Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law.

I was dense yesterday. There's a very obvious way for me to help.

Let me represent you in the divorce.

This is a no -frills marriage. It's going to be a minimalist divorce.

If it gets at all sticky, you come get me.

Okay. You do not betray your friends.

Now, your wife points out it can either be amicable or it can be bloody.

Trust me on this.

You join forces with that faithless Herod, and it's going to be as bloody as

Battle of Bull Run.

We'd like you to come back.

Excuse me? We've been interviewing would -be associates for three months. Not

one more qualified than you.

I'm flattered, Leland, but I left here for a reason.

Who's Edward?

Edward drives the car. I go places with Edward.

I go places by myself.

Sometimes Edward lets me drive.

You can drive?

See? I can do it.

I always wanted to drive my mom's car, but she wouldn't let me.

You can drive this one.

That's a shredder.

Don't ever put your hand in it.

And this is a copy machine.

Whenever you got something and you want more, it makes them. It's so big.

Do you want to see something funny?

Put your hand right there. And when I tell you to push, but not right now.

a second.

I've got to close my eyes.

Okay, now, push.

Look.

It copied me.

Moving forward, as you all know, we've tendered an offer to Abby Perkins to

return as an associate.

Leland and I are meeting with her tomorrow, and we hope to have her answer

the end of the week.

Meyer versus Meyer.

Roxanne's deposition is today. I'm deposing Big Dave tomorrow.

I thought the judge threw you out on this. Well, he said I can participate in

the discovery, so I'm okay for now. I'm hoping we settle. Yes, well, I see

you've booked the conference room at 10 .30 for tomorrow's deposition. And Mr.

Rollins, who suddenly decided to represent Diana Moses in her divorce,

without getting an authorization from a partner first, has also booked the

conference room for tomorrow morning. It's 9 .30 settlement conference.

We'll be done before Arnie's deposition, Douglas.

It's real simple.

Yes, you told us how simple it was.

So simple, she could represent herself.

All right, Douglas. If Jonathan wants to give Diana Moses an hour or two, that's

fine. Speaks well for the firm.

Very well.

Turning to a new matter, the sensations versus the sensations.

Oh, yeah, that's mine. I'm representing the sensations.

You're kidding.

I used to have all their albums. I wore out the grooves.

Well, they're being sued by the new sensations.

What's the new sensations?

Well, the original group retired three years ago, and they passed the baton on

to younger singers.

Basically, they sold them the trade name and the performing rights, but the new

guys have revamped the music beyond recognition, and the old guys are mad.

want to go out on the road, do the songs the way they're supposed to be done.

Oh, no.

Dueling do -ups. Exactly.

So the new guys are trying to enjoin the old guys from performing, saying that

if... If the original group goes back into business, no one's going to want to

see the subs.

You're right. Well, I certainly can't wait to see how it works out. Moving on.

Quintana Brewery, Inc. versus Gatling Distributors.

No settlement.

Trial starts today. I don't know, Victor. How do you prove trade liable

they did was repeat a rumor? They started the rumor. Even still, they

represented it as fact. When you say we hear that there's urine in the beer,

people don't need proof to stop drinking the stuff.

A galling distributor's deliberately spread that rumor to put Quintana out of

business, and it's just about worked. I tasted your client's beer, Victor, and

frankly, I believe the rumor. All right, Douglas.

The stuff is more yellow than the other brands.

Hey, this isn't some damn joke, Douglas.

Quintana might have to shut down because of this, putting over 1 ,200 people out

of work, almost every one of them Mexican or Hispanic.

What's race got to do with it? It has everything to do with it.

They didn't say this about an English or a German beer because nobody would

believe it, but with Hispanics, they figure it'll play.

Well, Mexicans would urinate in beer, wouldn't they? That's just like a

I mean, if a guy speaks Spanish, he'd piss anywhere, right?

Believe me, Douglas, race has something to do with it. And I'm gonna nail him

for it.

Whatever it takes.

I'm gonna get him.

Well, on that passionate note, we're adjourned.

And how much in debt were you when you married my client?

I owed the IRS about $14 ,000.

David Meyer paid the software?

