Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law.

After a very brief deliberation, the partners here would like to express

unanimously their feeling that you would represent a significant asset to this

firm. We would like to extend to you an invitation to join our firm. Should

there be any doubt, the offer is an offer of partnership.

It just takes so much courage for you to be this honest in front of a couple of

strangers like this.

I'm really not surprised to see how brave you are.

Because that's what it took to give your baby up for adoption, didn't it?

She loves us, Tammy.

She's just a little baby, but we feel her love and her trust.

She knows we're her mommy and dad. No, I'm her mama!

I hereby find the circumstances of Tammy Harris' life too significantly changed,

making reasonable the withdrawal of her consent.

I further grant her petition for habeas corpus.

Bailiff, please deliver the baby to Miss Harris.

We can't find a way to avoid this trial?

I don't see how, Your Honor. Ms. Heverton adopted this little girl more

years ago.

Mr. Connolly's attempt to assert his parental rights at this late date we

as both self -serving and wholly inimical to the best interests of this

Your Honor, the fact that we're doing this when we are isn't because of my

client. It took him a year and a half to find this child, and having done that,

we've met with delay after delay engineered by Ms. Heverton and her

The delays were not engineered, Mr.

Angeletti. We want to resolve this every bit as much as you do. Is there any

possibility... For shared custody.

My client feels that that would only confuse the child.

It's time for the little girl to come home to her father. That's what we want.

Miss Kelsey?

Your Honor, Emily is my daughter.

I am not willing to share custody of her.

Mr. Conley, I assume your lawyer is speaking for you when he says the same

thing? Yes, Your Honor. I'm not willing to share custody either.

Look, this woman might have named her, but that doesn't mean that she has the

right to raise her.

She's my daughter.

I want to raise her.

All right.

We'll start at 2 o 'clock this afternoon.

I would ask both sides to refrain from making any inflammatory statements to

press. I don't want this to be any more public than it absolutely has to be.

Your Honor? How much of an issue is going to be made about the respective

characters of Miss Hebert and Mr. Conley? We've been specifically

the judge in this case not to make any statements that inflame the proceedings,

and I'm going to abide by that. I think my adversary is being overly fastidious.

The truth is, before we get down here, both these people's pants are going to

down around their ankles.

You yourself adopted a child, didn't you, Miss Kelsey, a little girl?

Thank you. I don't have anything more to say. Laura?

I'm just wondering if that experience led you to taking this case. I'm not

answering any questions.

I'm sure that having a child taken from you and returned to her

birth parents was a devastating moment in your life.

I just wanted to share that with you.

I think we ought to show some fiscal responsibility.

Haven't you heard, Douglas? Eat, drink, be merry, for tomorrow you die.

Wow, what's this about?

A little skirmishing, preliminary to the partnership meeting.

Ah. Yeah, we're voting on how to split up the profits this quarter. The

renovation took a big chunk out of our first quarter earnings.

The renovations are finished, Douglas. Why do we work like dogs if we can't

enjoy the fruits of our labor?

We can discuss this later.

Hebden versus Conley.

Laura Heberton is a single mother who adopted a baby girl two and a half years

ago, and now the birth father is suing for custody.

Tough one to win, no? If the judge's primary concern is the best interest of

child, I'm okay. If it's the rights of the father, we're dead.

What inspired the father to be doing this?

Part of it is that he wants to have a daughter, and part of it is that he's

the birth parents network behind him. What is that?

It's an organization dedicated to asserting the rights of the birth

the adoptive parents.

They are urging him on, providing legal counsel, and covering whatever other

expenses are involved.

So this encompasses more than just the parties of interest.

You might say that, yeah.

Churchill versus Bowles. Madeline Churchill works for the main branch of

.A. City Library.

She's been repeatedly harassed by a fellow librarian she's suing. How does a

librarian harass somebody? Very quietly.

This is a rather unusual case. Madeline faints any time she hears vulgarity or

sexual innuendo. Most of the other employees have been quite considerate in

accommodating her situation, but the defendant has chosen to make sport of

She faints?

She faints.

So this is a mental condition?

I wouldn't call it a mental condition. I prefer to think of it as a heightened

sensitivity. How heightened is it?

