Original subtitles

What catalog?

The law school catalog.

Upon your entrance to law school, you are presumed to be a lawyer, and your

conduct is subject to the canons of your profession. Why don't we have the party

anyway? Here and tonight.

Now you're talking. We'll turn the whole second floor into a party. Have I fallen

in love at first sight?

Borrowing someone's lady without collateral is a crime, and I'm not going

to take it standing up. And neither is he.

His name is Anderson, not pal.

Mr. Anderson to you.

You'll be permitted to have counsel. Well, that's good. You get a 3L who

really knows the ropes.

No. No 3L.

You. I can't defend him without you.

Well, it looks like you're gonna have to.

These are facts, Mr. Hart. Facts available to you as to us. The facts or

I don't know what else to say.

Go on, Mr.

Hart.

The study of law is something new and unfamiliar to most of you, unlike any

other schooling that you have ever known before.

unknown and new.

And one day we'll all say, hey, look, we've come through.

Hey, look, we've come through. And one day we'll all say, hey,

look, we've come through the first year.

You teach yourselves the law, but I train your minds.

You come in here with a scowl full of mush, and if you survive,

you leave thinking like a lawyer.

Promise to form all or part of conditional duty under antecedent

contract in spite of the non-occurrence of the condition as binding except...

except

elements of risk.

Pick up the stuff for the weekend.

Get lots of salad.

Well, you can't get high on salad.

It's my only choice. I made a bet with Ford.

I'd lose 20 bucks if I don't lose 10 pounds.

Well, why don't you start jogging?

I'm working up to it. All right, we got exactly 20 minutes to load up and get to

Kingfield class.

Let's hit it, huh?

Can you believe it?

Hey, I don't see any salad. What am I going to eat?

Huh?

Hey, how can I go on a binge and not eat? There's no salad.

No, not now. We've got two minutes to get to class.

Let's go, huh?

Next, Walker versus Livingston.

First the facts, then the principles.

Walker versus Livingston.

Mr.

Logan. Excuse me, Miss Logan.

Miss Logan. In 1944, a man named Walker... Walker was a woman.

Now,

for some mysterious reason, Walker versus Livingston seems to have exceeded

the mental capacity of this entire class.

Perhaps we'll have better luck.

Dooley versus Manhattan Storage.

Mr.

Hart.

Cooley versus Manhattan Storage.

I believe... 1917.

A veterinarian named Amos Cooley... Amos Cooley was a veterinarian who sued

Plainfield Feed and Grain in 1904.

That's not Dooley, and it's not versus Manhattan Storage.

Precisely. Now, is there a student in this room who can give us the facts of

Dooley versus Manhattan Storage?

Will the young man who is sneezing so persistently and

objectionably please stand up?

Are you...

Are you seriously ill, Mr.

Gagarin?

Are you bronchitic?

Asthmatic?

Allergic?

I hope not, sir.

Is the implication, Mr.

Gagarin, that you might be allergic to me?

I hope not, sir.

I, too, Mr.

Gagarin.

There'll be only one thing worse.

I became allergic to you.

You may sit down and attempt to control yourself.

God, Gary.

The case of Dooley versus Manhattan storage is a totally fictitious one,

created by me solely to determine your familiarity with today's subject matter.

Since apparently familiarity has bred contempt...

I'm compelled to regard these last weeks as a total waste.

Accordingly, you will thoroughly review all cases covered thus far by next

Monday morning from Hawkins v.

McGee to Clark v.

West, plus 30 new ones contained in Chapters 6 through 9.

You'll be prepared not only to be questioned on the facts...

in these cases, but also on the principles underlying them.

I shall expect very good answers.

Mr.

Gagarin, unless you're able to overcome your allergy, one of us will

have to go.

For the moment, it is I.

How do you stand it? I sure couldn't. Being married to a law student is like

living in an isolation group.

Go get in.

Guys!

I bet he saw our cars parked out here and decided to get even with us. He's a

dictator, and he's worse than a dictator. For the first time in my life,

I understand justifiable homicide 100%. What

happened?

New cases for Monday.

The weekend's off. We can't go.

Maybe that much work. An avalanche. Oh, that's just rotten.

You know, you guys aren't the first the King's Hill's done this to.

I don't know why you accept it.

