All language subtitles for L.A.Law.S04E12.On.Your.Honor.1080p.HULU.WEB-DL.DDP5.1.H.264-BurCyg_track3_[eng]

- Ms. Grace.
- Hey, Bruce.

Uh, Grace,
this is, uh, Steve Stirling

from the governor's office.

Bruce: Grace Van Owen.

- Nice to meet you.
- It's nice to meet you.

[sighs] Thanks.

Bruce: Grace, I don't know
if you've heard.

Judge Rabinow had
a fatal heart attack last night.

I did hear. Um, how old was he?

Bruce: Only 52, but he was fat
and he had some habits.

Anyway, aside from the human
tragedy of it all, it's created

a real docket crunch,
which is why Steven has come--

- Grace: What can I do?
- You can take his place.

I beg your pardon?

The governor
would like to appoint you

to the position
of superior court judge.

You applied for the job, Grace.
Don't you want it?

I-- I-- I applied
over two years ago,

and, uh, nothing happened, and--

Not true. It was received
quite favorably.

We're acting on it now.

Just like that? I'm a judge?

You've been an outstanding
district attorney.

Your intellect and your ethics
have been beyond reproach.

- There's nobody more deserving.
- I'm...

I-- I have a lot of cases here.

I've-- I've got a trial
starting...

We'll reassign your cases.

[chuckles]

Don't I, um...

Shouldn't I take some course
or something on,

you know, judging?

Seven years in the trenches
is training enough.

You can do this.

I don't know what to say.

Just say you'll accept, judge.

[chuckles] Well...

Okay. [chuckles] I accept.

[theme music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

First off, I'm pleased
to announce I've instituted

a policy which increases the
work yield of our office staff

without increasing our costs
by one penny.

Figured out a legal way
to own slaves, Doug?

Staggered lunch hours.

When secretaries eat together,

no work is getting done in
the office, lunch hours become

hours-and-a-half,
and we pay the freight.

Don't you think that might be
a little bit small, Douglas?

We live or die on small,
Michael.

Small details, small print,
small increments of

profit and loss which add up to
prosperity or the lack thereof.

Alright, let's move along.

"Fajed versus the United
States of America, et al."

Why do I know
this is one I'm going to hate?

You shouldn't, Sherri Fajed
is an Iranian woman

that I did
some immigration work for.

Her husband, unfortunately,
was aboard

that plane that was shot
down by the navy.

We're involved in this why,
Victor?

Well, she's got a damn good
cause of action, that's why.

We're gonna go
after the government, the navy

and the manufacturer
of the radar.

- Do we have an offer?
Victor: Yeah.

They've offered
all the victims a

100,000, but that's,
it's just a token.

Arnie: Well, a token
may be better than nothing.

These cases are being dismissed
out of hand

on public policy grounds.

Victor: Yeah, I know,
and so could this one.

We have an evidentiary hearing
on a motion to dismiss today.

Client doesn't wanna settle,
though.

Keep us informed
on this one, Victor.

"Halliday versus The Spike."

The Spike is a jewelry store
that specializes

in erotic body piercing
for its customers.

Abby: Linda Halliday
availed herself of this service,

and as a result, certain parts
of her body became infected.

- These would be erotic parts.
Abby: In this context, yes.

Douglas: Don't we handle
any normal cases anymore?

Simple stuff like real-estate
closings, probate proceedings?

Let's go, Douglas.
I have a day full of meetings.

Douglas: That's it, except
lastly, I'm pleased to announce

that the overjet
is a part of my past,

and the braces have at long last
been removed.

Douglas: Thank you.
And on that, we're adjourned.

[applause]

Oh, Jonathan.

[clears throat]

I, uh, spoke to Gracie
last night.

And they found the boy's body.

When?

Two days ago.
There's no evidence.

I don't think they'll ever
be able to trace the driver.

That's good.

- Yeah.
- I guess.

The problem is that we need
to get our overtime costs down,

and cutting down on long
lunch hours is one way to do it.

Have any of us been guilty
of taking long lunches?

No, you haven't.
Consider it a safeguard.

A way to improve
office coverage,

a signal
to the rest of the staff.

You're treating us
like children.

No, I'm not.

Boy, this is lousy timing.

You already turned us down
for our pay raises and now--

Firm revenues are down.
We can't afford the raises.