Yes. And after you got married, he also bailed you out of Chapter 13 bankruptcy,

didn't he? Yes, he did.

And now that you're financially solvent, you want a divorce, right? I didn't

marry him to make myself financially solvent. No, you married him because you

loved him, right?

Irrelevant. You can finish the answer.

David and I had an understanding when we got married.

Yes, you did.

And part of that understanding included sex on a regular basis, didn't it? We

never actually discussed sex.

But at the time of your marriage, you were having sex on the average of two or

three times a week, weren't you?

Yes. So it was likely that when David Meyer married you, he reasonably

he'd be having sexual relations on a regular basis. Isn't that right?

Objection as to what David Meyer may have thought. A few months after your

marriage, you stopped having sex with them all together, didn't you?

What's the point of all this? The point is you never intended to sustain a

physical relationship with this man.

You went through the charade of sex long enough to solve your bank account

problems. That's crazy.

Objection. This marriage should be annulled on grounds of fraud.

You tricked him into becoming your husband. That's it. We're done. I'm not

finished with my deposition. Yes, you are, Sheldon. I'm not going to sit here

and let you badger my client like this. I haven't even begun on your client.

And if you walk out of here, I'll haul your ass in the court. You'll be paying

costs again, plus sanctions.

Who do you think you're threatening, Sheldon? I have the right to ask

You have the right to conduct appropriate discovery.

Anything else, and we're out the door.

Fine.

Now, Mrs. Meyer, while we're on the subject of your honesty, you were

for insider trading last year, weren't you?

My clients bought the sole rights to the name, Judge, together with a non

-compete clause.

Legally, they are the sensation.

That's right. And the defendant simply cannot start performing again. They want

to perform again, Your Honor, because the plaintiffs have completely

their music. That's right.

Now, that's a lie.

Sit down, sir. There is nothing in the contract that prohibits my clients from

stylizing their songs.

Stylizing? They don't resemble us. We don't want to resemble you.

Keep quiet, too. You've got a lawyer here. Judge, if they go out again

themselves as the original sensations, they will put my clients out of

Now, we paid $125 ,000 for the exclusive right to be the sensations.

But they are supposed to do the act just like the original. Judge, the changes

were made for economic survival.

If they do the act the old way, they won't get bookings, and the act will

Your Honor, may I respectfully submit that if they don't want to be the

sensations, then at least let the sensations be the sensations. All

right, all right. Look, with all due respect

for the national significance of this issue, let's settle this.

We tried, Judge.

They won't budge, Your Honor.

Well, let me try.

I'll see counsel in my chambers tomorrow at 2, together with a member of each

group who's authorized to dispose of this thing.

Until then, goodbye.

All right, then, Mr. Montoya. Could you tell us how you got into the beer

business?

My wife's family run a small brewery in Chetumal.

Since they had no American distributor, they offered me the chance.

How did it go, sir?

Store's going to keep it in stock.

Bars were ordering 30 cases at a time.

I took out the loan, bought a dozen new trucks. Me, my wife, the children, we

were all working 15 hours a day. It was unbelievable.

Were you ever approached by Gatling Breweries, Mr. Montoya? Yes.

Four men flew out from New York. I headed to dinner in my home. They said

wanted to buy my company.

I thanked them for their offer, but I told them I was not interested in

What happened then, sir? About a month later, a store manager told one of my

drivers that he heard workers at my brewery were urinating in the beer. What

your reaction to that? That same day, I went to see the store manager, and I

asked him directly who told him that.

He said it was the service rep for Gatling.

Objection. Hearsay.

Sustained. Did you ever hear this rumor again, sir?

Yes. I heard it almost every day. And in less than two months...

Our sales fell off so much, I couldn't make payroll.

And every time we traced the rumor back, it led to someone who worked for this

man. Objection, Your Honor. Hearsay.

Sientese. Y deje de estar impresionando a su patrón. Él no es mi patrón y usted

tampoco. Así que no me esté dando órdenes. Mr. Rivera.

Con que no es tu patrón, ¿ah?

Gentlemen. Él es mi cliente.

¿O no entiendes? Both of you, approach the bench.

If not the U .N., I do not have benefit of simultaneous translation.

