on in.

How did it go?

Great. We're gonna go tomorrow.

Hi, Mike. Hi, Abby.

How's it going?

We just picked a judge. Who is it?

The Honorable Lawrence O 'Neill.

He's conservative, but he's fair.

Conservative? How the hell can we go with somebody conservative?

I thought that... We've been using this new private investigator named Stephanie

Hall. She finds things out that nobody else knows.

Mr. Kuzik, what are you telling me? What I'm telling you is that unknown to the

defendant or his attorney, the Honorable Lawrence O 'Neill is gay.

mind telling you it is wet out there let me help you with some of the stuff

how about a hug i feel

better already can i get you a drink a drink would be great

how was the trip roxanne these five

days alone on the road have been extremely productive personal growth

let me just say this from the start. I think you know the depth to which my

for you runs.

I know. And I think you know that there is nothing I wouldn't do for you.

I know that too.

Why then, I ask myself, is this the winter of our discontent?

I don't know.

Well, permit me to tell you why.

It is because I have been inattentive to your needs.

David, don't. Please, let me say this.

I also ask myself, is it possible to be a loving helpmate and husband when I'm

on the road half the year?

Is it reasonable to expect a full -time wife when I'm only being a part -time

husband? The answer, a resounding no. The solution, take on a business

Someone younger. Someone for whom the road is a pathway to opportunity, not an

obstacle to happiness.

Thus, liberating me to remain home where I can run things from right here in the

house. David, the problem isn't being apart.

It's being together.

I need time.

Well, of course you do. Take all the time you need.

No.

I need time by myself.

You mean alone?

Yeah.

I think we should separate for a while.

I just got home.

I know.

Are you sure about this?

Yes.

Well, then... I guess I should go.

No, I'm the one who wants this. I should be the one to leave.

No, it's all right.

I'm already packed.

I just go to a hotel.

I'm used to hotels.

I'm sorry.

Oh, don't be.

This is what you need.

This is what you should have.

Aren't you angry?

Why would I be angry?

Oh, this is an almost perfect night here.

What does it mean, almost? I'm hungry.

And all you have in that refrigerator are olives.

That's pathetic, Allison.

Well, let's go out.

No, look at it raining out there.

I'm not getting out of this bed.

Well, if you could have absolutely anything.

Fettuccine and red clam sauce.

And a mixed bean salad.

Would you settle for Kung Pao chicken and steamed rice delivered?

That sounds great.

Hi, this is Allison Gottlieb. Can I have a number three and a number six

combination dinner delivered?

Oh, come on.

I know, I know, the rain.

Oh, great, and don't forget the hot mustard. And no MSG.

Forty -five minutes.

Gordon, five minutes.

45 minutes.

That couldn't be them.

Dave, what are you doing here?

Just an impulsive gesture. I thought you might like to grab a little supper.

I don't really think so.

Yeah, it is kind of late.

Hey, you want to hear about my latest?

Um... A concert video of the great Maghreb diva, Umm Kalfun.

Look, Dave, I kind of have company right now.

Oh, so you're not alone, in other words. Right.

Another time it is.

Why don't you call me?

I will.

I'll call you.

Okay.

Dave, are you all right?

In point of fact, no, I'm not.

It seems that my wife and I have separated.

Oh, Dave, I'm sorry.

Not that I should be burdening you with my gloomy circumstances. It's just that

I have no one else to turn to.

Why don't you come in? You're going to drown out there.

No, I'm fine.

It's all right.

Dave, come in.

December 18th, 1988.

The post office put the 25 % editorial minimum on piggyback distribution.

Either of you familiar with that?

No.

Basically, it means putting catalogs and supplements in polybags and inserting

them into magazines. My point being this.

The post office ruling killed it.

Sam Adonizio put his life savings into polybag equipment.

I could have bought him out for the change in my pocket. Did I? No. What I

was give him 80 cents on the dollar and a lease back.

I'm carrying him while he converts his operation.

He is now putting out shrink -wrapped theme erasers, pumpkin -shaped for

Halloween, heart -shaped for Valentine's Day, on his way to having the greatest

year of his life. Is this not the exact same way I have dealt with Roxanne?

Victor, you know her.

It's a real tough situation, Dave. Be assured, in no way, shape, or form am I

maligning her. But I have never said no to this woman.

I have tried to be a support, a mainstay, a bulwark. I have tried to be

for all seasons. Where did I fail?

It isn't necessarily that you failed, Dave.

I know.

I am not a perfect person. But, hey, we knew this from the get -go.

There are sexier guys than me.