I don't wanna seem
disrespectful, Mr. Brackman,

but, well, there are plenty
of things that we can't afford.

Yeah, like, our rent.

Gee. Any other complaints,
ladies?

Yeah, the new word processors.
They flash messages at us.

My world is calm.

- My world is productive.
- I love my world.

Plus, video display terminals
can cause birth defects

and-- and miscarriages.

What do you want me to do?

We want you
to look into making them safer.

And we want you
to give us our raise.

We want you to lay off
our lunch hour.

Alright, look,
let me give it some thought.

And I'll get back to you
tomorrow.

Great.

[instrumental music]

[door opens]

[sighs]

[instrumental music]

And, Mrs. Fajed,
could you please tell the court

what your husband was doing
in Iran

at the time of this incident?

Sherri: All our relatives
still live back there.

Uh, he was visiting family.

He was coming back
when, uh, when it happened.

Ma'am, when did you first learn

that your husband's plane
had been shot down?

Sherri: In the morning I heard

that the navy had shot down
an Iranian aircraft.

And when I heard
that it was a passenger flight

from Bandar Abbas to Dubai,

I thought, "Oh, God..."

I just had this sick feeling.

[inhales sharply]
Somehow I knew he was on it.

What did you do?

Sherri: I put on the television

because all the news stations
were talking about it.

T-- they showed
pictures of the ocean

with bodies floating,

and they said
there were no survivors.

I kept praying and praying

maybe he took another flight,
maybe he changed his plans,

maybe he-- he, uh...

I-- I got the call that night.

They told me my husband...

They said he was dead.

Yes.

Do you have children,
Mrs. Fajed?

Yes, I have a daughter, nine,

and a boy, seven.

Sherri: They are sitting
right there.

Could you describe
what life has been like

for your family
after the death of your husband?

Objection.

The sole issue of this hearing
is whether

the court should entertain
this cause of action.

Richards: Her damages aren't
relevant to this proceeding.

Victor: Your Honor, the
assistant US attorney is asking

you to dismiss my client's
claim, and I think that

before you consider that,
you should consider her economic

and emotional suffering
as well as the fact

that she has no other place
to redress this harm

except in an American court.

The objection's sustained.

I'm not listening
to any evidence on damages here.

I have nothing further then.

Richards: One question, ma'am.

At the time
of your husband's death,

he still was an Iranian citizen,
was he not?

What difference does that make?

Richards: Well, when
a United States military action

results in a casualty
to an Iranian man,

that smacks more of foreign
policy than a civil lawsuit.

There were women and children
on that plane.

You can't just kill
innocent people

and call it foreign policy.

That would never happen in Iran,
would it?

- They were civilians!
Victor: Objection.

Civilians blew up
the Pan Am 103!

Your student civilians
took the hostages!

- Objection, Your Honor.
Aldrich: Mr. Richards.

- That isn't relevant.
Richards: But it is relevant.

Your Honor, Iran is a country
where the civilians

can be every bit as dangerous
as the military.

So when our servicemen see any
type of aircraft coming at them,

there's got to be a concern!
It's a terrorist state.

- Objection!
- That is why we moved here.

Mr. Richards, because this is
not a terrorist nation.

But this country
shot down that plane!

This country killed my husband.

[man coughs]

[footsteps approaching]

Alright, Michael, check it out.
What do you think?

Come on, this is serious.

If I have any complaints about
the fit, I have to tell them

by 9:00,
and that's in 12 minutes.

- This is the new uniform, huh?
Kimberly: Yeah.

Yeah, it feels a little tight
through here.

- You think it looks tight?
- No, no, it's, uh, it's fine.

Don't start with me, Michael.

[scoffs] What?

You know exactly what.

This uniform
helps sell the Laker Girls.

The Laker Girls help sell me.

It's great exposure
for my choreography.

So let's try
not to be overly dismissive.

Okay, okay, I was just admiring
your exposure, that's all.

Would you get that? That's
a delivery from the office.

You work too hard,
Mr. Litigator.

[knocking on door]

[door opens]

You have a delivery?

- No.
- Grace!

[paper rustling]

- Michael.
- Grace!

Look, uh, uh... [chuckles]
You know, this is, uh, uh...

- Kimberly.
- K-- Kimberly Dugan.