Now, you will conduct yourselves appropriately, and you will do it in

Step back.

Mr. Montoya, did you ever hear this from a Gatling employee yourself?

Yes. A friend of mine owns a bar, and I was there when the Gatling red shot up.

I can still hear his voice. He said, Mexican peace in Quintana.

The rent test in Washington, six and a half percent urine. I grabbed him. If my

friend hadn't stopped me, I would have killed him.

Thank you, sir.

I have nothing further.

Mr. Montoya, have you ever spread a rumor?

No, sir. If someone told you that the chief of police was a cocaine addict,

wouldn't tell people what you heard?

I wouldn't say it was true unless I knew it was true. That's not what I asked

you, sir.

What I asked you is...

would you repeat it? Well, then let me ask you a question.

As a Mexican, should I have been any less insulted because he was just

this? Wait a minute.

What he said wasn't about Mexicans. It was about beer.

Only to someone like you.

I ask that the witness's response be stricken. You know, I feel sorry for

You work for Anglos, and you will do anything so they will accept you.

Well, the trouble is, mi amigo, that to your client over there, You will never

be anything but speak with a law degree.

Now, Diana's student loans are all exclusively hers.

Daryl is asking only token compensation for his interest in the car.

How token?

$400. Way high.

Go on.

Continue.

All outstanding credit card bills will be shared equally.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

The $1 ,200 charge made after the separation that Diana has nothing to do

Well, I don't know the details about that, but... Well, your client knows

perfectly well the details.

What are you talking about?

Talking about a vacation in Mexico with your girl of the moment, charged on a

credit card for the purpose of rubbing your estranged wife's nose in it. Let's

steer clear of ascribing motives.

It's always a real bucket of bait.

I didn't do anything to hurt anybody.

Who are you, Jack? What do you know about my marriage?

I know that by the way you behave, you shouldn't be planning on coming out of

this with a neat little profit.

I relocated. I took a cut in pay so she could go to law school.

Let's not rewrite history. You not only failed her financially, you left her at

the first opportunity.

I don't want to hurt Diana, buddy, but I sure wouldn't mind taking a piece out

of you. Business before pleasure, Mr. Tyler.

Let me dismantle you at the table before you step outside.

Hold it. I don't want anybody dismantled. If Mr. Tyler thinks he's

get... Stop it!

This is exactly what I didn't want to happen.

Jonathan, look, even if you negotiated everything over to my side of the table,

I'm not going to leave this room happy.

This is about losing.

Both of us losing.

Daryl, what if we let Jonathan get Mr. Agnew a cup of coffee and you and I went

for a walk?

Let's see if we could get together on some of these things.

Yeah, okay.

This could be a mistake, Diana.

Well, it'll be my mistake, not yours.

Before we talk about salary, I need your commitment that I'll be up for

partnership consideration within four years. You've got it.

I also want to be trying cases.

Maybe not all the time, but I don't want to be farmed out to corporate, second

-chairing Michael and Ann.

We have every intention of utilizing your trial skills, Abby. Okay.

Numbers. I want 87 .5.

That's too high. Douglas, my practice stands to yield between 100 and 140 ,000

this fiscal year. That's gross, but you're carrying overhead.

malpractice insurance, health and life insurance, plus employee salaries and

benefits. Even so, I'll still be netting more than 87 .5. I run a small shop.

Precisely my point. A firm this size can't possibly show you a profit margin.

This firm has a high overhead of 14 ,000 per lawyer per month.

Douglas, you bill me out at 160 an hour, 2 ,000 hours a year. Only 80 % of which

will actually be able to bill, what with write -offs, bad debts.

Wrong. You don't write down my time.

I don't do pro bono work, and that overhead figure is padded because it's

completely unfair to load the partner's perk, club memberships, cars, onto

associates. Yeah, Abby's points are well taken, Natalie.

If you want more money, raise my billing rate. You can easily get 180 an hour

for my time.

Well, I think we can live with 87 .5.

Good.

Can I accept?

Excellent.

I trust we'll see you Monday? A week from Monday. I need some time to close

my practice and inform my clients. Of course. You take all the time you need.

Thank you, Lena.

Thanks, Douglas.

Benny!