You know, you've got two cars full of food.

You spent over 150 bucks.

I mean, stand up and fight.

Why don't you fight back? Just say no.

Hey, why don't we have the party anyway?

Here and tonight.

Then we'll have the whole weekend to study. Now you talk, we'll turn the

whole second floor into a party floor.

The second floor will be off limits to anybody who even thinks of studying. No

one mentions one legal phrase.

Nobody talks law.

Jeannie?

Finally, you get some time to have a drink.

Smitty, you got a bigger grapefruit?

Nice bouquet.

Soft and smooth.

Do you know where this wine comes from?

The north side of the storeroom.

Hey, where's your pal Anderson?

Fishing. How you

doing, Carol?

Hey, what are you doing here?

Didn't you say schedule a party for tonight?

Yeah, I'm going.

I just want to bring somebody with me.

Who's here?

Oh, well, how about, uh, Sharon Mills, huh? She's in your class.

Oh, tonight.

I'm looking for somebody who doesn't know a tort from a felony.

Ah, but doesn't know a habeas from a corpus, right? Something like that.

Who is that?

The blonde over there. I don't know. I've never seen her.

Terrific.

Uh-oh.

You're going to be too late.

Well, I guess she doesn't like lost dudes.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Here's your money back.

I found it on the side of the jukebox and it's dropped out.

You had the last one there, so I figured it must be yours.

Thank you very much.

That's right.

Hey, I'm not in a dating mood tonight, okay?

You know what would bother you if I sat down and talked to you for a while?

I'm a 1L.

That's a law student, first year.

I'm a little lonely.

You 1Ls are all lonely.

What do you know about 1Ls?

Hey, was it the 1L that stood you up?

Hey, don't worry about it.

You got me.

Can I buy you a drink?

No, I don't think so.

Nothing?

No, I don't think I should drink.

Come on. It's not going to hurt that much.

Well, okay.

What would you like?

Scotch, straight up.

Sam,

two scotches, straight up.

Doubles.

I'm Anderson.

I'm bitch.

Just bitch?

Yeah, just bitch.

Isn't that terrific?

You're a wonderful man.

Thank you.

This will help.

I'm so weak.

You don't look weak.

Oh, but I'm strong in some ways.

Like what?

Physically.

hey will you guys hold it down i mean some of us are trying to study

You don't fool me, Ford.

You're trying to sober up so you can go back and study.

And I think that's a miserable thing to do.

Oh, I can't help it. I am basically a rotten person.

But one day I'm gonna be a fantastic lawyer.

And don't mention that word tonight.

Let's go.

Borrowing that stall.

Borrowing someone's lady without collateral is a crime.

And I'm not going to take it standing up. And neither is he.

Might be some kind of doping.

Watch the glass.

Come on, pal, let's go.

The name is Anderson, not pal.

Mr. Anderson to you.

Okay, Mr. Anderson, let's just take a little ride. There's a very good

explanation for all of this.

I'm sure we understand we can put it all down on paper in the office. I don't

believe it Hey

How come you look so repulsive in the morning?

You're not even hungover.

Maybe you don't remember these 50 cases.

I've been up since 5.

Look, have you seen Anderson?

Yeah, he's in the john trying to decide which wrist to slash.

So stupid, so dumb.

They're gonna toss him right out on his ear.

He said he didn't do it. You think they care?

He was busted, and he was drinking.

That's rotten.

Hey, what are we gonna do about a study group outline?

We say you're not worried, but you are.

I'm not worried.

I'm innocent.

I didn't do anything, so why should I sweat it?

It was a false arrest, man. You were there. You saw it.

Am I right?

I saw the end of it. I saw you being arrested.

So you know.

Hey, Anderson, tell me.

What actually happens when they bust you on campus?

They ask you a bunch of questions. They write you up. They send you home. No big

deal. I made a full statement. I'm sure I'm in the clear.

What did you say about Prey?

I didn't mention Prey.

Why should I get the guy in trouble?

So he stole my date. Big deal.

You don't think you could get serious?

Not serious.

When my father was here, two law students were expelled for cursing.

Haven't you read the catalog?

What catalog?

The law school catalog.

Upon your entrance to law school, you are presumed to be a lawyer, and your

conduct is subject to the canons of your profession and the highest standards of

public decorum.