- Kuzak: Grace Van Owen.
- Hi.

- Hi.
- I, uh...

I-- I just came by to say hi.
But you've got company, so I--

No, no, no, that's fine.
Well, come on in.

We were just...

Kuzak: We were just looking over
Kimberly's uniform.

She's a, she's a Laker Girl.

- Oh!
Kimberly: Yeah.

And I have to go try on
my other outfit

and make a phone call,
if you'll excuse me.

- Grace: Sure.
- Thanks.

I am sorry.
I should have called first.

No, no, no, that's okay.
Come on in, s-- sit down.

[paper rustling]

- Here, here.
- Look.

The reason I came by, Michael...

[chuckles]
today I became a judge.

[chuckles] What?

Yes.

Rabinow died and-- and-- and

they asked me to take his place

and I said yes.

Michael,
I am a superior court judge.

[laughs] Gracie,
this is fantastic.

Oh, but, God, I'm scared.

- Why?
- I start tomorrow.

I'm jumping into Muni
for an arraignment,

and then on Wednesday,
Superior for sentencing.

God! [laughs]

Do I look grown up enough
to be a judge?

Oh, you are going to be
a great judge.

- You think so?
- I know so.

I never thought it could happen,
you know,

I'd given up on the idea.

I never thought
it could actually happen.

- A judge.
- Now, I know this is tight.

You guys think this is tight?

Well, it's-- it's fine.

Very nice.

[instrumental music]

Clerk: This court's in session.

The Honorable Grace Van Owen
presiding.

[indistinct chatter]

[door shuts]

[indistinct chatter]

"Case number 8-9-6-0-3,

People versus David Shauger."

Clerk: "Illegal possession
of firearms with priors."

Waive reading, Your Honor.
Plead not guilty.

- Question of bail?
- OR's okay.

Trial date of April 7th.
Mr. Shauger, see probation.

- Grace: Next case.
- "Case number 8-9-1-1-4."

Clerk: "People versus Bosson,
West, Keris, Musrey and Wyatt."

That's mine.

These are
the Valley Girl robbers.

- Judge.
- What?

Martha: They picked up
Mr. Douglas Wittenburg,

who's present here today,
at a shopping mall.

Apparently, they convinced
Mr. Wittenburg that he was about

to be fortunate, and persuaded
him to remove his trousers,

at which point they fled with
said trousers and his wallet.

We didn't, like, know
his pants were loaded.

I want full charges pressed.
Larceny and fraud.

We want a lawyer. Somebody good.

Welcome to the bench,
Your Honor.

[paper rustling]

[door shuts]

How hard are we gonna push this?

How bad do you wanna win?

Well, I feel real strongly

about the lunch issue, I feel

real strongly about the raise.

Question is whether I'm prepared
to lose my job over this.

You're not gonna lose your job.

- Are you sure?
- Look.

We're so used
to thinking of ourselves

as, as subordinates
that we refuse

to recognize the power
that we have.

Roxanne, we're secretaries.

[door opens]

- Hi.
- Hi.

[door shuts]

First of all,
we're good secretaries.

And good secretaries
are hard to find.

I happen to know
that Douglas Brackman

doesn't speak
for the entire firm.

He's the managing partner, Rox.

That doesn't mean
they're behind him.

The truth is
they don't like him very much.

Oh, so let's just see
what he comes back with.

What if it's nothing?

- Then we walk.
- Ugh.

Roxanne: Along with all of the
other secretaries in the place.

Rox, this is making me nervous.

No, they have never dealt

with us as a group before.

I can't believe that Arnie
and Michael and Leland McKenzie

would let Douglas cost them
their entire office staff.

Well, what'll they do?

I think they'll cut him off
at the knees.

I think
we'll get everything we want.

Alright.

And as assistant secretary
of the navy, sir,

do you think
that this litigation

would compromise
national security?

There'd be no escaping it.

What would be on trial here
is the integrity

of the Nadir weapon system.

- Stoner: So in effect, wh--
- Why?

Well, it was the Nadir system
that identified

the passenger plane
as a hostile aircraft.

Stoner: It would be impossible
for us to have a trial

on the limitations of this
technology without giving away

classified information
as to how the system works.

So the disclosure
of this information

would be
a national security breach?