Hi, how are you?

Hi, Abby. How are you? I'm fine.

Guess what? I'm going to come back to work at McKenzie Brackman.

You are?

We'll see each other every day, just like we used to. That's great.

Abby, I have a new friend.

She's a girl.

Really?

Her name's Alice.

She has a chauffeur, and last week she let me drive.

You drove a car?

Yeah, in a big parking lot.

Then I found my buddy.

Here's a picture of her.

She seems very pretty.

She is.

I like her.

So then, Arnie?

Hi, David.

Arnie?

If you're ready, we can begin.

Raise your right hand, please.

Do you swear the testimony you're about to give, it's the truth, the whole

truth, and nothing but the truth?

I do. Could you please state your name and address?

You know my name, Arnie. You know where I live.

State your name and address for the record, sir. You've been a guest at my

for dinner.

David?

My name is David Meyer. I live at 1426 Brookside Drive in Encino, California.

Do you own the property or do you rent?

I own it.

I bought it with my own money, which, as I understand the law, doesn't

necessarily entitle me to enjoy the use of it. If you could just answer the

question, Dave, and leave out your interpretations of the law.

Makes perfect sense, given the fact that my interpretations in general are so

out of the mainstream.

David. Evidenced by my obvious misinterpretation of the word commitment

it could accurately apply to marriage.

further evident by my skewed notion of friendship, which would have precluded

the possibility of you sitting across from me in an adversary proceeding,

in wait to betray me. Off the record, just for a second.

I'm sitting across from you at this table because you chose to make this an

adversarial proposition.

You're the one who hired this bloodhound to tear apart Roxanne. Pardon me,

Sheldon, that was a professional compliment.

At your instruction, he's trying to annul the marriage. At your instruction,

he's trying to squash her like a roach.

Roxanne is a very important person to me, David, and if she needs my help,

no mistake.

She gets it. If that means jeopardizing my relationship with you, I'll do it. If

it means getting ugly and dredging you through the polluted sludge, I'll do it.

You and I may be friends, but compared to my relationship with Roxanne, that

friendship means almost nothing.

That said, if you would just answer the questions so we can carry on with the

deposition.

Okay, fine, Arnie.

Ask your damn questions.

The thing is, Judge, the sensations have always stood for smooth.

You hear us sing, and you see us dance, and you'll say, smooth.

These guys, they take our songs and put in this ka -tonk, ka -tonk, hop around

all herky -jerky. Herky -jerky? It's called rhythm.

When I step on bugs, I got more rhythm. All right, gentlemen.

Mr. Wiltern, I take it you bought the rights to the sensations because you

wanted to do their act. We do, Judge, but that's not enough for today's

audience. I mean, you have to give your audience visuals, something to look at.

This is the age of MTV and high tech, and a couple of shooby -doo -wops just

ain't gonna fill the halls.

They've abandoned the very style that they agreed to perpetuate, Your Honor.

What do you know?

Mr. Wiltern.

Look at this guy, Judge.

He's white bread and no crust.

I mean, what do you listen to anyway, huh?

Objection. What, the Osmonds?

The letterman? Quiet, Mr. Wiltern. What is wrong with the Osmonds?

I bet Wayne Newton rings the bell for you. Mr. Wiltern, I said that's enough.

Your Honor, this is the same lack of respect his group has showed my client's

music. If anything, we give them respect.

It just so happens people like our version is better. You little punk,

Mr. Redding. You think people want to hear that dribbly wahoo all day long?

sugary puke. You're dead.

Melvin, Melvin, sit down. Both of you be quiet or I'll hold you in contempt.

Now, I don't know which version is what or who's compromising who, but there's

one way I can find out.

Tomorrow afternoon, I want both groups ready to sing in my courtroom. What?

Excuse me?

You heard me.

You want them to sing in court?

That's exactly what I want. You can do Walking in the Rain with my baby. That

was always one of my favorites.

But that's crazy.

We need our band, and we have to bring electricians. We got a light show. We

dry ice. Forget it.

You bring your band and that's it. No dry ice, no pyrotechnics.

Sensations don't sing in the daytime.

Mr. Redding, if you ever want to be a sensation again, you will sing in my

courtroom at 3 o 'clock tomorrow.

