Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law.

I didn't say we were perfect, but we try to have respect.

Let me tell you about respect, baby.

I've had a sweat for it all my life.

My family was dirt poor.

I went to a piss -ant college in West Virginia.

And about a hundred pounds ago, I worked my way through law school as a

stripper. Is it hormonal?

Hormonal? As in attraction you don't know what to do with. Even the idea of

sleeping with you is so repulsive.

So totally nauseating that I would rather be celibate. You know Steve

Yeah, legal reporter, Channel 3. Well, he's going on vacation.

And the station needs someone to cover for him for a couple weeks.

But I'm a divorce attorney.

Don't tell me that under that lawyerly suit you're really a romantic.

Well, if by that you mean I believe every woman has one special light in her

that can only be seen by one special man, then I'm guilty as charged. Lock me

and throw away the key. Do you want to be a lawyer?

I must.

I can't seem to get away from them.

Then do it. It's not that easy.

Law school at night and a full -time job?

Huh, it'll be hell.

You might not make it.

But if you don't try, you'll never know.

Channel 3 spotlights women this week, and I'm here to focus on the working

woman. How does the law protect her? What are her problems?

Damn it! Gwen, why do you always have to make things so hard for me? We'll talk

about that and more.

when we come back. Jack Dearden just called me on the car phone and he raised

holy hell.

What are you doing here?

You are never up to speed anymore. I told you I taped my segment this

I've got the meeting with Dearden. Oh, they never received the third quarter

stock valuation.

I sent them. Oh, how? Pony Express?

Did it ever occur to you that the screw -up might be on their end? Until

recently, there were no screw -ups. And there aren't any now.

Really? Last week you lost the Delahunt file, my expense reports are late, and

there's a giant stack of mail sitting over there that you haven't even begun

answer yet. That is your personal fan mail, Arnie. I will get to it when I

or the station can handle it. I want a personal touch.

You do ten a day, starting now. I have a class tonight. I'm leaving at six.

You know, I've been really understanding, Gwen. Yes, I have been

You're going to law school, and I am trying to be supportive.

But in the end, I am the one who suffers. There are a lot of other bosses

world, Arnie. Some are even human. Don't push me too far.

Don't you push me!

You don't go to class until you do ten letters. And if things around here don't

start to improve a lot, you're going to have to choose. Either law school or

this job.

First, I'd like to say that I am especially sensitive to the concerns of

working woman. About the need to be treated with...

Sorry, I had a 6 a .m. photo shoot. The station has me on a brutal PR schedule.

Next up, Kendrick versus MacArthur.

You're taking the trial. I thought you lobbed it to Billy. Don't worry, Dougie.

Billy did the prep. It's still a joint client. This is the man who was nearly

crushed to death over the health food shake.

Gave the term food fight a whole new meaning. It was a diet shake. This case

about weight.

I'm an expert, so I figure I can wipe out the opposition.

Good luck. On a semi -personal note, Grace Van Owens agreed to handle

Berg's hearing, which is supposed to start today.

Veronica Berg?

Her son is developmentally disabled. She's fighting with the school board for

the money to educate him privately.

Oh, and I'd like to thank the partners for agreeing to take this at a reduced

fee. Don't be silly, Douglas. Glad to do it. Who's Veronica Berg?

Okay, that's it.

We're adjourned.

Who is Veronica Berg?

Douglas' ex -sister -in -law.

We probably should have taken your case in the first place.

You referred me to a good lawyer. He won at the administrative hearing. I don't

think he counted on the school board appealing.

Grace Van Owen, Veronica Burke.

Hello. Hi.

Very nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.

I've just read your hearing transcripts.

You've still got an uphill climb, but I guess you know that. I've been climbing

this mountain for two years.

This appeal is just another step.

The thing is, is that even though the federal law says the states have to pay

for educating disabled children, even if it means moving them to a private

school, in practice it hardly ever happens. But I think that with a

continuance... No continuance.

If we don't do this today, the judge says we have to wait another six months

a trial date.