Of the highest extreme.

Stoner: We're talking about
the navy's

most advanced
air-defense system.

But their complaint
also goes to the negligence

of the naval officer who ordered
that plane to be shot down.

That officer
relied upon the data

supplied by the radar system.

Whether or not his order
was negligent

depends upon the reliability
of the computers.

And once again,
we would be required

to tell how the system works.

Soviet spies would be
sitting in court taking notes.

Thank you, Mr. Stoner.

I have nothing further.

[man coughs]

Sir...

now, there is a very easy way
for you to avoid disclosure

of all this top-secret
information, isn't there?

Yes, there is.
Dismiss the complaint.

[chuckles]
Yes, that would be one way.

Another would be
for you to admit liability

so that this trial
could be solely about damages.

But the navy wasn't negligent.

The navy shot down
that plane, sir.

I understand, but given
the technological data available

and the circumstances
of the events,

the navy's actions
were entirely proper.

Are you telling this court
that it was proper for us

to kill 299 people?

We're sorry
the tragedy occurred.

That's why
we've offered compensation.

But the United States Navy

is not a negligent institution,
counselor.

You know damn well you were
negligent, you're just

too worried about
your public image to admit it.

- Not true!
- October 30th, 1989.

One of your F/A-18s
accidentally dropped

a 500-pound bomb on one of
your own ships, is that right?

Accidents will happen,
counselor.

October 31st,
very next day, you lose

four-million-dollars' worth
of missiles at sea.

Objection.
There is no relevance here.

Overruled.
Mr. Stoner put it in issue.

Victor: Thank you, Your Honor,
November 9, 1989,

a navy attack jet crashes into
a Georgia apartment complex

killing two civilians,
injuring four more, correct?

- Yes, but--
Victor: November 12th, 1989.

One of your Destroyers collides

with a merchant ship
off the Malaysian coast.

- Is that true or false, sir?
- True.

Victor: And while
that was happening,

two of your A-6 attack jets

mistakingly dropped 12 bombs
on a California campsite.

These things have nothing to do
with this case!

Oh, yes, they do, because
it is a pattern of negligence

which has killed
innocent people.

It is that pattern
which contributed

to the killing
of my client's husband!

We had a ship stuck
in the middle of a war zone

with hostile aircraft
buzzing around.

- Move to strike, Your Honor.
Stoner: We were in combat...

With three Iranian speedboats
when the radar picked up

an aircraft coming right at us
from Tehran at a high speed.

- Move to strike, Your Honor.
- Mr. Stoner.

...his decision in seconds,
counselor!

- Move to strike!
- You know...

It's so damn easy
for the fat-cat lawyers

to sit back
and second-guess us.

You get your ass on the firing
line in the Persian Gulf,

and your thinking might change
in a hurry, mister!

Mr. Stoner, that's enough.

[instrumental music]

Nothing further.

[instrumental music]

Nancy: And it was a relatively
small amount of crack.

Given that my client, other
than the three drug convictions,

has no criminal record
and has demonstrated no threat

to society, I respectfully
request three months suspended.

We'd like six months served,
Your Honor.

Approach.

Six months, Billy?

- There's no intent.
- Grace...

Your Honor, she's a drug addict
and she's four months pregnant.

You put her away,
she stays clean

and the baby's got a chance.

You can't punish for status.

Come on, Nancy,
is she on the stuff?

[sighs] Put her in the program.

She's already
been through it twice.

Alright, alright,
I'm giving her five months.

And if she delivers earlier,
I'll let her out.

- Oh, come on!
Grace: Listen.

If the fetus dies,
she could go up on manslaughter.

You want that?

Step back.

Grace: One year, seven months
suspended. Next case.

"People versus Andrew Steadman."

Mr. Steadman was convicted
on two counts

of first-degree murder, Your
Honor, in a drive-by shooting.

The people, as previously
submitted to Judge Rabinow,

are seeking life imprisonment

with the possibility of parole
in 15 years.

Jenkins: Given the defendant's
four prior convictions

on robbery and assault,

as well as
the attempted rape conviction,

we feel the life sentence
is warranted.

- How old is the defendant?
- Sixteen, Your Honor.

Jenkins: Pursuant to the order
of Juvenile Court,

he was tried as an adult.

Your Honor?