That's all.

How many stores do you own, Mr. Pettis? I have eight in L .A. and three in San

Francisco. And do you carry Quintana beer?

Yes, I do. How's it doing these days?

Ever since the rumor, I can't give it away.

Why do you think it was the rumor that did it?

I asked the customers point blank, that's how.

The same fraternity boys that were buying it ten cases at a time wouldn't

it. They told me they liked their beer without the Mexican mixer.

Now, did you ever hear an employee of Gatling Brewery say that Quintana beer

urine in it? Yes, I did.

The regional sales rep asked me why I was giving any shelf space at all to

Quintana. He said that the brewery workers hated Americans, that they

urinate in the beer that got sold in Mexico, only what was shipped up here.

Thank you, Mr. Pettis.

Nothing further.

Mr. Pettis, you've called for a boycott by Hispanics of all Gatlin products.

The Gatlins have aligned themselves against every one of us, Mr. Rivera.

need to know that has its cost. Gatlin has sponsored a series of Hispanic music

festivals and street fairs that you yourself helped to organize. Is that not

correct? Hispanics constitute a big market for them. It was good for

Then tell me, sir, why would they go out of their way to, in your own words,

align themselves against us? They counted on us being complacent.

They counted on each of us looking out only for ourselves.

That doesn't answer my question, sir. But tell me, other than free publicity

your convenience stores, what are you out for?

Assuming facts, not in evidence, Mr. Rivera.

Talk to me, Mrs. Fuentes. I'm the judge.

The objection is overruled. Mr. Pettis?

My friend, whatever it is I'm out for, unlike you, I'd never sell my people out

to get it.

I just thought before this thing gets any more exacerbated, we should just sit

down and see if we're at all close.

I said we'd listen to your proposal, and we will. Okay, first up, automobiles.

Mercedes goes to Roxanne. All the remaining cars will stay with David.

In lieu of any and all spousal support, she'll receive 50 % of all revenues in

yearning to David as a result of the video.

Why don't you give her 50 % of your take, Arnie?

She has no entitlement to my earnings, David. She's not my wife.

Well, that's an easy fix.

Just ask her. I mean, you would be glad to marry him, wouldn't you, hon?

David, is this not the man that you would like to be wedded to? I would

appreciate an instruction to your client to behave constructively, as well as a

reminder to him that my relationship with his wife has nothing to do with the

relevance of this proceeding.

The hell it doesn't. All right, David.

You represent the image that I cannot live up to, my friend.

You are the yardstick by which we all measure my failures. Don't tell me you

not relevant to this proceeding. You heard Dave. It's understandable, but

keep in mind this is a settlement conference.

Emotion has no place here. This is just about money.

What a coincidence. So was our marriage. It's not fair. David. Fair?

Fairness is supposed to factor into this someplace?

No, Dave. If it did, she would be taking a lot more than she is. Legally, she's

entitled to half of everything you made during the marriage, which would include

over a million bucks derived from your direct mail business.

Money which she's voluntarily forgoing in the interest of an amicable

settlement. What a wonderfully charitable person you are. Dave, what is

on? Are you trying to drag this thing out, perpetuate whatever you got left

here? Why don't you just shut your mouth, Arnie?

David. You shut up, too!

This is my marriage being ripped apart here.

Mine!

If I want to be difficult, if I want to fight, if I want to make them struggle,

then that is something I'm entitled to.

I sign these papers, and it is over.

Maybe I don't want it to be over so fast.

It is over, David.

I'm sorry.

If I could talk myself into this marriage, or talk myself into loving

would, believe me.

But I can't do that. No matter how painful this is, no matter how much hurt

there is for both of us, nothing can change the fact that this marriage is

finished.

When the settlement conference is over, I walk out that door.

And out of your life forever.

Have you never believed anything I ever told you?

Believe that.

Drop the papers and...

I'll sign anything you want.

I owe you an apology for going after your husband the way I did.

No apology necessary. No, but there is. I don't usually think like that.

You didn't think, Jonathan.

And we settled everything, so a good result came out of it.

Look, here's what's going on.

I feel very protective of you.