What do you mean?

How vulgar a vulgarity, how sexual a sexual innuendo does it take?

I don't know, Arnold.

Hey, if anybody could make her faint, you could.

However eccentric Madeline may seem, the fact remains that someone has made her

workplace intolerable.

I think the basis for the lawsuit is legitimate, and I expect to win.

Yeah, okay, I'll see you later.

Conference room's all booked up.

Where are we going to go? To the safe room.

Set up? I'll set up.

What is the safe room, please?

It's the place we're supposed to go when we're under attack.

They've got a phone in here.

Come.

Can I talk to you?

Sure. What's up?

About the partner meeting.

Ah.

The... First time you passed me over for partnership, you said it was because of

finances.

Mm -hmm.

It was. You asked me to be patient, and I was.

Since then, you've taken on two new partners ahead of me.

Well, they both had been partners at other firms. I've been here seven years,

Leland. I've made more than my share of rain. I've handled more than my share of

high -stakes cases, and I don't think I've been found wanting.

You're right.

Far from it. I think I'm due.

Well, I can't make you any promises.

But I will bring the matter up.

Thanks.

So, Miss Halliday, since when does Mackenzie Brackman get involved with

like this?

Harrisman isn't nonsense.

Did I ever lay a hand on you? You repeatedly and deliberately made her

intolerable, Mr. Bowles. Miss Churchill is completely within her rights to seek

damages. Let me be a pragmatist for half a minute.

Let's say that you're right.

Let's say that this poor woman was harassed. What do you think you're going

come away with?

My client has $73 in the bank.

You're aware of our demands. If he finds another job, we'll drop the suit.

Forget it. These are fascist mind games, and I'm not giving in to them. Ever

since you came to work at the library, your every intention has been to debase

me. Untrue.

And poison the atmosphere I'd come to love.

Look, profanity is part of lingua franca. You know what I mean? At this

history, that is the way people talk. It isn't the way I talk, Mr. Bowles.

Well, that may be because you are something of a tight ass.

Oh, dear.

Mr. Peters, due to the fact that my client has somewhat of a delicate

would ask that your client control his language.

She has a delicate nature. She wants to rule the world. And if we're not careful

in the 21st century, she and women like her will. Cover.

Please, let's try to return to the business at hand. We are not androids,

Madeline, nor are we pure thought. We are all of us raging, devouring sexual

carnivores. Mr. Peters, once again, I would ask that you put a muzzle on your

client. Put a muzzle on me? She's suing me, and you want to put a muzzle on me?

F*** you.

F*** the both of you.

Look at her.

Great.

Mr. Conley, would you please tell the court who Maureen Booker is?

She's the mother of my little girl.

Objection. Ms. Booker has waived her parental rights. Let the record reflect

that the witness's response is taken to mean biological mother only.

Had you and Ms. Booker made arrangements regarding the custody of this child?

After she got pregnant, we agreed to get married.

Then she changed her mind.

So we agreed to split up and share custody when the baby was born.

And then what happened?

Well, just before the baby was due, Maureen disappeared.

I tried to find her, but nobody knew where she was.

Then six months later, she showed up and told me that the baby had died.

Did you believe her?

Yeah, I believed her. I couldn't imagine that anyone would lie about something

like that.

What, if anything, happened to change your belief?

One night, one of her friends called me up and told me that the baby didn't die,

that Maureen had put it up for adoption.

And what did you do?

I hired a private investigator.

He looked for her for about six months, but when I ran out of money, he stopped

looking.

Then I read about Birth Parents Network.

I made a phone call.

Went to a meeting, and suddenly I had this whole organization that was willing

to help me. I mean, they paid for good private investigators. They paid for

Mr. Angeletti.

They're the reason that I found my daughter.

What steps, if any, have you taken in anticipation of being awarded the

of your daughter?

Well, I enrolled myself in a substance abuse program and got myself straight.

That's the first thing.

Then I got a job, I got a decent place to live, and I made arrangements with my

mother to take care of my daughter while I'm at work.

Mr. Conley.

If two years ago you'd been asked to waive your parental rights, would you

done so?

No. No, I wouldn't have.

I wouldn't have waived them then, and I don't waive them now.