Yes. I'll hear
from defense counsel.

Your Honor, this is just a boy.
He's 16 years old.

While an adult trial
is one thing,

an adult sentence
is quite another.

Yzerman: Life imprisonment
would be cruel and unusual.

He shot and murdered two people,
Mr. Yzerman.

Yes, I understand that.

And in lieu of a plea from me,

I would like you to hear a
statement from Martin Steadman,

the young man's father.

Your Honor, this is my fault.

I've never been there
for the boy.

Martin: I always had to work
and, uh,

and I wasn't there for him.

But, but he's got good in him,
judge.

Uh, I'm, I'm a drunk.

Martin:
And it's, i-- it's my fault.

I-- if he can get some help,

uh, then-- then
he's gonna be okay.

I'll take this under advisement.

Who am I to be making
this kind of a decision?

- He is 16 years old.
Conover: You're the judge.

Yeah.

With 36 hours of experience.

Grace: I thought it was tough
being a DA, having to put

people away,
or to ask for death sentences.

But there I always knew
I was just an advocate, that,

that it was someone else who
had to make the actual decision.

Conover: And now
there is no someone else.

And right after this, there'll
be another tough decision

staring you down,
and another one after that

and another one after that.

How do you do it?

You decide what kind of judge
you wanna be,

what kind of a world
you wanna effect,

and you move in that direction
as hard as you can

using the law
as your boundaries.

But I could be wrong.

Sometimes.

And when you are,
you'll be challenged.

Appealed, overturned on appeal.
But you stay true to yourself.

And how will I always know
what it is that I want?

I mean, with this kid,
I am not sure.

Ah, you struggle with it.

You beat yourself up,
uh, in your car,

over supper, in your bed.

But the main thing is,
when you get up on that bench,

you leave all those doubts
in chambers.

Up there
you never show the indecision.

You make that room
your courtroom.

They listen to your rules.

This is hard.

Yes, it is.

Very hard.

- Roxanne, re those requests...
- Yes?

The computer people
will reprogram the units

to get rid
of the subliminal messages.

- Good.
- As for the raises...

There isn't a lot I can do.

As for the lunch hours,

I'd like you
to give the new system a try.

Roxanne: What you're giving us
is nothing.

[machine beeping]

Excuse me?

I said, what you're giving us
is nothing!

It's unacceptable!

Shall we?

[indistinct chatter]

Excuse me.

What's this?

This, Douglas, is your

secretarial staff walking out.

Douglas: The terms
of your employment

require you to remain here
until 5 p.m.

It is now 3:45.

Roxanne: You've heard
our demands, Douglas.

When there's a serious response
on the table, we'll come back.

Douglas: There won't be
any other responses, Roxanne.

As of now, you're all fired.

[indistinct chatter]

[engines revving]

250,000 is as high
as they'll go.

[liquid sloshing]

It is a lot of money.

You said the claim was worth
two million.

No, no, what I said was,

a high-income husband
leaving behind a widow

and two children,
no question of liability,

the high end has got to be
about two million.

But there are
other factors here.

- Such as?
- Huh.

Such as, the defendant
is the United States of America.

Such as,
the plaintiff is Iranian.

You think
the judge will dismiss it?

He could,
two other Federal judges

have already dismissed
the same claim by other victims.

You don't know how hard it was
to get out of Iran.

The politics, the threats.

Even the kids, uh, they didn't
want to leave their friends.

But my husband would tell them,
"America is a moral place."

"It is a land of justice."

Yeah.

A quarter-of-a-million dollars
is not nothing.

I will accept on one condition.

I want a public statement
from the navy

that they acted improperly.

If they admit guilt,
I will accept their offer.

Not a chance, Sherri.

Publicly, neither the government
or the navy

will accept blame,
they just won't.

Then I am fighting, Victor.

That was my husband.

I cannot just allow them
to-- to sweep this away.

Okay.

[traffic bustling]

[cars honking]

Your Honor, Ms. Fajed is suing

over events that transpired
during military hostility.

This is foreign policy.

You cannot send a message
to our armed forces overseas

that while they are stationed
in combat zones,

risking their lives daily
to protect you and me

and everyone else
in this country,

that their actions are going
to be second-guessed by lawyers

and by judges sitting
high and mighty back here.

This was a terrible tragedy,
we all know that.