You got the... You affect me.

You affect me, too.

See you, sir.

Hmm.

Been fighting that impulse for eight weeks.

It's not that I'm not interested.

Okay, listen.

You set the pace.

I am the original slow dame.

Walking in the rain with my baby Holding her soft hand in mine

The rain drops were falling for my baby I never knew love

was so fine Walking in the rain with my

baby I take her in my sweet embrace I look in her

eyes, she's my baby

I kiss the side of her face.

And notice the soothing nature of the performance, Your Honor. The harmony

blending in with the movement.

Objection to that characterization.

Sustained. She's the love of my life.

She's my whole wide world.

Walking for life with my baby.

We've got trilogy here, Your Honor. This is important.

Objection! It's redundant.

Exactly the cause of disinterest with today's audiences.

Move to strike.

All right, that's enough.

Stop the music.

Okay, I've seen them.

Very nice.

Uh, Mr. Rice, where are your clients?

Right outside, Your Honor.

They like to make an entrance.

Never mind. Get them in here.

Let's go.

My girl.

She rocks my world.

They're doing smut. No, this is ready to sit down.

Cheap, muddy trash.

Trash? That's art you see now, coach.

Objection, your honor. Everybody quiet.

We want to start again, judge.

He interrupted us.

I said everybody keep quiet.

Okay, now I've heard both sides.

But we didn't even get to the bridge. Enough.

Mr. Wiltern, I got the thrust of your version.

I'll take this matter under advisement and give you my ruling tomorrow.

But we didn't even get to the bridge.

That ain't cool.

Mr. Gatling, was this rumor originated by anyone working for or on behalf of

your organization?

Not to my knowledge, it wasn't.

If I found out it was someone who worked for me, I'd fire them so fast their

head would spin.

Did your company ever deliberately seek to spread the rumor?

Absolutely not. Anyone who knows me knows I don't play that way.

This is a memorandum you circulated?

Yes. Will you read it for us, please?

Some of you may be aware of the rumors currently circulating that Quintana Beer

contains significant quantities of urine.

Please be advised that at present this appears to be wholly unsubstantiated.

Thank you, sir.

I have no further questions.

What made you circulate that memo, Mr. Gatling?

I think it's pretty self -explanatory. We didn't want our people spreading

rumors. Last year, sales for Quintana beer increased nearly 230%, while

sales dropped 10%. I'm well aware of that.

At the annual sales meeting, you said, and I quote,

We are going to swarm on Quintana. We are going to send them back to old

with their tails between their legs.

Just a little inspirational rhetoric, Mr. Cifuentes. That's what sales

are for.

After that kind of inspiration, how did you think your employees would interpret

that memo?

Didn't need interpreting.

It meant just what it said. Oh, come on, Mr. Gatling. You knew your people would

do exactly what they did, go after Quintana by maligning the dirty Mexicans

make it.

Objection. Mr.

Cifuentes doesn't like the witness's answer, so he makes up one of his own.

Sustained? You're not going to hang that on me, Counselor. We employ thousands

of Hispanics all over the country. I'm sure you do, sir. You even got yourself

one for a lawyer.

Tell us, though, who's this gentleman sitting on his left?

Objection. Actually, Rob, I'd like to answer that.

His name's Jeffrey Norman, and he's assisting Mr.

Rivera. Only he is not with Mr.

Rivera's firm, is he? He is with Hardwick and Spencer in New York, and

exactly assisting him. He's actually out here to supervise him.

That's irrelevant to this trial.

Yes, it is irrelevant.

Mr. Bronte, get off it. I just want to say, we engage Robbie Rivera because

a hell of a good lawyer, period.

You ever engage Robbie before now?

No. And the fact that he is representing you in this case has nothing at all to

do with his being Hispanic?

That's right.

Uh -huh.

Thank you, Mr. Gatling.

Nothing further.

What's the matter, Victor?

You decide that you can't win on the facts? I think I can win on the facts.

why the attitude? Why the insults? The disrespect?

Is that trial strategy or something?

No, man. I wish it was.

You're wearing $800 suits.

You're wearing $300 shoes.

Who's your patron? What do you do for a living?