I have nothing further.

Mr. Connolly, is it your desire to act in what would be considered the best

interests of your daughter?

Of course it is.

You are of the belief, are you not, that her best interests are served by being

given over to you?

That's correct.

But it's safe to assume that the biological mother of this child felt

Objection. Speculation.

Sustained. Were you drinking while Miss Booker was pregnant, sir?

I was then. I'm not now.

Were you using amphetamines?

I was then. I'm not now.

Did you ever become physically violent with her while she was pregnant? It

happened once.

She might have even had something to do with it. In other words, it was

justified. No, it wasn't. You would agree, would you not?

That placing a child in the sole custody of an individual who has a drinking

problem, who has a drug problem, who is prone toward physical violence, in all

likelihood, would not be in the best interest of that child?

Objection. Yes, I would agree. Overruled. I do not like that anymore.

That's right, I'm not.

I'm also that child's father.

I have no further questions.

I'm her real father.

Mr. Conley. And I'm the one who should be raising her, too. Mr. Conley, I'll

have to ask you to step down now.

Yes, Your Honor.

Miss Booker, would you tell us about your relationship with Brian Connolly?

We were together about six months.

It didn't work out.

Why not?

A lot of reasons.

He's got a temper. He drinks.

When I got pregnant, we were going to get married.

But I thought about what my life would be like and what my kids' life would be

like.

And I said, no way.

Why did you put your baby up for adoption?

I was just out of high school.

I wasn't ready to be a mother.

I met Miss Heberden and decided to do what was best for my kid.

Did you know that Mr. Connolly wanted custody?

That's not what he said then.

He wanted me to raise it so he could come and visit once in a while.

He didn't want the responsibility.

I couldn't even get him to chip in for medical expenses.

Did you consider having an abortion?

I don't really believe in abortion.

On the other hand, if I thought the alternative was to have Brian raise her,

probably would have considered it. Why?

He wasn't any more ready to raise a kid than I was.

Thank you. I have nothing further.

Ms. Booker, the time of your breakup with Mr. Conley, were you seeing other

I was seeing another man.

One man.

Did he have money?

Objection. Irrelevant.

Sustained. Laura Heberton has money, doesn't she?

Objection. Sustained. How much did Laura Heberton pay you, Ms. Booker?

She paid for my medical expenses. That's it.

You say that Mr. Conley refused to pay for your medical expenses.

That's right. You disappeared before the baby was due.

And then you didn't get in touch with him again for six months. And when you

did, you said that the baby was dead.

Did you really give him a chance to pay for those medical expenses?

It wouldn't have mattered.

How do you know?

I know Brian.

Isn't what happened was that you wanted to hurt Brian?

And you wanted to leave yourself unencumbered? And what better way to

both those things than by denying him the child that was his? I care about

child as much as anyone in this room.

I gave her up because I thought it was best for her.

She could be loved.

She could have someone to take care of her.

And as painful as it was, I don't regret it for a second.

I did what was right.

Have you visited your child, Ms. Booker?

No. The truth is, you have no idea what kind of a parent Laura Heberton is, do

you?

I think she's a good parent.

I'm sure it's comforting for you to think that, isn't it?

Objection. Withdrawn. I have nothing further.

Before we begin the deposition, I would like to remind Mr. Bowles that certain

words and phrases are extremely discomforting to my client, and I don't

to subject her to them.

In the interest of expediting the matter, my client has agreed to refrain

vulgarity. When did you start working at the library, Mr. Bowles?

Last November.

Would you describe your duties?

I put the books back on the shelf. I worked the checkout desk, balanced the

homeless people if they got too stinky, general library duties.

Were you ever told about Miss Churchill's sensitivity to language?

I was told she fainted. Having been told that she fainted, did you ever act in

such a way as to cause her to faint?

Well, apparently I did.

Did you do so deliberately?

No, I did not.

Did you ever use profane language when speaking to Miss Churchill?

I'm a human being. I speak in the colloquial vernacular of the age.

is a pain in the ass. In other words, you resented her. Every day there was a

new rule. One day there was no jeans. The next day there was no gum. The next

day there was a memo about the proper forms of salutation.