Richards: But tragedies happen
in combat.

Your Honor...

this lawsuit is barred
as a political question.

It is precluded
by the States Secrets Doctrine,

and the United States has
not waived sovereign immunity.

In the interests
of national security,

I respectfully request
that you dismiss this complaint.

Richards: Thank you.

[clears throat]

This wasn't military combat.

Victor: It was a mistake.

Navy mistake which resulted
in a civilian airliner,

in the middle of commercial
airways, being blown up.

Now, Your Honor, that's no
different than if they'd shot

down an American airliner
off the coast of Florida.

Calling this foreign policy,
sir, is an insult,

because it is not
our foreign policy

to blow up passenger planes.

It is not our foreign policy
to kill innocent people

and then crawl behind the cloak
of national security

in order to shield ourselves
from responsibility.

National security.
What about national morality?

Because of what we did,
this woman lost her husband.

Victor: Because of what we did,

those children
lost their father.

The United States of America
did this.

Victor: And we have to make good
on that, Your Honor, we have to.

Because what kind of people
are we if we don't?

Thank you.

McKenzie, Brackman,
Chaney and Kuzak.

I mean, McKenzie, Brackman,
Chaney, Kuzak and Becker.

Hold on.

[telephone ringing]

Does anyone know
how to turn these on?

Yeah, push that button
on the right.

- Which one?
- Uh, I'll-- I'll show you.

Uh, Benny, you don't know
how to type, do you?

No. Uh, ju-- ju--
just a second. Uh...

It's a disaster out there.

Douglas, the office is chaos.

It was too late
to line up temps.

We'll be fully staffed
as of tomorrow.

That's beside the point,
Roxanne was my secretary.

- You had no right to fire her.
- I had every right.

- I'm the managing partner.
- Oh.

So now it's come down
to pulling rank.

I'll pull
whatever I have to pull.

And you don't think
this could have been resolved

a little more amicably?

- They walked out.
Arnie: Yeah.

But this whole thing
was precipitated

by your stupid lunch-hour edict.

Rosalind: I don't think
it was stupid at all.

I also think
that if we're going

to make a rule,
we have to stick to it.

But the truth is these women are
being nickel-and-dimed to death.

Listen, Michael,
nickels and dimes

are the lifeblood of this firm.

Since you and Arnie
are too grand

to worry about them, I have to.

Well, we can't all be as petty
as you are, Douglas.

You don't have to be.
I'll putty up the cracks.

I'll stoop and pick up
what falls to the ground.

Try to remember, though, that
the only reason you can tend

to your high-minded,
high-profile cases

is because I look after
the details and the dirty work.

The day you try
to pre-empt me, though,

that's the day I walk out.

Oh, come on, Douglas.

- It's a ploy.
- Just you try me and see.

Decisions on hiring and
firing staff are up to Douglas.

- Leland: It's his call.
- I agree.

- And I have to live with it.
Leland: Yes.

You have to live with it.

[traffic bustling]

Mr. Steadman,
will you please rise?

I've reviewed
the transcripts of the trial

as well
as the probation reports

and the affidavits
filed in support of leniency,

and I am rejecting
the defense counsel's request

for a 20-year sentence.

This was a serious crime,
Mr. Steadman.

Grace: It was premeditated,
it was coldblooded,

and it caused the violent death
of two people.

The fact that
you were seeking revenge

of the gang slaying
of a friend of yours

i-- is not a mitigating factor.

On the two counts
of first-degree murder,

I am sentencing you
to life-imprisonment.

Sentence to begin immediately
in the Youth Authority.

Your Honor, this is just a boy!

There is no precedent
for a sentence like this.

There is now.

You're a murderer, young man.

If you kill people,
you live your life in jail.

Next case.

Why didn't you come to me?

[indistinct chatter]

I don't wanna
come running to you

every time
I have a problem, Arnie.

The secretaries there have
to learn how to stand together.

Well, I don't wanna discourage
your career as a labor leader,

Roxanne, but the truth is,

you're in a different boat
from these other secretaries.

- Why?
- 'Cause you have money.

That's why.
You don't need the job.

You can afford to lose it,
you led

these other women into battle,
and they can't.

So long as I am working there,

I am affected
by the working conditions.

Besides which, I never expected
that we would get fired.