When someone sticks a knife into Chicano ribs, I don't sign on to be the one who

twists it. Forget that Chicano stuff, man, would you? This is personal between

you and me. Who you are is personal. The Chicano stuff, that's personal.

Victor, back at the PD's office, we used to get each other through. You left, I

left. You moved out of East L .A., I moved out of East L .A.

With the stuff that happened to me, you were right there.

How can you turn on me like this?

Well, what do you want me to say, Roberto?

You want me to say it's all right? It's not all right. I say it's all right.

I say that I can do whatever any white Anglo Wall Street lawyer can do.

You're going to tell me I can't? Yes, and listen, I'm going to tell you you

can't.

We're not choros anymore, Victor. You get it?

Cut that loose.

You're the one who seems to be ashamed of that, Roberto.

Cut it loose.

I didn't get your message until just now. A matter of unprofessional behavior

has caused us some concern, Jonathan.

Whose behavior?

Yours.

What? As you know, this firm has a long -standing policy against fraternization

between clients and co -workers.

Fraternization? We have reason to believe your relationship with Ms. Moses

taken an amorous turn.

And you object to that? There's good reason for objection, Jonathan.

Yes, Ms. Moses.

As an entry -level employee, you are an associate.

The potential for exploitation should be apparent.

Do you think I'm exploiting Diana Moses?

Well, I'm sure it's not her intention, but any subordinate is vulnerable.

It's for your own good as well.

Sometimes the underling takes advantage.

No, no, I understand.

And in terms of the big picture, you need a policy like this.

Somebody looking at this firm from the outside, not knowing the personalities

involved, might not understand, say, a Stuart and Anne.

As a matter of fact, we had just such a cautionary chat with the two of them

when they got together.

Sure. And there are people who are always going to object to Arnold

fraternizing with clients, or maybe another partner's liaison with the

granddaughter of a client.

But when I look at the individuals who make up this firm, I'm proud to say I

people whose judgment I trust.

I'd like to think these people also trust my judgment.

Look, it's obvious.

You take your relationship with Miss Moses seriously. I wouldn't assume that.

Right now, the only thing you can assume about my relationship with Miss Moses

is that it will never be any of your business.

If you'll excuse me.

Redding and fellow members of the original group.

As I see it, you sold your trade name to the plaintiffs so that the sensations

could live on through time.

That's right.

But times change, gentlemen.

The people, as well as singing groups, who want to keep up with the times, have

to be willing to change, too. Yet while you want the act to go on in perpetuity,

you forbid the plaintiffs from making changes to accommodate contemporary

audiences. That's totally unreasonable.

They have to be able to make adjustments.

to keep the act fresh and viable.

But gentlemen, the adjustments you made, you may be good, but you're not the

sensation. If your version of walking in the rain with my baby is any

indication, I can only shudder to think of what you've done to bopping all night

with Betty. Now, you have a huge following, I know, and I don't want to

your show.

But I also know that the defendants had something different in mind when they

sold you their name.

That's right. And since...

I find the act so distinct, I don't see that their performing would cause you

irreparable harm.

Therefore, I am going to deny the plaintiff's motion for injunctive

Congratulations.

Your Honor,

with two groups using the same name, people are going to get confused.

Believe me, Mr. Rice, nobody is going to confuse these two acts.

You can argue your claim for money damages in trial.

The injunction is denied.

And this matter is adjourned.

I look forward to seeing you fellows in a lounge near me. And I'll send my

kids to see you.

My client believed in the American dream.

Until a year ago, he actually thought he was living it.

He risked everything.

He worked hard.

He made an unknown beer named Quintana, the fastest growing beer on the market.

Now, a huge corporation like Gatling wasn't about to make way for an Oscar

Montoya, though. When they couldn't buy him, they decided to break him. All they

would have to do was tell a lie.

You see, sometimes if you tell a lie often enough, it really doesn't matter

whether or not it's true. And Gatling went about it with all the mass

skill they used to sell their beer. They knew.

That people in this country always suspected Mexicans were different.

That we are capable of all kinds of things.

I mean, what kind of people can squat down in a field all day and pick

What kind of people would stuff themselves into the back of a truck just

the border?

It's got nothing to do with this case.

