Original subtitles

Woman: Kenzey Brackman chaining Kuzak.

Yes.

[indistinct chatter]

Kenzey Brackman chaining Kuzak.

One moment, please.

Yes.

What are you looking at, Waldo?

You're making him talk.

Oh, oh, you guys are going to get along just great.

You're both dummies.

Gilbert: Hey, Waldo, have another doughnut.

Why settle for tubby when you could be fat?

What's the matter, Waldo, huh?

Gilbert: Cat got your tongue? - Stop it!

Stop calling me Waldo. My name is Benny.

Sorry, Benny.

Jonathan: Mr. Peterson? - That's us, ace.

Come on in.

Hey, Waldo, did you hear about the moron

who ate the refrigerator bulb?

He wanted to have a light lunch.

[laughs]

[theme music]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[music continues]

[instrumental music]

[instrumental music]

Before we begin, for those of you who haven't met her,

I'd like to introduce Ms. Dorothy Wyler,

our new associate

who begins employment with us today.

Brackman: Ms. Wyler will initially be

concentrating on corporate matters

and all assignments to her are to be channeled through me.

First item up, a reminder to all that the Christmas party

will commence at the close of business Thursday.

A further reminder that business concludes at 6:30 p.m.

Ho ho ho, Dougie.

Feel free to invite your clients to share in the holiday cheer,

provided they've generated

over 200 hours of business this year

and their accounts are not over 60 days past due.

Brackman: Stuart, I trust you've taken care of catering?

On a less jolly note,

where do we stand with your inquisition, Michael?

I'm appearing before the disciplinary committee

this morning with the able Victor Sifuentes at my side.

Brackman: They wouldn't levy a fine

against the firm, would they?

They don't Levy fines, Doug.

Kuzak: My guess is a private censure.

What happens to uh, what's-his-name... Mathers?

He's up on criminal charges for fraud,

impersonating a lawyer.

Last I heard, he got an expedited trial,

and he's representing himself.

How incompetent could he be

if he got himself an expedited trial?

Brackman: Moving on, People vs. Peterson.

In the twilight zone.

This guy's charged with assaulting a police officer,

resisting arrest.

He'll only talk through a nasty little dummy named Gilbert.

The guy's a certifiable kookaboo.

Well, you're going to have to use

the well-known kookaboo defense.

Seriously, Leland, I don't know what to do.

I waltz this guy into court without his dummy,

I don't have a case.

I waltz in with the dummy,

they laugh me out of the courthouse.

I'm not unmindful of the degree

of difficulty here, Jonathan.

We're all aware of Kenny Peterson's extensive psychiatric

history and the unfortunate event which precipitated it,

but his father is one of our more prized clients.

McKenzie: And I've assured Peterson Sr.

that his son will be vigorously

and successfully defended in this matter.

I trust you'll accomplish this

in your inimitable fashion.

- Then, I'll do my best. - Mm-hmm. Good, good.

McKenzie: Move along, Douglas.

Amanda Shaw vs. The National Informer.

The settlement offer was up to three hundred thousand.

Amanda takes the stand today.

If you ask me, I'd take the three hundred.

Celebrities almost never win libel cases.

We're talking about an actress

with an image purer than ivory soap...

An image completely destroyed by lies they printed.

So, she should run with it.

Enjoy all the controversy, move up to something R-rated,

get away from those g-rated musicals.

I'll mention it to her.

Finally, Masterson vs. Omni American.

Trial starts next week.

And I'm going to need some backup on that.

Whatever you need.

Dorothy, coordinate with Michael. And, Stuart,

maybe you could jump in to crunch some numbers?

- No problem. Doug: Let's not blow this one.

Aside from this case bringing in major revenue,

this is a real chance to show that we can handle

sophisticated anti-trust cases as well as the big boys.

Brackman: Jack Masterson still pleased, Michael?

Yeah. So far, so good.

- He loves me. - Yes?

Well, on that megalomaniac reflection, we're adjourned.

Ann. Hang on. Stuart.

News on the adoption front.

I've got you in with Ross Burnett.

- Wednesday, 12:30, his office. - You're kidding.

I thought there was a six-month wait for this guy.

There is, but I pulled a few strings for him on his divorce

and he owes me one.

But it's just a meeting, right?

I mean, we're not committed to anything.

Look, I-- I think he assumes you're ready to go forward.

What's the charge?

Fifteen thousand.

What?

Look, Ann, they don't give them away.

I don't want to feel like a couple of over-privileged adults

who go out and buy a baby

the way you go out and buy a car.

Look, you're paying Ross for his legal services,

the birth mother for her rent and medical expenses...

It's totally legitimate.

The other thing to remember is that

she that she has the right to take the baby back

any time until the consent form is signed.

- How long is that? Becker: About six months.

Six months?

Ann, we're going to take it one step at a time, okay?

[sighs] Okay.

Okay, we're in business then.

Thanks.

Kuzak.

What are you doing here?