Your attorney dropped you three days ago, Mrs. Berg. I just got this case

morning. I don't see how I could possibly represent you. Miss Van Owen.

My son can no longer put on his own clothes or respond to a simple question

like, do you want some ice cream?

I will do whatever you need me to do to get ready.

Summarize the hearing testimony or research the judge's cases on education

iron your blouse for court.

But because my son has to stay in that school until this is resolved, the one

thing I cannot do...

He'll wait another six months.

You've had your refreshment concession on Hollywood Boulevard for how long, Mr.

Kendrick? 25 years.

I'm a Hollywood fixture, ask anybody.

And Mr. MacArthur's been patronizing you for the past two.

He'd come over every day and he'd have a health shake, sometimes a veggie

burger. We'd talk sports, all very cordial, which is why it was such a

The assault.

Yeah, I mean, one minute I'm ringing up a sale, and the next minute he's bearing

down on me. The floor is shaking with every step. I thought it was in the

of the buffalo stampede from Dances with Wolves. Object to the buffalo

characterization, Your Honor.

Sustained. What did Mr. MacArthur do next?

He started yelling at me, cursing, called me a liar and a fraud. He blamed

for his weight gain.

I mean, it was crazy. He was out of control.

Demanded his money back, demanded an apology, and then I just walked away.

he reached over and he grabbed me and he pushed me down. And then he, um, sat on

me.

Excuse me? He sat on me and he wouldn't get up. And all of a sudden I heard a

crack. I thought my spine snapped.

There was a ballpoint pen in my pocket and he had to surgically remove the ink

cartridge from my thigh.

How long did Mr. MacArthur keep you forcibly restrained? About five minutes,

until the police showed up. And what injury did you suffer as a result of

unprovoked attack?

I had a herniated disc, which I may need an operation.

I can only stand for an hour. It's killing my business, all because of him.

Thank you, Mr. Kendrick. No more questions.

Mr. Kendrick, your ads say you offer fast food that isn't fast fat.

Low -calorie, nutritious snacks and shakes.

Yeah, and I've never had a dissatisfied customer until Namu over there. Move to

strike, Namu. So ordered.

So you claim your health shake is low -calorie? Absolutely.

Water, soy paste, skim milk.

70 calories.

But what you don't advertise is the caloric content of the flavorings that

put into this alleged health shake.

Pineapple, guava, and papaya juices, 100 calories apiece.

Dried coconut, 105 calories.

Banana puree, 168 calories.

So instead of 70 calories, your basic health shake is actually 670 calories.

Isn't that right? Hey, he didn't have to order the flavorings. Oh, come on, sir.

We both know that the plain stuff tastes like coolant fluid.

Objection. Sustained. No one would drink your so -called health shake if it

didn't have the flavorings, would they? Absolutely false.

A lot of my customers drink the plain shake.

I drink it myself.

Oh, really?

Really.

Your Honor, both parties stipulate that these are Mr. Kendrick's basic 70

-calorie health shake. I'd like the jury to sample them. Your Honor, I renew my

objection to this.

Each juror's palate is different. This is highly subjective and totally...

Overruled. Get on with it, Mr. Dunphy. Thank you.

Let the record show that none of the jurors turned handsprings after tasting

evidence. So, as we've just seen, the basic drink is undrinkable.

So to get customers to buy it, like Mr. MacArthur, you had to sell them on

additives that caused them to gain weight. And Mr. MacArthur did gain

Nobody held a gun to his head. You had him drinking six or seven shakes a day.

Doesn't give him the right to attack me. Didn't you call him a fat -ass pig?

Yeah, after he called me a liar and he assaulted me with a deadly weapon.

I don't think the state of California classifies a derriere as a deadly

Oh, yeah? Well, he sure as hell is. It was your shakes that were deadly, sir,

and you kept pumping them into Corliss MacArthur. You just kept ringing up

sales so you could make more money.

Objection! Withdrawn. I'm done here.

Hi. Hi.

Arnie told me what happened.