Sit down, Mr. Rivera.

Seventeen Mexicans dead from the heat.

Just so they could be busboys in America.

What kind of people would do that?

Now, you may ask yourselves, why would a giant corporation like Gatling

deliberately pander to prejudice and bigotry?

There is one simple answer for that, ladies and gentlemen.

Sell more beer.

You see, that is all the reason they ever need.

Mr. Rivera?

You ever show anybody your tattoo, Victor?

I never show anybody mine.

I moved into a nice neighborhood, man.

Really.

It's hard to believe sometimes.

Everybody always figured guys like us would either wind up in prison or dead

the time we hit 30.

And look at us now.

What a country.

I have a guy who cuts my grass.

He's the same age as my father.

I call him Jose.

He calls me Señor Rivera.

What a country this is.

One thing you've got to know about Hispanic people who live here, though.

We rip each other up.

Your Honor, may I have a moment to confer with counsel?

Why don't you just take over?

I was never supposed to be the lawyer anyway, right?

Right?

Amigos?

Mis compadres?

I was supposed to be a busboy.

Those wetbacks who died in that truck.

One of them was my cousin, Jesus.

I went to Calexico to identify the body.

Remember, Victor, when I got back, I cried in your arms.

Your Honor, may I approach the bench?

Yes, Mr. Norman.

He's your lawyer, Mr. Gatlin.

Like the man said, I'm just as big with a law degree.

Mr. Rivera.

Gentlemen, clearly I can't now send this case to jury. If you're unable to

settle it, I will have to declare a mistrial.

That's fine, Your Honor.

A second trial will generate more publicity than the first.

What are you looking for, Mr. Montoya? I need two million just to hold off my

credit risk.

What else?

An apology and a public stand -in from you, sir.

You got it. Plus, whatever it costs to stay in business for one year. That's a

blank check.

No, it's not. They're all fixed costs.

Until Quintana is back in the black, Gatling covers all operating expenses.

That way, Oscar at least has a chance to turn it around. With all due respect,

that sounds like welfare.

Really? Is that what it sounds like to you, Mr. Norman?

You're damned right.

No offense, but under those terms, Oscar could stay in bed all day.

He could send his company to hell in a handcart, plunder it for any liquid

assets, and Gatling would have to pick up the tab.

Have I done anything to indicate this is something I would do?

It's something you could do. Mr. Gatling?

You heard the terms on which I will settle.

There will be no negotiation.

No negotiation is necessary, Mr. Montoya.

Have your attorney draw up the papers.

We'll hold a formal press conference tomorrow, but right now I just want to

that my friend Mr. Montoya here sells beer.

100 % unadulterated beer from our neighbor to the south. If somebody tells

any difference, they're a liar.

My company has always viewed the Hispanic community as a tremendous asset

great nation.

We've enjoyed a fruitful partnership with them in the past, but I want to

continue into the future.

The Gatling Brewery stands committed to all minorities in this country.

We view this settlement as a means of reaffirming that commitment, as well as

our proud tradition.

David,

what are you doing here?

I just wanted to talk to you for a minute.

I think we covered everything yesterday, David.

I know.

I just wanted to say I'm sorry about yesterday, about everything.

You don't have to, Paul.

Things just didn't work out.

I'll be out of the house by the end of the week.

Well, that's okay.

Take as much time as you need.

We're both better off this way.

Oh, you're probably right.

We'll enjoy being single for a while.

Right. We'll meet people.

Maybe we'll even fall in love.

It's all true.

What you say?

In the long run, splitting up is probably the healthiest thing we could

It's so sad.

Well, it's just that I have all these snapshots in my head.

And there's one of you standing by a window in the hotel room.

There's one of you...

laughing at a comedian on TV.

There's one of you opening a letter the first time it hit me that both our mail

came to the same address.

I just have this feeling that I'm stuck with these snapshots for the rest of my

life.

You have snapshots too, David.

Yeah.

Look.

Chances are that we're never going to be friends, you and me.

Years from now, you might barely remember being married at all.

Every once in a while, though, you will remember something about whatever it is

we had.

I would just like to think it's possible that you might remember something good.

I would like the same for you.

Bye, David.