I was seeking a certain minimal level of decorum. Is that why you told me I

couldn't handle any 19th century additions?

I told you that because your fingernails were ill -kept. More rules. Rules of

conduct, Mr. Bowles, are in the end what define us as a civilization.

Let me tell you something.

Rules and repression start with the genitalia and they work their way

until they imprison the mind.

Could we get back to the deposition, please?

Read Fahrenheit 451 sometime.

Read Philip K. Dick.

I thought that we had agreed on something.

It's a name. That's his name. Philip K. Dick. Did you not taught her on a daily

basis, Mr. Bowles? Mr. Bowles, did you not do everything in your power to make

conditions at work utterly intolerable for her? I used words.

At first, I used them in the course of ordinary conversation. Then, when the

philosophical ramifications of her repressive attitude towards language

I used them deliberately.

I used words to describe the human excretory function.

I used words to describe the human sexual function. I used words to

define human existence.

It was intolerable for her to hear them.

was intolerable to me to be prohibited from using them. Oh, yeah.

Every now and then, I would come up to her.

I'd lean in, and I would just... Madeline?

Well, she beat me to it that time.

Something has come up we have to discuss before we can proceed.

What's that?

Jonathan Rollins approached me this afternoon.

He thinks it's time we made him a partner.

Partnership decisions are made in June. This is February.

I realize that.

Jonathan would like a decision now.

That's a little cheeky, isn't it? Douglas, we told him two years ago he

being passed over because the firm was in financial straits.

Clearly, that's not the case anymore.

How do you define financial straits? Do we have more money than we need? I don't

think so. He's also young. He hasn't been an associate for a terribly long

He also took a year off. Jonathan is one of the best litigators in the city, and

everybody in this room knows it. I don't think anyone's arguing that.

The truth is, that's not an appropriate criteria.

This would have a negative financial impact on everyone in this room.

Well, that's true whenever you take on a new partner, Douglas. Does that mean we

should never do it? It means we do it as dispassionately as possible.

Let's put it to a vote.

Blind ballot.

Given that I don't feel comfortable being part of this decision, I'm just

to listen.

I can't thank you enough for all the trouble you've taken, Miss Halliday.

I'm truly sorry to be such a burden.

You're not a burden, Madeline. You're a client.

Just the same.

All these scenes, all this fainting.

It's quite embarrassing.

I'm sorry that you're embarrassed. You needn't be.

Okay, we have mints. Apple, Earl Grey.

Have you any valerian root?

No, I don't see any.

Um, chamomile.

Chamomile will be fine. Sugar?

Please. Madeline Churchill.

Yes. Arnold Becker. How do you do?

Very well, thank you. I've been following your case.

Have you? Yes, I have. We like to afford our clients the benefit of various

points of view here, notwithstanding that Jane is as capable as any attorney

here. Yes.

Miss Halliday is doing a wonderful job, and under rather difficult

circumstances.

As you may or may not know, our opponent is something of a cat.

He keeps using those upsetting words, doesn't he?

Yes, he does.

We should probably get back to work. Just one second.

I find you to be a fascinating woman.

I'm sorry, was that too forward?

No. The relations between the sexes is my bailiwick, so to speak, hence my

curiosity. So I find myself wondering, is it the word or the implication of the

word gets you upset.

Arnie, I really need to get Madeline going here. I'm not sure I know the

difference, Mr. Becker. Some words are exclusively sexual. They either refer to

genitalia or various sexual acts, whereas other words acquire their sexual

meaning from the context in which they're used.

Arnie. A restaurant chain is called Hooters.

Now, if you infer that that name refers to the waitress's breasts rather than to

Al's, would that cause you to faint?

Contrary to what you may think, Mr. Becker, I am not a knave.

I know to what the name of these restaurants refers.

And while I choose not to patronize such an establishment, neither would the

name cause me to faint. If a man told you that he was going to go home to

the bishop... Okay, Arnie, that's all we have time for. One more, one more, one

more.

A woman walks into a room full of men and asks, which one of you is Eric? Now,

if you were to hear this as which one of you is erect, thereby conjuring up

images of orgiastic behavior, multiple penetration and so forth, would that

cause you to faint?