Guys with more wit, more native intelligence. But are there any guys

loving, more sensitive to the needs of their life mate? No, sir.

No, ma 'am. When it comes to loyalty, Dave Meyer has no equal. When my Roxanne

says, sit, Dave, I sit.

This is who I am.

I could eat something.

It's Lieutenant Ringstrom in. Oh, you just missed him. My name's Abigail

Perkins. I'm an attorney. I have some documents that need his signature.

Oh, well, come on in.

I'm on the phone.

Make yourself comfortable.

Thank you.

I'll be just a minute.

Okay, now, so you have some papers for Bill to sign? Yeah, I'm an attorney, and

I was in Pomona. Oh, well, do you want to leave them with me? I'm sure Bill

could get them back to you.

They're my originals.

I'm sorry I should have called before him. Oh, he just pulled away.

It's okay.

Well, I wish there was something I could do to help.

Uh, no, that's fine. I'll catch up to him at the office. Okay, well, I'll tell

him that you stopped by.

Okay, bye.

Bye.

I worked for the Brantleys for almost two years.

Little Monica was just a tiny baby when I started.

Yes, she was, just like you, just a tiny, tiny baby.

I love babies.

God, I miss Monica.

I cried myself to sleep when I had to say goodbye.

Then it wasn't your decision to leave.

Well, when Monica reached four, they felt they no longer needed a nanny,

It wasn't like I was fired or anything.

Oh, I didn't mean to suggest that. I was just curious as to why they didn't keep

you on.

The Brantleys liked me very much, Miss Kelsey.

Monica loved me, and I loved her maybe too much.

How do you mean?

Well, I became very attached.

What do you mean, attached?

She'd started to call me Mummy, which made the end extremely traumatic.

I wouldn't want to go through anything that painful again.

So what you're saying, then, is that you would guard against becoming attached

to this baby?

I would be very devoted to Kelsey, don't worry.

But you wouldn't love her as much as the Brantley child.

Ann. What's the point of this? The point is that you're going to take deliberate

steps to stay distant from this baby. Ann, for God's sake.

I'm not going to be distant. I'm not a distant person.

You did say that you did not want to become attached to another baby, did you

not? Yes, but what I meant by that was... Thank you, Penny. Nothing

Stuart?

I'm going to just walk on out of here now. Unless, of course, you need me to

post bail.

Does the prosecution rest now? Stuart, I have to ask questions. I can't grab the

first person who walks through the door.

Ann, 20 people have come through that door, and you ground every one of them

in the mulch. Four of them couldn't speak English.

One of them wanted her boyfriend to move in. I'm not even going to discuss the

convicted felon.

You've lost your mind, you know that. But we're talking about our baby. No, it

seems to me we're talking about you.

You expect them to measure up to you.

You want to do it alone?

Fine. I have a deposition tomorrow, all day anyway.

So why don't you do it all by your reasonable self?

I will. Fine, fine.

So I called Mr. Richardson here and told him about my intentions.

I explained to him that I could no longer conceal my sexual identity in

conscience. And how did he respond?

He claimed I was no longer qualified to endorse his serial product.

He said my being a homosexual made me incapable of personifying a macho or a

wholesome image.

And he told me that the public, especially the children, would never

gay person as a role model.

And how did you feel about that statement, sir?

Objection. His feelings are irrelevant.

Overruled. You can answer.

I devoted every day of the last ten years to track and field.

And as a reward for that, I was given the opportunity to compete in the

Games.

And with that opportunity, I earned the right to stand on that center block and

have a gold medal put around my neck.

This country has been very proud of me, Mr. Cusack.

I've been given parades.

My hometown named a street after me.

I went to the White House to meet the president.

I think that I've earned all of this.

And Mr. Richardson says that it should all be extinguished because in his mind,

a gay man cannot ever be a hero or a role model

or a person others would ever admire.

You ask me how I feel.

I feel... repulsed.

And if he's right...

If this truly is a country that would summarily reject someone on the basis of

his sexual preference, if that's what this nation is, then I'm only sorry that

represented it as proudly as I did at Seoul last summer.

Thank you, Mr. Leonard.

I have no further questions.

Quite a speech, Mr. Leonard.

You're obviously a very intelligent man.

And as an intelligent man,

Are you saying there's absolutely no foundation to my client's reservation

your being a spokesman for his product?

I'm saying there is no foundation for his blanket assumption that people will

automatically reject a person because of his homosexuality, yes.

Well, then tell us, Mr. Leonard, why you bothered concealing yours until now.

I often ask myself the same question. Yes.

I'm asking you to answer it. I don't know. You don't know.