I didn't say that I believed him or that I'm taking sides. I can read between

the lines, Gwen.

Roxanne, I feel uncomfortable talking to you about this.

Don't. I haven't forgotten what he's like to work for. He can be a complete

swine. Well, it's not just that you're involved with him. It's other things.

Listen, Gwen, what happened between you and Arnie is... Ancient history.

I'm just here to help.

I never should have taken this job.

He made it perfectly clear what he wanted. Complete subordination. That

isn't even in my vocabulary.

I'll talk to Arnie.

We'll redefine your job.

Mackenzie Brackman, work only.

He'll go through the roof. Look when they don't want to lose you.

I mean, you're the only person besides me who's ever been able to stand Arnie

for more than a day. He knows that. He won't fire you. No.

He'll just work me to death.

Listen, I had a talk with Leland and Douglas. You know, you're due for a pay

raise in March.

Well, we decided it was in the best interest of the firm to offer that to

now.

Even if I might bolt and run?

Yes.

I mean, working for Arnie isn't that great, but...

This is a prestigious firm, and they want you as a secretary now, but why not

a lawyer when you finish school? Just don't cut off your options.

I hadn't thought of that.

Yeah, I'll talk to Arnie.

I think we can work something out.

When Ricky was two, he was diagnosed as having mild cerebral palsy, mild autism,

and a severe auditory learning disorder.

And what do the doctors say this would mean in terms of Ricky's ability to cope

in the world? They said he'd never be able to do something as simple as button

shirt or ride a tricycle. But you didn't believe them, did you? No.

I sold my house and used the money to put Ricky into a residential preschool

the Logan Institute.

And what happened at the Logan Institute?

At the end of three years, Ricky could answer questions in sentences.

He could recognize written words.

and identify shapes and colors.

And he not only rode a tricycle, he steered it around seven traffic cones.

Why didn't you leave him at Logan? I ran out of money.

And Woodrow Wilson, my local public elementary school, assured me that they

an appropriate program for Ricky.

And did they? No.

My son was never violent.

After two weeks at Woodrow Wilson, he started having outbursts of anger.

He hardly talks anymore.

He's lost 10 pounds, and he won't even go near a tricycle.

Mrs. Berg, would you please tell the court how Ricky spends his time at

Wilson? For 15 minutes each day, he's with the other children in the special

education class.

The rest of the time, he's in a coat closet in the back of the room with an

aide. What is it that you want, Mrs. Berg, from the school district?

The law states...

that if a child can't receive an appropriate education at a public

the state has a responsibility to pay for one at a private school.

I just want them to obey the law.

Thank you, Mrs. Berg.

Mrs. Berg, didn't you agree that Ricky should be separated from the rest of the

class because he...

couldn't handle the stimulation of being around other children? The school kept

calling me at work two and three times a week to come and get Ricky because he

was out of control.

Is that a yes or a no, Mrs. Berg?

Yes, I agreed.

I didn't know what else to do.

How much was Ricky's annual tuition at Logan, Mrs. Berg?

$80 ,000.

And you couldn't afford that? No. But an overcrowded, underbudgeted school

district can.

What about the alternatives the school district offered you, Mrs. Berg, such as

the autistic classroom?

Ricky is only mildly autistic.

He needs an individualized program to address all his disabilities.

A program that includes hypnotism, acupuncture, faith healing... Objection

irrelevant... Haven't you tried all of these things with your son, Mrs. Berg?

That's not what this is about. That is exactly what this is about.

You are not looking for an appropriate education, Mrs. Berg. You're looking for

a miracle.

Objection! My son doesn't need a miracle, Mr. Laporte.

All he needs is the help he was promised.

My weight's gone up and down all my life.

Took me three years to get it down to 190, and I was determined to keep it

And you thought drinking Mr.

Kendrick's health shakes would help keep it off.

That's right. I mean, even after I started gaining weight, I told him my

troubles. I mean, I thought the guy was my friend. And here he is pushing me to

drink more. And all the while, he knows how many calories are in these things.

And how did you discover the truth?