Look, this is a law school. They have the world's greatest experts on getting

to the truth here. I'm sure they'll find out what happened.

I'm sorry to disappoint you, Ford, but I haven't been charged with anything and I

won't be.

Okay, United World Bank versus Raymond, the principal.

Brooks, don't snap at me, Ford.

Look, Jonathan, you are the one we are trying to help with this.

Okay. Okay, then let me be Kingsfield.

Okay, you be Kingsfield. Okay, I'll be Kingsfield.

United World Bank versus Raymond.

The principal, Bell.

Inadequacy of value. The bank sued Raymond for return of the money loan

because the collateral, carloads of iron ore, diminished in value due to a drop

in the market. But the bank couldn't prove fraud and lost the case.

What happened next, Ford?

Raymond countersued the bank on the basis they slandered his reputation and

won again.

Did he win direct or on appeal?

Ms. Logan?

I don't want any part of this.

Genie's right.

I'm going to tell Kingsfield exactly what he can do.

Sure you are. You're going to take on the old boy in class.

Well, 50 cases in three days is cruel and unusual punishment.

Cruel, yes.

Unusual, no.

I'll see you later.

He's scared.

You would be, too, if you didn't know whether or not you'd be here next week.

Well, I called the registrar's office, but the arrest record doesn't even go up

there until this afternoon.

Then what? Well, they read it and decide whether to have a hearing or just forget

it. What about last year?

I checked the record. Four guys were kicked out after being busted. Two for

smoking pot, one for fighting, and one for stealing $3.

Oh, do you believe this system? I mean, what would they have done if you had

stolen $300? Heat up the oil?

How you doing?

Did you find her?

The dental school wouldn't even give me her phone number.

It'll be okay.

A man, A, puts up for auction a certain cow together with some hay stored in a

bin with other hay.

A farmer, B, bids and is awarded both the cow and the hay for $17.

Mr. Ford.

Miner versus Bradley, Supreme Court of Massachusetts, 1839.

The farmer, Miner, took possession of the cow and later demanded the hay.

which was refused by the defendant, Bradley, because he had used it.

And then, Mr. Ford?

The defendant objected to the plaintiff's suit on the ground that this

was an indivisible contract and that the plaintiff was not entitled to any single

part of it without rescinding the entire contract.

And to rescind the contract, the plaintiff would have to return the cap.

And what did the court rule, Mr.

Brooks?

The court overruled the objective... I mean, the objection to... Mr.

Anderson... I'm unprepared,

sir.

I see.

And is there any special reason that you should be unprepared?

Yes.

Let us return to the fascinating case of the cow and the hay.

Mr. Hart.

That decision was also reversed, sir, because there was no way of determining

how each of the parties valued the hay or the cow.

A decision cannot be, I'm sorry, a contract cannot be disclaimed in part

and enforced in part.

And the final determination, Miss Logan.

Ms. Logan, the plaintiff eventually lost the case for pleading the wrong cause of

action. And, sir, this case and this whole assignment is excessive and

punitive, and I just want it on record that I object.

Objection overruled.

And if you cannot conform to my discipline, would you be good enough to

start sneezing so that I can dismiss you on medical rather than academic grounds?

It is evident that most of you learned something during the weekend.

Hey, Hart.

Can't mail it in?

It's a long-time paper. You?

Anderson, please appear before a law school disciplinary committee panel at 3

p.m. Tuesday for an inquiry concerning your recent apprehension by the campus

police. Talk about a swift and speedy trial.

Determination regarding your status will be made as soon as practicable.

Oh, man.

Read the rest.

You'll be permitted to have counsel. Well, that's good. You get a 3L who

really knows the ropes.

No. No 3L.

You.

Me?

Yeah, you.

Oh, no.

Look, I'll scour the woods. I'll get you the best third-year law student on

campus. Maybe a law review guy. I don't want a 3L. I don't want some jerk who's

gonna go in there trying to impress those guys.

Anderson, I've never even prepared a case.

Listen, I don't want some high-powered guy making it look like I need a major

defense. I'm innocent.

You know it, and I know it.

That's all we need.

There are gonna be three major faculty members there. Hard.

This is a hearing.

It's not a trial.

We're still in school, not court.

I need you.