Well, maybe you should have.

[scoffs] I just never thought

that the firm
would back Douglas.

Well... they did.

And I don't know
what we're gonna do.

I guess what I'm gonna
have to do is go see Douglas.

I'm the one
who led the charge here.

I'm the one who's going to have
to take responsibility.

- You're ready to grovel?
- No.

But I'm ready to talk.

[indistinct chatter]

This is
a very difficult situation.

If I allow this cause of action
to be sustained,

it could result in top-secret
information being disclosed.

Aldrich: What's more,
it would put our military's

rules of engagement on trial,
which, of course,

would be
a very serious precedent.

As a matter of public policy,

we simply cannot second-guess
our soldiers' ability

to defend themselves
in times of hostility.

On the other hand,
I've got a grandchild

who starts first grade
next year.

And the thought of him
one day in school

reading about sovereign immunity

and seeing it defined
as America's right

to blow up passenger planes
from countries we don't like,

that terrifies me even more.

In ten years on the Federal
bench, I've probably thrown out

over a 100 complaints
against the government

on national security
and political question grounds.

I'm tired of doing that.

Mr. Richards, your client
killed innocent people.

Maybe there was no negligence,
that's entirely possible.

But I am not dismissing
this cause of action.

If the navy really wants
to keep its secrets,

then pay those victims
what they deserve.

I'll certify this ruling
for appeal.

So the whole thing's
going to take a while.

But for now, this lawsuit lives.

- That's all.
- Thank you, Your Honor.

- Congratulations.
- Thank you.

- Thank you. Yeah.
- Step one.

[knocking on door]

[door opens]

Hi, Leland. You wanna see me?

Leland: Yes.
Come on in, Victor.

I heard about
the judge's ruling.

Yeah, the press
hasn't stopped calling.

I know,
That's what I wanna talk about.

[door shuts]

I don't want this firm
handling the case, Victor.

Excuse me?

One of Rosalind's clients,
or one of our clients,

I should say, has bid
on a big defense contract

that's worth
many millions of dollars.

And they're concerned that
our involvement in a lawsuit

against the Pentagon
could hurt their chances.

And their concern must
necessarily become our concern.

Wait a minute,
wh-- what are you saying,

that I can't represent her?

- I'm sorry, Victor.
- No!

She's my client, I'm not gonna
turn my back on her.

We had a meeting last night
on this and took a vote.

This is the decision
of the partners.

[scoffs] Yeah?
Well, you can all go to hell.

Don't you talk to me like that.

Don't you tell me
to abandon my client

so that you can pad
your damn purse!

You can't win this case, Victor.

I can win. I am winning.

All you've won is the right
to march in front

of a red, white and blue
American jury

and ask them to find
for an Iranian

against the United States.

- You think that will happen?
- It might.

Oh, come on, Victor, you could
comb this entire country

and not find 12 people
sympathetic to Iran.

She is not Iran, Leland!
She's a person! She's a victim!

You're up against a bigotry
you can't beat!

You forget,
when that plane went down,

there was no public outcry here.

The people in this country
weren't outraged.

Nah, this case can't be won.

And I'm surprised
that you can't see that.

You know, when I first joined up
with this place,

it was headed up by a man
who would never back down

in the face of prejudice,

even if it was endorsed
by a partnership vote.

I have to look out
for this firm.

Uh-uh. You've turned
into a scared old man, Leland.

You're more concerned with your
pension than your principles.

You wanna make this
personal now, Victor?

I didn't start attacking you
personally. You don't--

When I have to turn away
from clients who are hurt,

when I find myself
and the things that I believe in

compromised by office politics,
I take it very personally.

Yeah.

- I've made my position clear.
Victor: Yeah, you have.

And at the risk
of sounding redundant,

let me make my position clear.

You can still all go to hell!

[door opens]

[door shuts]

[door shuts]

I'm willing to concede that

what we did wasn't too smart.

Agreed.

Roxanne:
You have no idea how frustrating

it is not to be taken seriously.

Actually,
I have a pretty good idea.

In fact, I suspect
one of the reasons

you were so quick to walk out

is that
you didn't take me seriously.

I know I haven't commanded
a wealth of respect

from my fellow partners,
Roxanne.

And I know you know that.

But what I also know is

the disrespect
comes with the territory.