I gave one to a nutritionist. He told me it had over 600 calories.

And you confronted Mr. Kendrick. I am not a violent man, Mr. Dunphy, but he

provoked me.

I just snapped.

I mean, it wasn't like he just ruined my diet. He ruined my life.

After I started binging again, I got so fat that my wife found me

sexually undesirable.

My marriage collapsed all because of him. His lies and his fraud.

I want him to pay for it. Thank you, Mr. MacArthur. That's all.

Let me get this straight.

You watched my client add juices, fruit...

puree and coconut to your shake, and you didn't think it might add a few

calories? Well, his sign says fewer than 70 calories. That's fraud.

If you see a sale advertising clothes as low as $20, do you assume that every

item is $20?

Now, isn't it possible that you started putting on weight because your wife left

you? It is not true. And you still insist that my client is responsible for

weight gain? He is, and he damn well knows it. Your Honor, I would like to

introduce these photographs into evidence.

Is this you, sir, last Thursday night, eating a large pizza with everything at

Pepe's Posteria?

Objection! Introducing to impeach, Your Honor.

Overruled. Is this you, sir?

Well, I was under a lot of stress. You know, the trial was starting. I didn't

know what this thing was. And here, three months ago, were you under a lot

stress when you ordered two beckets of fried chicken, half a dozen biscuits,

a tub of coleslaw the size of Puget Sound?

It's called binging, Miss Bloom.

It's a vicious cycle.

You get fat. You get depressed.

You eat to feel better, but you feel worse, so you eat some more. I know what

it's like, Mr. MacArthur.

But no matter how it gets started, don't we all have it in our power to stop?

Isn't it your own lack of discipline and willpower to lose weight? Look, I was

like an alcoholic, and he's shoving drinks into my ass. Oh, come off it, Mr.

MacArthur. You can't face your weight problem, so you need something or

to blame it on. And this time it's Lyle Kendricks, isn't it?

I've been director of admissions for Logan for 12 years.

Ricky's combination of disabilities was unusual, but his progress was one of the

most remarkable I've seen.

And now, 18 months after he's left Logan, what is Ricky's condition?

It's almost as if he never went there.

So to make lasting progress, Ricky would have to stay at Logan indefinitely?

No. Our goal is to give these children a solid foundation and then return them

to the public school system as soon as possible.

provided there is an appropriate program for the child to go back to. What does

a child get for $80 ,000 a year?

No class has more than eight students. Along with the teacher and at least one

aide, there's a speech pathologist.

Children who need it receive occupational and physical therapy on

So in your opinion, Mrs. Rawlinson, what would become of Ricky if he doesn't get

this kind of one -on -one education?

Ricky could end up living out his adult life in an institution.

And what would that cost the state of California?

Up to $200 ,000 a year.

Thank you. No further questions.

Ms. Rawlinson, you said that if Ricky leaves your program, he may have to be

institutionalized as an adult.

Now, do you guarantee that if he stays in your program, that won't happen? Of

course not. But his chances could end... Isn't it true that...

The earlier a disabled child gets mainstreamed into the public school

the better chance he has at success.

Yes, assuming that the problem is... And yet of the 50 students currently

enrolled at Logan Institute, 10 have been there more than three years, and

students have been there more than seven years, haven't they? We're talking

about individuals.

We're a school, not a sausage factory.

But the longer these children stay in your school, the more state funds you

Objection irrelevant to the... The witness has a financial interest in the

outcome of this case, Your Honor.

I will allow it. Ms. Rawlinson, how many of your students attending Logan

Institute are on state funds?

47. 47 out of 50.

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act has been quite a goldmine

you. Objection. Withdrawn. No further questions.

Why didn't you tell me this last night?

It would have ruined a lovely evening. I complain about Gwen's competence, her

attitude, her hours, and you give her a raise?

Stuart never had anything but praise for Gwen. Stuart Markowitz has a small,

quiet back -office practice. His needs are completely different from mine. For

me, Gwen is a nightmare.

I never had these problems with you. Like hell.