Well, thanks, but maybe I... Hard.

I trust you.

You trust me?

I trust you.

You trust me?

I think we should take it up with the board. We should give Sack the sack.

Here, here. Good day, Professor Kingsfield.

Good day.

Sorry I'm late.

We were discussing faculty teas.

But there is something else. Maybe I'd better get to this first.

Professor Lowry, I am on four of your committees already.

This is not another committee.

We have a disciplinary hearing scheduled for 3 o'clock tomorrow.

I am not available for minor administrative matters.

Thomas Craig Anderson, a 1L on a charge of breaking and entering the dispensary.

It's one of yours, I believe.

I'll make time for that.

Good.

Uh, Professor Jarrett, will you serve?

Okay. I'll find a third faculty member somewhere else.

Of course you will share.

Certainly. In my classroom, if that's agreeable.

I need some information on procedures relating to disciplinary hearings.

It's two aisles down on your right.

Hey, Felicity.

Thanks.

Mr. Hart?

I hope you're not here seeking me out. This is a scholarly retreat, you know.

Not a psychiatrist's waiting room.

Uh, I... I'll come back and do my research later.

Simple procedure.

Outline the general structure of the federal court system.

How many circuit courts are there in this country?

Bell?

Including Washington, D.C.? Anderson?

He didn't give me enough time, Ford. Bell, Rosenzweig's practically as bad as

Kingsfield. He doesn't give people time either.

Where have you been?

How come you guys are meeting now?

We got an extra workload and procedure.

Why didn't I know about it?

Probably didn't go by your mailbox this afternoon.

We got a special notice.

I'll be back in a minute.

Anderson, go on without him.

What are you doing? We should be in there. We got a lot of work to do.

Kingsfield's going to hear your case.

What?

Kingsfield? How do you know that? I was in the faculty reading room. I went to

check out the book on disciplinary hearings. He was there with the book.

That means he's on the panel. You mean you didn't ask him?

When I saw him with the book, I started to shake.

I mean, I'm still shaking.

What's the matter with me? I'm cracking up. How can I deal with it? Steady as

she goes, all right?

Just let me think about this for a minute, huh?

Kingsfield.

Come on. Where are you going?

We should have done this before. The what before?

Pray!

Now, wait a second. I've been trying to keep him out of this.

Come on.

All right.

Hey, we're in luck. There he is.

Hope this works.

Gentlemen.

Hi.

Hi.

Listen, Anderson got busted for what you did the other night.

He's been trying to keep you out of it.

But I'm his counsel at a disciplinary meeting tomorrow. Stop right there.

No.

It's been a jam. Now it's time for you to come forward. You ought to be taking

responsibility for this whole thing, you know.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Oh, you know exactly what he's talking about. He's talking about the dispensary

with Fitch.

Fitch?

Who's Fitch?

The dispensary?

Wait a minute. Are you getting ready to tell me you don't remember breaking into

the dispensary with Fitch?

Fitch? I don't remember a thing.

And if I did, I wouldn't throw away three years of law school to come

forward over something like this.

I'll have you summoned.

Look, I'm a 3L man.

I know what I'm talking about. You don't have any witnesses.

Don't summon me, mister, or I'll cut you into mincemeat at that hearing, and I

mean that.

We'll see who cuts who. Hey, don't make it worse.

There's another way to deal with this. I know how to deal with Bob. But it's the

wrong way.

He's a 3L. He's supposed to have some kind of ethics, isn't he?

Listen, you go back to the dorm and take a shower, study, eat, do anything.

We'll go get Fitch.

We'll get her to testify.

I'm coming.

No, I'm your counselor. You go back to the dorm. And whatever you do, don't go

after prey.

Bitch.

James Hart.

You were at a party in my room Friday night?

Oh, right.

Look, I mean, what did I do? It couldn't have been that bad, could it?

Oh, it's okay. He's a friend. All right. It's about Anderson.

He brought you to the party. There's a problem.

Oh, I'm getting a weird feeling.

Is something wrong? I mean, he's not dead or anything, is he? No.

No, but... No, I thought he was gonna call me.

And he wanted to make out with me in the dispensary. Oh, he was cute.

That wasn't Anderson. That was Sam Prey. Oh, which one was Anderson?

He's the one who brought you to the party.