Somebody has to be
the son-of-a-bitch around here.

And that somebody is me.

Do you really think
that the things

we asked for
were all that unreasonable?

No. I just can't give them
to you.

The lawyers here
have all deferred their bonuses.

The secretaries
have to defer their raises.

As for your various complaints
about the word processors,

I'll look into them,
but that's it.

What about the lunch hour?

Roxanne, why has this become
so important?

Just like you want respect,
Douglas, so do we.

You're treated with respect.

We're not out to cheat you.

You get an honest day's work
out of every one of us.

I'm not saying I don't.

That's exactly
what you're saying.

If you've got a problem
with someone slacking off

or padding their overtime,
get rid of them.

If you've got people putting in
a full day's work out there,

let them use their lunch hour
however they want.

Don't rob the people
who work for you

of their dignity, Douglas.

You want it back the way it was?

Yes.

[sighs]
You got it.

Good. [chuckles]

[instrumental music]

[door opens]

So the storm has passed.

[door shuts]

This one has, anyway.

Things get a little, uh, nasty
sometimes.

Seems to me things have been
nothing but nasty around here.

You know, there's still residual
resentment over Rosalind.

Arnold is seething.

Victor is seething.

Every day it's somebody else's
turn to quit.

I come to work wondering what
crisis will present itself next.

Well, we'll survive.

Well, I'm not so sure I will.

Getting too old
for hand-to-hand combat.

You know, this was once
a pleasant place to work.

There was fellowship,
there was trust.

Hey, it's not that bad, Leland.

Really, it's not that bad.

Yeah, it is.

For me... it is.

- Sherri? Hi.
- Hi.

What's up?
I wasn't expecting you.

I want to accept the 250,000
and settle this case.

- What?
- You heard me.

Uh...

[sighs]
What's the matter, Sherri?

The INS subpoenaed
my phone records.

- What?
- Uh, maybe it means nothing.

Maybe it means they are about to
start deportation proceedings.

Victor, I cannot lose
my residence. I cannot.

Oh, Sherri, the INS
just doesn't deport people.

They do if they find
subversive activities.

My husband and I
were politically active.

They could probably come up with
something if they wanted to.

What politically active?
You attended a few protests.

- We all have.
- Yes.

Well, when a naturalized citizen
protests,

he is being patriotic.

If an alien protests,
he is a dangerous dissident.

Victor, you and I both know

if the INS targets somebody,
you can't stop them.

Yes, I also know
that it's just about impossible

to deport somebody to Iran.

I am not taking any chances.

If the lawsuit goes away,
I think Immigration will, too.

Sherri, don't you quit.
Don't you quit.

Drop it, Victor.

It is time
to forget about justice

and concentrate on survival.

If I didn't have kids,
I would fight.

But I cannot risk
being sent back to Iran.

I know you tried.

[paper rustling]

Kuzak: Knock, knock.

Permission to enter
and have an ex parte

communication, Your Honor?

Granted.

Hm.

Very nice.

- I brought you a gift.
- Oh, my!

Look at this!

Oh, Michael. Oh.

I almost traded it in
for a rope.

Two days on the job,
they're already calling you

the hanging judge.

Yeah, well, I had to sentence

a 16-year-old kid
to a life term yesterday.

You didn't have to, Grace.

He'll be paroled in 15, Michael.

If I wanna take a stand
against gang violence,

I have to be tough about it.

Hm.

[chuckles]

I think you're gonna be good
at this job, Grace.

Thank you for this, Michael.

I'm proud of you, Grace.

I'm really proud of you.

Thank you, Michael.

Michael, I'm really sorry
about surprising you

that way the other day.
It's just...

I-- I-- I guess
that when something big happens,

instinctively,
you're still the one

that I wanna rush off and tell.

Hm.

Yeah. Me, too.

[chuckles]

[chuckles]

Wh-- why did you do that?

Don't know.

[inhales sharply]

Now, that
we shouldn't have done.

- Yeah, you're right.
- Maybe you should go.

Yeah, yeah, I better go.

Bye.

Bye.

[instrumental music]

I'm a judge.

I have to avoid...

the appearance...

of impropriety.

[sighs] I know.

I know.

Grace: Don't rip my robe.

[music continues]

[theme music]

[instrumental music]