My God, it works.

Your Honor, once again, I would argue this witness is not qualified to testify

as an expert.

She's a psychologist, Your Honor, board certified.

She's been associated with the American Birth Parents Network since its

inception, Your Honor. She's here as an advocate... And I'm sure you'll cross

-examine her accordingly. The witness may testify.

Dr. Farr, would you please state for the court your field of specialization?

I deal with families who have suffered through the trauma of adoption,

Parents who have lost their children or children who have lost their parents.

Characterize for us, if you will, the effect of such loss.

Objection. Counsel is dealing in meaningless generalities. The issue of

per se should be considered here.

The objection is overruled.

Witness can answer.

Most children who have been adopted spend their lives trying to puzzle out

identity in a way that other people can't understand.

No matter how much their adoptive parents love them, these children grow

feeling like a part of themselves is missing.

Adopted children live with a sense of having been abandoned by their parents.

It's a tremendous burden to carry. And how do these children respond?

Objection, excessively broad, excessively vague.

Overruled.

Adopted children can respond in any number of ways. Some are more effective

others. But the range of response includes behavior that is quite

whether it be eating disorders or drug abuse or criminality.

The healthiest solution for an adopted child is to seek out his or her birth

parent and establish a relationship with them. In your opinion, Doctor, At what

age is it better to let things be? At what age is it better for a child not to

be taken from its adoptive parents?

If a birth parent stands ready, willing, and able to make a home for that child,

I believe that child is better off with their birth parent at whatever

age. Thank you, Doctor.

Would you concede, Ms. Farr, that at the present time, Brian Connolly is in fact

a stranger to this child?

First off, Ms. Kelsey, I would ask that you refer to me as doctor, as I have in

fact earned that credential.

And as to your question, no, I would not concede that Mr. Connolly is a

stranger. He is anything but a stranger.

And yes, I think a two -year -old child would sense that.

And how would she sense that, Dr. Farr?

I have seen pictures of little Emily.

She has her father's eyes and her father's chin.

If I can recognize that, so can she. Have you ever met little Emily, Doctor?

No, I haven't.

Have you ever interviewed Laura Heberton?

No, I haven't done that either.

And yet you're up here as an expert witness, testifying as to what's in the

interest of this child.

Don't you find that a little odd, Doctor?

No, Miss Kelsey, I don't find it in the least bit odd. You see, I myself was

adopted.

I was rejected by my birth parents, not once, but twice. The first time, when I

was born.

The second time, 28 years later, when I finally located them.

Is it ever harmful to the child when the birth parents make contact?

I'm 38 years old, Miss Kelsey.

Every year, on my birthday, I wait for a card from my birth parents.

Is your expertise based on being a psychologist or on the fact that you

adopted child?

It's based on both.

I have no further questions.

Come in.

I'm afraid the vote did not go as I had expected.

I may have made a mistake by insisting that the vote be taken at this time.

There were some who thought we should wait until June when partnership

are usually made.

You think the results will be different in three months?

I think so, yes.

Who voted against me?

It was a secret ballot.

I don't know.

Then how do you know they'll vote differently in June?

Hey, Jonathan, how you doing?

Okay.

Yeah, I spoke to Barry Glassman this morning.

Oh, yeah? Yeah, he and Faith said say hi.

You know, we should all get together sometime.

Sure. Have dinner? It'd be great.

Stuart Markowitz.

What?

You voted against him.

Can we not talk about this here? How could you vote against him?

Because I think occasionally we have to exercise a little fiscal conservatism

around here.

Fiscal conservatism? Yeah.

Partnership decisions are made in June. There's a reason for that, Ann. We have

rules around here for a reason. I can't believe I'm hearing this. What are you

all of a sudden, Douglas MacArthur?

Ann, the fact is it's better for Jonathan this way. It's better for his

situation. It's better for his buy -in situation. I see. So you're just looking

out for his best interests.

Yeah, your sarcasm notwithstanding. I feel totally justified.

He saved your best friend's life, and you feel totally justified.

Let me tell you what you did yesterday.

You caused a perfectly innocent, rather fragile woman a tremendous amount of

embarrassment. After your little performance yesterday, Madeline spent 20

minutes in the ladies' room weeping.