Or maybe you brought him. You carried him?

Oh, right, right. He let this other guy steal me away from him.

Now I remember.

Okay, Anderson got busted for breaking into the dispensary. He didn't do it.

You and Sam Prey did. He just followed you there because he wanted to get you

back.

He did?

Yeah, and there's a hearing tomorrow, and he could get kicked out of law

school. He could wreck his life.

Well, then get Sam Prey. He's the guy who did it, not me.

Yeah, but he's scared.

He won't appear.

Me too.

But you haven't been charged with anything.

And you won't be. You're completely in the clear.

Oh, look.

I was busted once before for being stoned.

I mean, we have to be medically licensed here. If they found out... They won't.

I'll take care of it. But you can't.

Well, what about a deposition? Would you be willing to put in writing what

happened?

In writing.

Suppose they found out here.

Oh, look, I love law students and all that, but no.

Fitch, you've got to help him.

I can't defend him without you.

Well, it looks like you're gonna have to. I mean, you're the law student, not

me.

Goodbye.

You guys okay?

Are you okay?

What's going on with Anderson?

Prey won't talk and neither will Fitch. I haven't got a witness.

I haven't got a case.

And then Prey's bad news.

Smelt the new I met him. But Fitch just ain't seen that bed. No, I kind of liked

her. Yeah, well, I talked to her and she didn't care.

Well, maybe you didn't approach her right. Look, I was straight with her and

she was straight with me. She said no.

Maybe there's a better way.

Did you appeal to her sense of liberation?

No, I just talked to her.

Hey, come on. None of this was your fault.

But it's going to be. I mean, I'm responsible.

I got a table to wait on.

Logan,

we're going to have to do something about this, and I think I know what it

is. Hey, suppose something goes wrong.

I could really get kicked out of here, couldn't I?

Do you know what it would do to my family?

Let alone me.

No way. Nothing's gonna happen.

My father is a great man, you know that?

He never deviated one iota from that straight and narrow path of life.

God, is he proud of it.

Tried to make himself into a perfect person. He damn near made it.

You know, I have three older brothers.

You know what they learned from that?

You know what they taught me?

That you can't be like them, so there's no use trying.

You gotta live your life the way you want to. You gotta have fun.

You gotta win at everything you do.

Break the rules if you have to.

But never, never get caught, no matter what you do.

Look what I did.

I got caught doing something I didn't even do.

I gotta face this thing tomorrow.

And it scares the hell out of me.

You feel okay? Yeah,

sure.

How about you?

No, I'm a little shaky.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

It's okay. I know what to do.

I sure hope so.

This is our hearing in the matter of the University Law School versus Thomas

Craig Anderson.

Let the record show the defendant is present and represented by counsel James

Hart.

Hearing the matter, Professor Charles Kingsfield, Jr., presiding, and

Professors Geraldine Sutton replacing Professor Jarrett and Daniel Michelson.

Now, in this proceeding, we are to ascertain whether there are grounds to

believe that Mr.

Anderson may have broken into the dispensary. If it's shown that such

grounds exist, a formal hearing will be held.

Mr. Hart, will you begin, please?

Professor Kingsfield, Professor Sutton, Professor Michelson, Mr. Anderson is

innocent of all charges.

The arrest was an error and improper.

Mr. Hart, you can restate the facts before you indulge in speculation.

I just want to make my position clear from the outset.

It is not a matter of establishing a degree of guilt. Mr. Anderson is

completely innocent of all charges.

There are no charges, Mr.

Hart.

The only witness is Mr. Foley, the guard on duty that night.

I had two other witnesses, but they refused to appear.

May I ask why?

Well, one isn't a student, sir.

And the other, a 3L, said he'd destroy me at this hearing.

And you accepted that?

Well, I felt that my client would be in a better position without a hostile

witness. A hostile 3L can be dealt with, sir.

I will show the panel...

What I know to have happened that night... Mr. Hart, you are not a witness

here. Hart.

Mr. Foley.

Mr.

Foley, would you please tell us what happened, what you saw Friday night at

around 1 o'clock in the morning?

I'm a night watchman.

And at 1.50 that night, I saw a couple arm in arm, staggering somewhat.

Very happy, you might say, heading in the direction of the dispensary. Did

they see you? I'm not sure.