I thought I'd lend you my support.

Heh. In exchange for what?

Hmph. You doing the same.

I testify for you, you testify for me.

Very symmetrical, no?

No.

He'd be helping me out.

Hey, don't look at me.

- Mike. - I'm sorry.

But I don't want you to be my witness,

and I certainly don't want to be yours.

The first part of that is up to you.

The second part's up to me.

Here's your subpoena.

If you could get there by 10 o'clock, that would be great.

Oppenheim: As the evidence clearly has established,

Michael Kuzak violated disciplinary rule 3101

in aiding the unauthorized practice of law.

If the committee please...

In order to assess Mr. Kuzak's ethical conduct,

I believe it first necessary to appreciate the circumstances

under which it occurred.

In other words, you got an excuse.

The discovery that Richard Mathers was unlicensed

to practice law came more than halfway through the trial.

The issue here is that the court didn't learn of it

until after the verdict

and then from only Mr. Mathers himself.

Well, if you could just stand back

from the code for one moment,

I think that you'll see that the only motivation here

was a fair settlement.

We don't stand back from the code, Mr. Sifuentes.

Gregg: We enforce it. - I understand that, ma'am.

Furthermore, this isn't some nit-picking

technical violation we're talking about.

These charges indicate conduct in direct violation

of a lawyer's obligation as an officer of the court.

Sifuentes: All Mike Kuzak did

was try to avoid having Richard Mathers' fraud

force his client into protracted litigation

at considerable further expense.

That's not the concern of this committee.

Well, with all due respect...

- Maybe it should be. Sifuentes: Mike.

If the only question here is

did I or did I not violate the code,

let's stop wasting each others' time.

I did.

But you only talk about a lawyer's obligation

as an officer of the court.

What about my obligation to my client?

Your first loyalty is to the legal system.

The purpose of which is to administer justice.

Richard Mathers was a highly skilled practitioner.

There's no argument about that.

Mr. Kuzak and he went head to head.

Both clients received skilled, uncompromised representation.

Tell me what that is if not justice.

And you in fact read this article

on the day it was published, correct?

Shaw: It wasn't even two weeks after my daughter's death.

I had just buried my little girl

when I picked up that paper...

and read those lies.

Could you tell us exactly what the lies were, Miss Shaw?

They said... they printed that I was having sexual intercourse

with Elena's boyfriend,

her 17-year-old boyfriend...

and that when Elena found out about it,

that's when she took the overdose.

I know it's painful, but I'd like you to try describe

the humiliation you felt.

Shaw: Humiliation?

They said I was sleeping

with my teenage daughter's boyfriend,

that I... helped cause her suicide.

And that goes

way, way beyond... humiliation.

Do you think that I'm sitting in this chair right now

because I feel humiliated?

Has there been any public reaction to this article?

Shaw: Oh, I get letters every day.

Letters calling me perverted, twisted, sick.

My friends have all backed away

because they feel that if they've printed that...

there must be something to it.

What about the professional reaction?

As far as the studios are concerned, I make people sick.

I'm the repulsive mother

who screwed her daughter's teenage boyfriend.

Would you want me on your marquee?

Thank you. Nothing further.

Um...

I take it from your testimony

that you did not have sex with Michael Lyons.

Of course I didn't.

Yet... you were physically

attracted to him, were you not?

Shaw: No. He was my daughter's boyfriend.

Did you not refer to him in a talk show interview

as being fabulously handsome and sexy?

I was talking about my daughter,

and how wonderful Michael and she were together--

And you said that he was handsome and sexy, didn't you?

Yes, but I--

Mitchell: Did you ever kiss this sexy guy, Miss Shaw?

Romantically, no.

The question is,

have you ever kissed Michael Lyons?

You mean have I ever kissed him hello or goodbye? Yes.

Did he ever swim with you naked in your backyard pool?

Mitchell: I'm sorry, did you not hear the question?

You're taking that out of context.

Now, that was a party where a couple of the kids

ended up going skinny dipping.

Including you and this fabulously sexy teenager,

completely naked.

I had my suit on and I got out

the minute they took theirs off!

Mitchell: I'm sure you did.

Ma'am, on February 22nd, 1986,

when your daughter was away on a ski trip,

did Michael Lyons spend the night at your house?

Shaw: He had a fight with his father

and his mother called me and asked me

if I would put him up for one night.

Your suggestion is completely perverted--

Well, all I am suggesting is that

it's possible for people to get the wrong idea.

Shaw: No! It is not possible!

Ma'am, you publicly declared

your attraction for him on a talk show.

You kissed him, you hugged him,

you spent the night alone with him in your house.

You are a bastard!

Judge Adelstein: Miss Shaw. - I'm sorry, Miss Shaw.

I'm just demonstrating how it looks...

to me, right now,

and how it looked to my client when he published that article.

Move to strike the speech, Your Honor.

Mitchell: I'll withdraw it.

Nothing further.