You didn't tell your own parents until six months ago, did you? No. And some of

your friends still don't know, isn't that right?

Not all of them know, but that's... So, Mr. Leonard, you testify under oath that

my client has no right to fear your telling the world when you yourself have

been afraid to tell your own parents and your own friends.

I admit I used to be afraid, but I refuse to live the lie any longer.

But you lived that lie long enough to sign a $3 million contract, didn't you?

Objection. Overruled.

Why didn't you tell my client that you were gay before signing this deal, Mr.

Leonard? I didn't think it was relevant.

You didn't think it was relevant.

This is a jock -oriented serial targeting macho ads to the male youth,

didn't think it was relevant.

Objection. Asked and answered. I'm giving the witness a chance to change

answer.

Now, under oath, Mr. Leonard, you really didn't think it was relevant?

I have nothing further.

Did you come to my home to terrorize me or did you just want to mess with my

wife's head?

Phil, I'm a lawyer.

I spent the whole week feeding myself one justification after another for

keeping this thing going and then hating myself for not having the guts to just

walk away.

I was hoping if I went to your house and met your wife, I saw her face, that it

would make it easier for me to do the right thing.

Did it?

Yeah.

I love you.

That's all I change.

Tell me something.

Am I the first person you've ever done this with?

Yes.

I don't believe you. I swear to God.

Well, I bet I won't be the last.

You're too good at it.

Abby, please, don't kick me out of your life. I have to.

Your wife is going to find out about you one of these days.

And I don't want to be the woman that you're with when she does.

He's not being fired just because he's gay.

It's because he cannot perform the job functions for which he was hired. Which

are?

Well, many things.

We need somebody who exemplifies masculinity. A hero people want to

A man boys want to grow up to be and girls want to grow up to marry.

A homosexual does not project that image. I'm sorry.

But isn't that a form of prejudice, Mr. Richardson? Absolutely.

Hey, it would be nice to live in a society that didn't discriminate on the

of sexuality.

or a society that didn't attach stereotypical stigmas to its gay

But we do not live in that society.

This is still a world where homosexuals are frowned upon or disapproved of or

sometimes even condemned.

And do you agree with that mindset?

Definitely not.

I wish we were all more enlightened. I really do.

But so far, we're not.

And I am trying to move a product, and I am not going to pay out $3 million to

be endorsed by a guy everybody's going to dismiss.

Thank you, Mr. Richardson.

Nothing further.

My client being a heterosexual was a material part of his job function?

Basically, yes.

Well, then why isn't it one of the terms of the contract?

It wasn't an express term, maybe, but there is a morality clause in there.

Excuse me. Are you saying to this court that it's immoral to be homosexual?

No, no, no, no. I wasn't saying that. Well, then the morality clause doesn't

apply, does it? All I'm saying is that when we did that deal, we all thought he

was straight.

Did you ever have any discussions with my client about his sexual preference?

No. Did you ever make any inquiries about his sexual preference?

No. So, you never talked about it, you never asked him about it. Not one single

word about it appears in a 22 -page contract. But suddenly you're saying

material term in his deal.

This man is not what we thought we were getting.

It's as simple as that.

Well, at the press conference, following the signing of this contract...

You stated that Mr. Leonard came on board the Crunchos team because, and I

quote, he stood for courage, for discipline, for determination, and most

because he was a champion.

These were your words, weren't they, Mr. Richardson? Yes. Then tell us, please,

sir, which one of these attributes no longer applies.

I'm waiting, Mr. Richardson.

Is a gay man incapable of being courageous or determined?

Is it unthinkable that a homosexual could be a champion?

Your Honor, he's badgering. Sustained.

One question at a time, Mr. Cusack. All right, Mr. Richardson, here's your one

question.

Take a look at my client and tell me what he was before that he is not still

this very moment.

I don't want a homosexual representing my serial.

Thank you, Mr. Richardson.

And I sure hope that someday you do get a chance to live in that society that's

as enlightened as you are.

Objection. Withdrawn. Nothing further.

And isn't it true, Ms. McMahon, that you've diverted some of your company

for your own personal use? The only money that I allocated was to reimburse

own... Your personal wardrobe, your vacations. Let her finish, Mr. Bryan.

ask, Ms. Kelty. You did ask. Now stop beating her up and give her a chance to

answer. I'm sorry.

Perhaps I'll try to go a bit more gingerly.

Excuse me.

What's the problem? A gigantic screw -up at the IRS. I've got to get down there

right away.

Who's going to take care of Kelsey?

I don't know. My secretary's out. Maybe Roxanne. No. Arnie keeps her running

around. She'd be too distracted.