Eleven years, I had to fight tooth and nail for every raise I got. Did you ever

think about promoting me? No, it took Douglas Brackman to do that.

And let's not forget, you fired me. When did this turn into a conversation about

you and me? What is it you really want, Arnie? For Gwen to quit law school so

she could spend more time sending out your 8x10 glossies? I am a partner in

firm. Gwen is our employee.

As long as this firm benefits from my exposure, she will answer my fan mail,

period. This is your ego talking, Arnie.

You're a legal segment on a local news show, not Tom Brokaw.

And you identify too closely with the secretarial staff.

You're an office manager, Roxanne. You ought to be a little more objective.

If I were more objective, I probably wouldn't be with you.

Overeating is a disease much like alcoholism. If Mr. MacArthur were

stay sober and Mr. Kendrick had spiked his drink with liquor, I doubt anyone

would blame Mr. MacArthur for losing control.

And doctor, what frame of mind would a person have to be in to do what Mr.

MacArthur did?

An obese person's weight is tied to their self -image, self -confidence,

assurance. When someone promises to help you get slimmer and healthier, but

instead they make you heavier, That's traumatic enough.

But when it's compounded by that same person calling you a fat pig or namu,

you're looking at psychological damage.

And you trace all this back to what? To Mr. Kendrick's misrepresentations.

If not for him, Corliss MacArthur might still be on a diet and a happily married

man. Objection. Move to strike. Speculative.

Sustained. Thank you, Doctor. Nothing further.

If not for my client, Mr. MacArthur might still be on a diet.

Or he might not. Right, Doctor?

Yes, but... And if my client had never been born, Mr. MacArthur might have been

so overwhelmed by the sight of a King Burrito, he could have fallen off the

wagon by himself. Isn't that correct?

Maybe, but Mr.

Kendrick's actions virtually assured it. The obese are especially vulnerable to

this kind of exploitation.

Really?

All of us?

This is based on demographic studies.

Profiles. Profiles.

Or stereotypes.

Are you saying, Doctor, that all fat people are so psychologically unstable

they are moved to physical assault more easily than thin people? No, I'm not. I

was talking about Mr. MacArthur. Oh, so he's unstable.

He was provoked.

Psychologically damaged?

Emotionally devastated?

He sure sounds unstable to me.

Objection! Sustained. I have nothing further.

I'm leaving and I'll be out of your way in a minute. Relax.

All I need is one book.

I'll get out of your way.

How's it going?

Great. Just great.

Don't fall behind in the reading. You'll never catch up.

And you've got to join a study group or you'll never survive.

I guess by now you've been called on.

No. No, I haven't been called on to recite.

I haven't found a study group, and I am way behind in my reading.

I'm getting four hours of sleep a night. I'm carrying a full course load I'm not

even sure I can pay for. And it's a very real question as to whether I've even

got what it takes to be a lawyer.

Satisfied?

Paul Scruff versus Long Island Railroad. That brings back memories.

Two porters stop a man from falling as he tries to catch a train.

What was it he dropped again?

A package which turned out to contain fireworks.

Right. The fireworks explode on impact with the tracks, causing a set of scales

to topple and fall on dear old Mrs. Paul Scruff, who happened to be passing.

I agree with the trial court, not the appellate. She should have recovered

the railroad company.

How can you say that?

Cardozo's absolutely right when he limits duty to foreseeability. Those

had no way of knowing what was in that package, and they're not the proximate

cause of Mrs. Palsgraf's injuries.

Proximate cause is a convenience used by the law to refuse arbitrarily to follow

a chain of events back beyond a particular point.

Oh, so if I leave a pair of scissors on this table and someone uses them to

murder someone, I'm liable even though I couldn't foresee the intended use? I

think that's off the point. It's on point.

The law requires reasonable behavior, not being able to predict the weird

of events... that you're talking about.

I'd say you have what it takes.

Okay, here's our offer.

You pay $1 ,500 compensation for the shakes, $3 ,500 damages.

You're nuts. What about my damages?