Go on.

The young man was wearing blue jeans, yellow shirt open at the neck.

Here are a set of six written statements from students who attended a party

earlier that evening.

You'll notice the descriptions of the clothing are identical.

A couple Mr. Foley saw, a Miss Fitch and a Mr. Prey, also attended the party.

Will you go on, Mr. Foley?

Well, I continued making my rounds.

And five minutes later, in Powell Hall, I heard glass breaking. So I hurried

back there, and I saw this girl run out the side entrance.

By that time, the campus police were on their way.

Miss Fish arrived at our party with Mr. Anderson.

She departed with Mr. Prey. Mr. Anderson followed in order to retrieve her.

Now, with this map, I'm going to prove that Mr. Anderson is innocent.

The facts, Mr. Hart, not speculation.

There was a spot of blood on the dispensary floor, type A blood.

Whose blood was it?

There was a substantial quantity of drugs in the broken cabinet, but none

taken. So the motive for the break-in is now theft.

And these are facts, Mr. Hart, facts available to you as to us.

Facts, sir? I don't know what else to say.

Go on, Mr.

Hart.

Members of the panel, maybe I didn't prove Mr. Anderson is innocent.

Maybe I can't prove it, but Mr. Anderson is innocent, and now all I have to rely

on is the basic doctrine of mitigation of damages as taught us by Professor

Kingsfield.

We are waiting, Mr. Hart.

You taught us that the basic principles of law can be relevant to all human

activity.

If a party breaches a contract, the other party is obligated to mitigate the

damages. Just because I've injured you doesn't give you the right to everything

I've got.

If it's in your power to minimize the damages and you don't do it, I can sue

you.

Why is it important to minimize the damages?

Because society as a whole benefits when less damage is done.

Consider Mr. Anderson here. Now, you may feel I haven't proved his innocence, but

are you going to deprive him of a career?

of a way of life, of everything he's ever hoped for as penalty for a minor

infraction which, in fact, he never even committed? Do you see that as a benefit

to society, Dr. Kingsfield?

Mr. Hart, your enthusiasm is interesting, poetic, and utterly

inappropriate.

Oh.

This is it. It's the hearing.

What are we doing?

Fitch.

Don't push me. I'll be okay.

You're the young lady involved in the incident in the dispensary.

Yes, sir.

But I don't want to incriminate myself.

Nobody can force you to talk, Miss Fitch.

But perhaps you would give us the reason.

I'm trying to get my license as a dental technician.

I was drunk once before, so I'm on probation now.

I mean, it's my life, too.

Quite right, Miss Fitch.

Lives are a serious matter.

Mr. Anderson's life is a serious matter, but no more serious than yours.

However, the law works for those who tell the truth.

It's an instrument of justice and a means of evaluating with great

accuracy.

and beauty, the truth and meaning of human interactions.

I see you are nodding, but I do not see signs of total consciousness.

We can wait.

Serge, have a seat.

I think I understand.

And you do feel capable of conducting an intelligent conversation.

You are everything they say, Professor Kingsfield.

I hope not.

Now, please say what you have to say about this young man, and then we'll

address ourselves to your problem.

Well, he didn't do it. No, I was with a third-year student, Sam Prey. I mean,

all we were doing was having a little fun. You know, we were at this party

that they were...

They were giving because of you.

That was the party you had because of all the work he gave, right?

Well, then it was his fault, wasn't it?

That is one interpretation.

Miss Fitch, I believe you've spoken the truth, and to prove it, I'm about to

write a letter to your dental college, commending you for your appearance, for

your very helpful behavior in a most delicate matter.

Oh, I take it back. You know what I said about it being your fault?

Nothing can be taken back, Miss Fitch.

Everything is on the record.

Always.

What happened?

Jeannie and Logan came to the rescue. They changed Fitch's mind.

I changed my own mind.

I got them all.

Mr. Hart?

Yes, sir?

Your presentation of your case was overdramatic.

Your introduction of Fitch in that manner was showmanship, not the practice

of law.

However, it was effective.

Sir, I didn't even know.

Mr. Hart, you are either very brilliant or very lucky.

I'm lucky, sir.

much more than we know with good friends to love us we'll

feel every blow stay open do all things and one day

we'll all say hey look we've come through the first year