All the secretaries. Douglas is in his office. I've got to ask him. Give her to

me. Hey, and if in the middle of a deposition she'll sit next to me, she'll

fine. She can't take a baby. Stuart, I am not leaving her with a total

Go, we're fine.

We're fine.

Um,

I got a little babysitting snafu here. We're going to have an extra visitor.

I object to the sleazy trick.

Sleazy trick?

Yeah, this is all about control. You're not fooling anyone here.

This is a way for you to exercise dominion over these proceedings.

What? You have to take care of the baby. You don't like the way the questioning

is going. You know, I build up a little momentum here, and all of a sudden it's

time out. The baby needs me. What crap.

You are the one who's full of crap.

Let the record show that Miss Kelsey has brought a newborn infant into this room

to willfully and purposely disrupt this proceeding. This is the dumbest thing

I've ever heard.

This probably isn't even your baby. You probably rented it for the day just so

you could screw up this deposition. I'll bet this is your idea. This is just

like you. Fine, if that's what you want to do, you want to bring it in here,

I'll subjugate the little bastard and I'll drag it into court. I want the

intrusive crying on the record. And I also want the record to reflect a

piercing, shrill -like shriek emanating from said infant.

You shut up!

I can't take this.

I'm going to get a migraine.

I'm going to sue you for this, too. Sue me all you want, you corrupt puddle of

puss. Shut up!

This deposition is over. I want everybody out.

I want everybody out.

It's all right.

It's all right. I said out!

It's all right, baby.

I wasn't ready for how boring my life would be. How endlessly Dave would go on

about junk mail.

Audio cassette promotion point of purchase displays.

This is my work.

This is what I do for a living. It's what pays for the roof over our head,

clothes on our backs, the automobiles in our garage.

Those are things. I don't care about things.

Why did you marry me?

It's a fair question.

Why did you?

I was alone.

I was, uh...

Ashamed.

I was a 38 -year -old woman who couldn't pay her bill.

I was scared.

You married a good daddy who would take care of you and make you safe.

Yes. It didn't work out that way, did it?

Obviously. Why do you think?

You're the expert. You tell me.

Because Dave Meyer isn't your daddy.

And you're not his little girl.

He wants sex, romance, companionship. Exactly.

He wants a wife.

Not a scared, helpless little girl.

We had an agreement.

He knew how I felt. I didn't marry him under false pretenses.

You make me accept you the way you are, yet you refuse to accept me the way I

am. You make me beg for every single crumb of affection. You make me feel

ashamed of who I am. This is not having an agreement.

I was wrong, okay?

I thought I could do it. I tried to do it, and I can't. No.

No, you married me to come in from the cold. Now that you're in, you want to

push me out.

That's not true.

You want the truth?

Okay.

Here's the truth.

I will no longer feel ashamed of who I am.

I will no longer apologize for being a rich schmuck with a postage meter and an

up -to -date mailing list.

Either you accept Dave Meyer for who he is and you agree to be Mrs.

Underline Mrs.

Dave Meyer, or we can end this marriage right now and you'll never have to be

embarrassed by me again.

Well, gentlemen, you've presented an interesting dilemma.

Are we ready to go?

Yes, sir.

On the one hand, you can't fire somebody just because he's gay.

On the other hand, you can fire him if he can't do the job. Now, the question

here is whether somebody can be deemed unable to do the job, per se, because of

his status as a homosexual.

Well, fortunately, I...

I don't have to resolve that question because before I consider whether a

contract has been breached, I must first be satisfied that a valid contract was

formed. And here, it wasn't. The defendant clearly thought he was getting

individual capable of projecting a macho persona. And the plaintiff clearly

concealed his homosexuality with the full knowledge, in my opinion, that the

defendant would never have made that deal if he'd known the true fact.

I believe this...

non -disclosure was material, I find there to be no valid formation of a

contract.

And I hereby rule in favor of the defendant, Dowell Food Corporation.

I will have this drawn up with copies to be sent to the parties. That is all.

Thank you very much, Your Honor.

Thank you very much.

I'm sorry, mister.

You did your best.

Why don't we walk over to my office? We can talk.

No, I'm gonna have to walk this off.

Let me, um... Let's talk later. I gotta get out of here.

Mr. Cusack, a moment of your time in chambers, please.

Take a seat.

I'm a very conservative judge, Mr. Cusack.

I'm a little curious as to why you selected me.

Your reputation for fairness, among other things.

Would those other things have anything to do with Stephanie Hall?

Beg your pardon? A private investigator by the name of Stephanie Hall has been

asking pointed questions about my personal life.