I agree.

You're in a hole, Joe.

I'd rather take our chances with the jury.

All right, $3 ,000 total.

No, stop bargaining.

I never wanted to settle. I'll let you talk me into this. But I won't stand

and beg. You should reconsider.

Joe will tell you I carved up your expert.

I don't need an expert. I'm in the right here. Guess again.

What the jury sees is a guy who's got a lot of emotional problems, who wants the

world to pay for what he... And what about what you're carrying around, Miss

Bloom? What about your weight? That's not the issue here, Mr. McCarthy. The

it's not.

You're in denial.

You can't even admit you've got a problem. And instead of dealing with it,

instead of losing your weight, you beat me up. That's garbage. Is it?

You know how I feel.

But you make jokes about me.

Well, whether you like it or not, Miss Bloom, you're one of us.

You're just sleeping with the enemy.

Dr. Leeson, as the district's special education administrator,

do you believe you are providing Ricky Berg with the legally mandated

appropriate education?

Yes. Ricky has regular sessions with speech and physical therapists.

We've also started a home tutoring program.

We've seen improvement in his concentration and his ability to respond

questions. The home tutoring seems to be helping his interaction.

Do you care what happens to Ricky Berg, Dr. Leeson? Of course I do. We all do.

I just wish Mrs. Berg believed that.

I have no further questions.

Dr. Leeson, if you're giving Ricky Berg an appropriate education, why are so

many of his skills measurably lower today than they were when he came to

Wilson a year and a half ago?

Part of the challenge of working with kids like Ricky is that...

No one knows what's going to get through to them from one day to the next.

Doctor, if Ricky Berg were your son, would it be okay if he spent most of his

school day in a closet?

Objection. I'll allow it.

It's not a closet.

There are no hangers, no coats, no coat racks.

Was it a closet before you needed a place to stick Ricky Berg?

Objection. Was Ricky Berg's private classroom ever a closet?

Yes. But he's not there alone.

When... Ricky's calm enough. He and an aide work towards specific goals using

puzzles and clay and picture books. But he is not with a qualified teacher. He

is not with other children, is he?

No. So if you were Ricky Berg's parent, would you be satisfied if he spent most

of his school day inside a former closet with a babysitter? Knowing what I know

about Ricky and about Woodrow Wilson, yes, I would be satisfied.

No further questions.

If that's your last witness, Mr. Laporte, I'll hear closing arguments.

Your Honor, I request a delay to produce a rebuttal witness.

Your Honor, either she has the witness or she doesn't. He is reluctant to

testify, but I think he will.

You have 24 hours, Miss Van Owen. Thank you.

Lyle Kendrick wasn't just selling health food.

He was selling hope.

People like him prey on more than their victims' wallets. They prey on their

dreams. If Mr. Kendrick ripped off old people by promising them relief from

or aging, if he swindled the handicapped or minorities, there'd be no question

as to his liability.

But fat people? They're a joke. How can you hurt them?

Well, you can.

And he did.

Corliss MacArthur has a serious illness.

Lyle Kendrick pretended to be his friend. He held out health and hope and

promise of a better life.

He betrayed Mr. MacArthur's trust.

That betrayal should have a price.

Lyle Kendrick is not responsible for Corliss MacArthur's problem.

He is not a therapist, nor a nutritionist.

He's a businessman trying to sell his product.

And Mr. MacArthur chose to buy that product of his own free will.

How dare they?

How dare they suggest that an entire class of people are more gullible, more

suggestible, and less able to look out for their own best interest simply

because they are fat?

They want you to believe...

that all fat people are alike.

Why?

Because then they don't have to deal with us as individuals.

They can claim that we're all driven by the same demons, that we're so fragile

in our self -image, so unstable, that physical assault, like the attack on my

client, is somehow justified.

There are good fat people and bad fat people. There are sloppy fat people and

neat fat people.

There are well -balanced fat people, and there are unstable fat people.

Corliss MacArthur is an unstable man who battered my client.