That woman is a client of this firm. That entitles her to your protection as

well as mine.

You're right.

I'm sorry. Whatever sexual games you might play with me, Arnie does not give

the right to involve an innocent bystander.

Do it again and I'll gouge your eyes out.

Wow.

Miss Churchill, how long have you worked at the public library?

Four years at the Wilshire branch and ten years now at the main branch

Fourteen years.

And in that time, have you ever had any trouble getting along with other

employees? Not at all.

You're right.

Well, there are occasional misunderstandings, but for the most

librarians are diligent and considerate workmates. Isn't it true, Miss

Churchill, that you've had three other employees fired for nothing more than

offending your sensibilities?

Absolutely not.

Oh, well, I've got a letter here from Miss Melody Weigel.

A terrible laggard. She was routinely late for work.

Right. She said only happened a couple of times.

Punctuality, Mr. Peters, is not an occasional virtue.

What about Mr.

Kirk Dauphinese?

That man was a drunk.

He'd have a beer at his lunch.

He stank of liquor.

Kathy Twill. Miss Twill engaged in illicit activity in the library stack.

She was kissing her boyfriend.

They were doing more than kissing.

Mr. Bowles. Isn't it true that you cost these people their jobs, Miss Churchill?

And I think you're trying to do the same thing to my client.

Your client is not a gentleman, sir. Well, that happens not to be a crime,

Churchill. You see, this is not 19th century England. It's 20th century Los

Angeles. And you may not like it, but this is where you live.

I beg to differ with you, Mr. Peters.

Time and culture are not a place, but a state of mind.

In fact, I do not live in the 20th century, nor do I have any intention of

doing so.

Fine.

Uh, I have no other questions.

Let's go to trial.

With all due respect, Miss Halliday, your client's a lunatic.

We'll see you in court.

Why am I a lunatic, Mr. Peters?

Madeline, we're finished now. You don't have to talk to him anymore. No, Jane,

I'm curious.

I go to work every day. I perform my duties valiantly and well.

I treat my fellow man with kindness.

My standards of behavior are rigorous, I admit, but I'm never mean -spirited

about the failure of my employees to meet those standards.

What is it about my behavior which suggests mental instability?

Well, look at you. Look at the way you're dressed.

Excuse me, Jane.

Jane, they need the room.

Tell them that we're running a little bit late.

Okay.

Mr. Bowles.

I hardly think we are sufficiently familiar with one another so as to

a conversation about the way in which I dress.

Miss Churchill, you can't force other people to live like you.

You don't have that right.

Do you have the right to force me to live like you?

In a world where violence is as common as the common cold and common decency is

all but obsolete?

In this world, your world, Mr. Peters,

Sins of the flesh have nearly annihilated the life of the mind.

Even the discussion of spirituality has become an embarrassment.

People's very souls have shrunk.

Am I the lunatic because I will not embrace this world?

Perhaps the Victorians were fragile creatures whose mistakes were as grand

their achievements.

But they bowed before beauty. They yearned for grace.

They struggled for intellectual integrity.

And they had manners.

I beg your pardon if I am reluctant to exchange their values for yours.

Miss Heberton, could you tell the court how you met Miss Booker?

I had placed advertisements with several adoption agencies.

I paid an attorney who specializes in adoptions.

Maureen contacted me when she was seven months pregnant. I flew to Ohio to meet

with her.

When did you first learn about Mr. Connolly? About two weeks before Emily's

first birthday.

Maureen called me to tell me that she had heard through friends that he was

actively looking for the baby.

Did you try to contact Mr. Connolly at that time?

No. Why didn't you?

I was in a complete panic, that's why.

I couldn't imagine what I would say to him.

And as soon as he contacted me, I hired you. In contesting Mr. Connolly's suit,

do you believe that you're doing what's best for your child? To the core of my

being.

I was there when Emmy started to crawl.

I was there when she learned to walk.

I make her breakfast every morning.

I color with her.

I pat her back at night until she goes to sleep.

I am her whole world.

I'm sorry if Brian Connolly feels that his rights have been violated.

Quite frankly, he is not my concern.

Emily is.

Thank you. I have no further questions.