And a little digging of my own reveals that she's sometimes employed by your

firm.

I have no doubt that my reputation played its part in your selection, Mr.

Cusack, and frankly, I think it stinks. I had a very tough case to try.

I didn't want to make it tougher by encountering any unfair prejudice. I

you wouldn't condemn a person based on his sexuality.

That's well put, Counselor.

But the truth is that you're the one who's guilty of prejudice here. You

automatically assumed that my private lifestyle would factor into my

professional judgment.

Did you also make that assumption about heterosexual judges?

I didn't assume anything.

I was hoping to find somebody who recognized that gay people can be

they can endorse products. And I'll be the first to applaud your cause.

But as a gay person, let me also tell you, I'll be the first to recognize that

public acceptance is not here yet.

Do you think I'd be elected, a re -elected judge, if people knew the truth

me? Uh -uh.

If anything, my being gay hurt your case.

It made me all too aware.

People don't want to see our faces on cereal boxes.

Thanks for the bone, Judge.

You just gave me grounds for appeal.

Excuse me? You said your being gay could have hurt my case, suggesting possible

judicial bias against us.

Judicial bias?

My ruling was completely fair.

You damn well know it. All I know is that I have to do whatever I can to

my client.

And that means taking advantage of your admission here if that's the only way I

can open this thing up again. That is a total long shot, Counselor.

Which I have nothing to lose by taking.

Look, I don't want to expose your private life, Your Honor. That's not my

intention here.

But I have to do everything I can to serve Matt Leonard, or I will be guilty

malpractice. But if you were to set aside your verdict of your own accord

whatever reasons you decide, then I don't suppose any of the stuff about

personal life would have to come out.

Right or wrong, Counselor?

I have decided to keep my sexual identity a secret, mainly for electoral

survival.

But over the years, I've asked myself a thousand times,

what would happen if somebody threatened to expose me or extort

me in the middle of a trial?

I've never known exactly how I'd respond.

Now I do.

My ruling stands.

You do whatever you think you have to do.

Hi.

Where were you?

I spent the night at the Sportsman's Lodge.

I was worried about you.

Really?

I'd never seen you so angry before.

It was uncharacteristic of me.

I apologize.

Don't.

That's what we go to a therapist for.

That's no excuse for acting like a bully.

Especially to the woman that I love more than life itself.

See, that's the kind of stuff that I hate.

What stuff?

The woman I love more than life itself.

I never know what to say when you talk like that.

Sorry.

And then you do that.

What?

Apologize.

David, if we're going to make it, we've got to start being a lot more honest

with each other.

Toward that end, then, I miss sleeping in our bed.

I miss that first vision of you when I opened my eyes.

You're doing it again.

No, no, no. What I mean to say is... David, come home.

You mean it?

Yes, I do.

This is something, then.

A man, a woman... Right, right, right.

I'll be home by 7.

Yeah, that's about it.

Your only shot is to claim judicial bias and try to overturn the verdict.

Do you think he was biased?

No.

But what I think and what I can argue are two different things.

And if I did get a new trial, what would be my chances?

Lousy.

The new judge would probably see it the same as O 'Neal.

But if I can just get the verdict set aside, at least we're back in the game

again with new cards to play.

I'm sure I could settle and get you something.

Nuisance value, if nothing else. The price being Judge O 'Neill's privacy.

The price being that, yes.

You think his ruling was fair, right?

I do.

Then I'm not sacrificing him. That man has just as much right to stay private

I do to go public.

I'm not gonna destroy a person over nuisance value. No way.

I think that's probably best.

Well, thank you for everything, Mr. Cusack.

I'll see you around.

Matt, it's not often I find myself actually admiring one of my clients.

Yeah.

Make a hell of a role model, huh?

Hi. Bad day, huh?

Bad year.

I feel like the only reprieve I had was when I was suspended from practicing

altogether.

And that was for going up against a guy who'd never been to law school.

Who also ended up beating me.

A slump's a slump, cowboy.

It happens.

I feel like this one's never going to end.

Do you think I'm losing it?

No.

You're not losing it, counselor.

Believe me.

Can we go home?

Yeah.

Let's go home.

Here you go.

You ready to go night -night?

Healthy Markowitzies are such spiffy PJs.

Do all babies smell as wonderful as you?

You know what?

I ruined a whole deposition yesterday because of you.

Probably lost a client, cost the firm a lot of money.

And you know what else?

It's not so bad without a nanny, is it?

We're doing just fine by ourselves.

You got my finger?

You got my finger?

Not too bad, huh?