It has nothing to do with his being fat. And if you decide that it does, then

you diminish us all.

Tell everybody that we are people, not profiles, and that each one of us is

different.

Hi. Come on in. Good boy.

Look. Ricky's a winner. You won. Hey.

All right.

You are a winner.

Ricky, this is Ms. Van Owen. Hi, Ricky.

Look. There's an elephant here.

See it?

That's neat.

Grace, this is Dan Bardwell, Ricky's favorite teacher. This is Grace Van

my new attorney. Hi.

Are you sure you don't want me to stick around to help get Ricky to bed? Oh, no,

it's okay. I can take care of it.

But Grace would like to talk to you.

Ronnie, we've been over this. Dan, I know.

And I wasn't going to ask you again, but... I can put away the

flag now.

Oh, sweetie, come on. Come on, let's go brush your teeth, okay?

You like that, huh? Come on, sweetie.

That's a good boy.

Good boy.

Good night. Okay.

Bye.

Veronica tells me you think that Ricky should move back to Logan.

I need you to tell that to a judge.

Did she also tell you that if I testify against the school district, I'll lose

my job? They can't fire you if you testify. They can't do that. So they'll

up with some other reason. Then we'll take them to court. I'll represent you.

fee. Will you feed my kids when I'm on unemployment?

And the students I leave behind, will you finish teaching them for the rest of

the year? I could subpoena you.

I won't be cooperative.

I won't lie, but I won't say anything that'll help you either.

I don't need your help.

Ricky needs your help.

Do you think I'd come here three nights a week if I didn't want to help Ricky?

I want to.

I want what's best for him. Then tell that to the court.

I care for them all, Ms. Van Owen. For Ricky, yes, but also for John and Cara

and Billy and Rachel and a dozen more.

And some of them are far more disabled than Ricky.

I owe them something, too.

I'm sorry.

Your Honor, counsel is supposed to produce a witness, not a media show. I

produce a witness, but this tape is relevant to his testimony.

Objection overruled. But let's get on with it, Miss Van Owen.

Your Honor, about two months after this home movie was made, the little boy, Eli

King, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, autism, and an auditory learning

disability very much like Ricky Berg.

Now, that was 11 years ago.

Your Honor, I would like you to meet Eli King.

Where did you go to

school, Eli?

I graduated from Grover Cleveland High School.

And what about when you were a little boy?

I went to the Logan Institute.

And today, do you have a job at the public library?

Yes.

I put away books and... You

need some help, Eli?

Yes, I do.

Catalog. Yes.

I catalog.

New books.

Do you get paid for your work?

Yes, and I just got a raise, too.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Do you support yourself?

My parents help.

But I do most of it.

Thank you, Eli.

No more questions.

Hi, Eli.

Who brought you here today?

Grace and Miss O 'Gratherson.

How long were you at Logan?

Till ninth grade.

Eight years.

And then you went to a public high school.

Yes.

Did you learn as much at the public high school as you did at Logan?

Yes.

I did.

Thank you, Eli.

Has the jury reached a decision?

We have, Your Honor.

On the claim of assault and battery, we fine for Mr. Kendrick and order damages

in the amount of $5 ,000.

And on the cross -claim of fraud and false advertising, we fine for Mr.

MacArthur and order damages in the amount of $5 ,000.

Well, I'll be damned.

Well, it would seem the scales of justice have balanced out. Ladies and

gentlemen of the jury, thank you. We are adjourned.

I know you call me unstable, but I'd still like to thank you for what you

Your Honor,

have you ever had one of those dreams where someone is talking to you, but you

don't understand them? No matter how hard you concentrate, you cannot figure

what the words mean.

Now imagine experiencing the whole world like that.

Everything you see or touch or smell makes no sense to you. It's all chaotic

and frightening.

Now imagine that you only have partial control of your own body, and the world

is this constant, clamoring jumble that you're supposed to navigate somehow.

Well, that's what Ricky Berg experiences every day.

But somehow...