How much did you pay the lawyer who arranged this adoption?

Objection. Irrelevant. Sustained. How much did you wind up paying Maureen

Booker? Objection. Irrelevant. Sustained.

Are you able to have a child of your own?

Objection. Irrelevant.

I'll allow it.

I have a child of my own, Mr. Angeletti.

I have a daughter.

Are you able to have children by giving birth to them?

No.

Is it fair to say, ma 'am, that this is a source of great frustration to you?

Yes.

And thanks to your financial resources you've been able to overcome this

frustration, haven't you? I assure you, sir, that regardless of my financial

resources, I would have found the money to try and stop you people from taking

Emily away from me.

Does Emily have a nanny?

Yes, she does. How many hours a week does she spend with her?

I don't keep track week to week.

60? 70? I try to keep my work week to 40 hours.

Occasionally, I can't. Does Emily call the nanny mommy?

Not that I know of, no. Emily's seeing a child psychiatrist right now, isn't

she?

Yes. Why would a two -year -old need to do that? This trial has taken a toll on

her. I'm upset, and she senses that.

You're upset, so your child sees a psychiatrist.

Emily was taken to the emergency room at Cedars -Sinai nine weeks ago. Was she

not?

Her arm was burned. She reached up to the stove while I was making dinner and

spilled hot water on herself.

Do you think you're a good mother, Miss Everton? Yes, I do. Would you

acknowledge it if you weren't?

Would you acknowledge that it might not be in the best interests of this child

to remain with you rather than be returned to her real parents? Objection!

her real parent.

I'm real because of what I do.

I'm real because I am the only mother that Emily has ever known. That, Mr.

Angeletti, is real. I wonder if Emily will agree with you when she finds out

she's adopted.

Objection! Sustained. You do intend to tell her, don't you?

Yes.

When she's older.

I intend to tell her everything.

I have nothing further.

Laura, I think we should discuss this. I don't want to discuss it, Ann. If we

discuss it, you're going to talk me into doing it.

What is it you want to do, Sabrina?

I want to make an offer, Laura.

Until now.

I've been unwilling to agree to any kind of visitation.

I was concerned that Emily was too young, that it would be upsetting for

I'm still concerned.

Okay, that said, I'm willing to try it.

I'm willing to see how some sort of structured visitation goes.

Is that it?

If it's not upsetting to her, we can increase it. Forget it, Miss Hebert, and

what you're offering is nothing. Do you think it's nothing, Brian? Don't talk to

my client, Miss Kelsey. Talk to me.

I was hoping to get custody.

Do you know what that would do to her, Brian?

You would be taking her away from the only home that she's ever known.

Yes, we would, Miss Hepperton.

I'm sure the transition period would be somewhat difficult, but we believe that

Emily, assuming that Brian decides to continue calling her that, would get to

know a new home. We think that in time, she'd come to barely remember either you

or your home.

Let's go, Brian.

Leland. Yes.

I want to talk to you about that partnership issue.

You know, of course, if it was up to me, you'd be a partner by now.

What I'd like more than anything is just to do it, buy executive fiat and be

done with it. But this firm doesn't work that way. I realize that. There are

limits to what I can do unilaterally. With all due respect, Leland, I don't

care. I don't care about your limitations.

I don't care about your good intentions anymore, Leland.

This is about business now.

I have to take care of business.

I would like to stay here at McKenzie Brackman, but I won't if you're not

to make me a partner.

You have until 5 o 'clock today to make a decision.

Jonathan,

ultimatums are really not appropriate here.

I expect to hear from you one way or another, Leland.

Hey,

how you doing?

I like you here.

How do you get it to do that, Pins?

It's a great look. It kind of reminds me of, um, what's her name? Kathy from

Wuthering Heights.

Kathy Earnshaw.

I think of her often.

You've read Wuthering Heights?

Oh, it's a book?

Yes.

I was surprised to receive your call, Mr. Peters. I didn't think we had

more to talk about.

I, however, my client, seems to have had a change of heart.

I was impressed by what you said yesterday, Mr. Churchill. For the first

glimpsed the mind and the soul that lay behind your visage.

I want to apologize for whatever pain I may have caused you by the grossest of

my behavior.

If this is some kind of ploy, Mr.

Bowles... It's not. I realize that what Ms. Churchill said was true, that I have

not been a gentleman, and to my surprise...

This realization was extraordinarily painful to me.

I'm willing to accede to your demands.

Anything you want.

I'll quit. I'll give you money.

You don't have any money, Carter. Miss Churchill has suffered grave distress in

my hands. I've been a brute.

You want some kind of medication?

Miss Churchill, last night I went home and I read Bleak House.

Mr. Bowles.

I couldn't put it down.

Joe's death destroyed me. Oh, yes.

Yes, of course it did.

I had no idea.

I'll draw up the papers.

I realize that I have given you great pain. If you could see into your heart

forgive me, forgive a wretched, foolhardy man like me, perhaps we could

have tea?

This is quite sudden, Mr. Bowles.

Are we ready to proceed with summations, Counsel?

Ready, Your Honor.

We start from the premise that children are best served when they're raised by

the people who brought them into being.

We have here two people, both claiming the right to be awarded custody of a two

-year -old child. Her father and the woman who adopted her. Your Honor, I'd

to stop this.

Mr. Conley, your attorney's in the middle of his summation.

Your Honor, I want to withdraw my claim for custody.

Your Honor, I would like a minute to talk to my client.

I want to see both sides in chambers.

Your Honor, before anything gets said here, I would like an opportunity to

consult with my client alone.

Do you want to talk to your attorney, Mr. Conley?

No, I do not, Your Honor.

He doesn't want to talk to you, Mr. Angeletti.

Are you formally withdrawing your petition for custody, Mr. Conley? No, he

not. Mr.

Conley?

Yes, Your Honor.

If Miss Heberton is still willing to let me see her once in a while, I'd

appreciate that.

I'm willing, yes.

I know, in the name of God, can you be doing this? My daughter is not a cause,

Mr. Angeletti. She's a two -year -old little girl.

And I think the best thing for her right now is for her to stay where she is.

I think that.

I know that you and the birth parents network don't, but I do, and I'm her

father. Do you understand, Mr. Conley, that if you withdraw this action, you

will, in all likelihood, be precluded from reinstituting it? Yes, I do.

Your daughter will never forgive you for this.

Maybe she will, maybe she won't.

Why are we meeting in here? Space shortage.

Business is booming. Conference room is booked till June. We need to build a

second conference room. We could knock out a wall in one of the old offices. No

more renovations. I also think it's appropriate we divvy up the spoils in a

that was designed to withstand attack from those outside.

Arnold.

Thank you.

Stuart. Thank you very much.

And this is Graham.

He thanks you very much. We have some business to take care of before we

distribute checks.

What kind of business?

Jonathan Rollins has said that if we don't make him a partner, he'll leave

firm. He wants a decision by 5 o 'clock today.

Seriously? If the answer is no, he'll be gone by tomorrow morning. He's

bluffing. We must also assume that if he leaves, a considerable number of his

cases will go with him.

Basically, he's blackmailing us. He's not doing anything of the kind, Douglas.

He's just forcing us to make up our minds.

Yeah, but we did make up our minds. We said no. And now he's telling us the

consequences that we don't change our minds. I can't believe he had stooped to

this. Why not? You would.

Does he want to stay? He says he does.

Then it seems to me we have no choice.

Frankly, I don't like the fact that we're being forced into it. Neither do

This is not the way to take on a partner. I would very much have

decision based on mutual respect.

and affection among colleagues.

Since that option has passed us by, I suggest we take this one.

You should know that if the day ever comes when Brian Conley decides to seek

custody again, our organization will be there in support of him. Dr. Farr,

neither my client nor I have anything to say to you. We will be there in support

of him if he attempts to make contact with his child.

We will be there in support of him if he decides to go back into court.

I don't want to stand here, Anne. We will be there in support of the birth

mother if she ever attempts to make contact with her child. Let's take the

stairs. Do you understand that the little girl that you call your daughter

not your daughter? That she has a place in this world with people whose daughter

she is?

Dr. Farr, I think you should stop this. Do you understand that I am this little

girl?

No, you are not.

Congratulations.