The Logan Institute made contact with Ricky, and they helped him to

They helped him to recognize shapes and colors. They helped him take a tricycle

and make it do what he wanted it to do.

And what did Woodrow Wilson Elementary School do?

They put him in a closet.

And because...

They cannot provide Ricky with an appropriate education. They want you to

believe that no one can.

They want you to think that this is unnecessary spending, when the truth is,

more we, the taxpayers, spend on Ricky now, the more we save in the long run.

Ricky Berg can be as independent as Eli King.

But until the public schools can fulfill their obligations to a child like

Ricky, sending him back to Logan is not just the right thing to do, not just

the legally correct thing to do.

It is the responsible thing to do.

Thank you.

Your Honor, in an ideal world, every child would have his own teacher,

his own computer, the best textbooks, and for a disabled child,

a whole battery of therapists.

In the real world, the state of California gets about $4 ,500 per

child per year.

Now, if they're going to have to pay private tuition out of that, They're

to have to cut a lot of services.

And I'm not talking about intramural sports and art supplies.

They lost those two or three budgets ago.

I'm talking about science equipment and desks and books

and teachers.

The law says that the state must provide every disabled child with an

appropriate education.

not the best that money can buy.

The school district can give Ricky Berg an appropriate, beneficial education

in a mainstream environment.

Let them do it.

Let Ricky Berg get on with the business of learning.

On my desk tomorrow a .m. Arnie, these depositions have to be filed by five

today. So I'm not tracking here. Is there a problem? Yes.

Another late night. Excuse me, Gwen.

I have to be on the air in 40 minutes. The last thing I have time for are your

problems.

There is no question that public school funding in this state is disgraceful and

that cost is an appropriate and necessary consideration in these

but the bottom line is a beneficial education.

While it may be cost -effective to put this child in a closet with an aide, I

find it neither educationally beneficial nor the least restrictive environment.

I am upholding the finding of the administrative hearing officer and order

Ricky Byrd be re -enrolled in the Logan Institute until a truly appropriate

public school program can be found or designed for him.

This hearing is adjourned.

Thank you. No, my pleasure.

Nicely done.

Grace, Mrs. Berg, the school board will file an appeal, of course.

Wish I could afford you for the next round.

Well, you can.

Sure. Thank you.

Fifteen seconds to floor.

Here we go. Thank you.

How do I look?

Fabulous. Come a long way in five weeks.

You think so?

Definitely. You have mastered the art of video foreplay. And three, two,

one.

We're back with legal eagle Arnold Becker.

Arnie, what do you say we go back to the phones? We have time for one more call.

Agnes from City of Industries on the line. She's got a problem at work.

Hi, this is Arnie Becker. How can I help you?

Mr. Becker, I have a problem at work.

I feel like a slave.

I'm sorry to say that's not unusual.

My boss keeps giving me more and more work to do.

Sometimes he threatens to fire me unless I stay late.

That's really unfair.

Well, I think so too.

Isn't there anything I can do?

What do you think, Arnie?

It doesn't sound like she has enough for harassment. Now...

If he had propositioned her, he... Oh, oh, he's done that several times.

Well, once he even seduced me right in his office.

You're kidding. Arnie, I certainly hope she can sue this slime.

Well, absolutely. In fact, you've got yourself one hell of a lawsuit.

Agnes, at the very least, I'd say you're looking at the high six figures.

Wow. Oh, that is assuming that he's got the money.

What does the creep do for a living?

A lawyer.

Right. Someone who should be able to sympathize with someone going to law

school.

Law school?

That's what I said, Arnie.

I think maybe you should try talking to him again. Forget talk.

Sue the miserable pig.

Can I include pain and suffering?

Agnes, let's not be too hasty. People can change.

Now, you sound like an exceptionally fair -minded person.

Why not avoid litigation?

Give him one last chance.

Negotiate. Maybe you'll get everything that you want.

Why do you really think so?

I've got a very good feeling about this.

Give it a shot.

And if that doesn't work, then sue him.

Well, thank you for the advice, Arnie.

And thank you all for watching.

That's the news for now.