[intense music]

And what happened next, officer?

I pulled him over and started writing up the citation,

when this dummy strapped into a car seat starts ridiculing me.

The dummy was ridiculing you?

Jordon: Well, Peterson, but he was doing it through the dummy.

Lemoyne: So what did you do?

Jordon: I warned him to stop. He didn't.

And when he became verbally abusive, I impounded the dummy

and attempted to place it in the trunk

of my unit for safekeeping.

- That's then he jumped on me. - Mr. Peterson?

Jordon: Right. He just came at me like a madman.

So I said, "That's it, you're busted."

Then he really went berserk...

Knocked me down and started pummeling me.

Did Mr. Peterson injure you, sir?

Chipped three teeth, 12 stitches in my forehead...

I was on disability for two weeks.

Thank you, sir. Nothing further.

- Why'd you grab the dummy, sir? - Excuse me?

You said that prior to my client attacking you,

you grabbed the dummy. I'm asking you why.

You should have heard what it was calling me.

Well, I-- I mean, I know it was Peterson, but it was through...

Well, if you knew it was Mr. Peterson,

why did you grab the dummy?

I don't know. I was agitated.

I-- I lost my head, and out of impulse--

So at the time of this arrest, you-- your mental facilities

were impaired, and you were acting impulsively?

- I didn't say that. - Well, what did you say?

I'm saying, if you had been there--

Ha! He's got that pig squirming now.

Lemoyne: Objection!

You see, that's what I had to put up with.

You broke my arm, you infected grunt!

- I should have broke your head! - Kenny!

Judge Vance: Hey!

Mr. Rollins... I'd thank you to control your client.

And, officer Jordan, would you please refrain

from addressing the puppet?

What did you do with the dummy after you grabbed it, sir?

I just put it away for safekeeping.

You stuck me in your trunk of your car, you Nazi!

That's it! Bailiff, confiscate that thing.

Your Honor, I object!

My client cannot communicate

without that dummy, Judge.

Jonathan: If you remove it for his possession,

you strip his ability to confer with counsel,

to contribute to his own defense,

and he'd be incompetent to stand trial.

You've got to be kidding.

This is a joke.

He's sane and Mr. Rollins knows it.

Lemoyne: The idea that Mr. Peterson thinks

this dummy is real is ridiculous.

Is it? The last 20 minutes alone,

we've all individualized it.

You objected to it twice.

Jonathan: Your witness here threatened to break its head.

And you, Your Honor, want to take it into custody.

Imagine how Kenny Peterson thinks of it

having lived his whole life with it.

Look, you want to plead temporary insanity

or self-defense here, fine.

But I won't have your client

and his imaginary friend disrupting my courtroom.

Now we'll adjourn until tomorrow.

In the meantime, get your client to clean up his act!

Forty-two, and?

And I'm thirty-eight.

We brought resumes...

Educational and professional vitae, that sort of thing.

Religion?

Ann: Protestant. - And Jewish.

Burnett: And the baby?

How will you raise it?

Oh, uh...

We thought we'd just do you know, a menorah

and a Christmas tree, that sort of thing.

Ann: Is that an issue? - Sometimes.

Some birth mothers request a certain religion,

others don't care.

And you plan on working full-time

after the baby is born?

Part-time, probably.

We have the money, so...

Would you consider a black baby?

- Stuart? - Um...

I don't know, uh...

How do you feel about it?

Burnett: I just want to know your requirements.

I feed the data into a computer.

Birth mothers tell me what they want.

I try to make a match.

Uh, white...

We want a white baby.

I'll get this information out to attorneys,

to doctors, to high school gym teachers,

to anyone who might know a birth mother.

I'll need pictures...

happy pictures of you two together.

Burnett: Do you have a dog?

Should we get one?

Birth mothers like dogs in the pictures,

what can I tell you?

We'll get a dog. [laughs]

When I find a birth mother who seems right for you,

I'll give her your phone numbers and she'll call you collect.

Make a list of questions. Write them down.

People tend to forget everything when the call happens.

And take the call, no matter what's going on.

[both sigh]

I-I should probably get back to court.

Ann, the call will come for you.

Burnett: Considering the circumstances,

these girls generally have no use for men right now.

Be open and honest.

Tell her how much you want to have a baby.

Let her know how vulnerable you feel.

Above all, don't cut the conversation short for anything.

Not even if you have to get back to court.

Okay.

Mr. Kuzak, in the period of time that we were adversaries,

you observed me conducting some 11 depositions.

You heard me argue 11 pre-trial motions.

Mathers: You watched me pick a jury.

You sat across from me during 15 days of trial.

What kind of lawyer am I?

- Competent. - Competent?

Tell us, how many attorneys

did Barry and Nina Toland have prior to hiring me?

I believe they had three.

Three different bona fide attorneys,

licensed to practice law in the state of California.

What settlement offer,

if any, was on the table during that time?

None.

Mathers: And two months after I had come

into the case, how had that changed?

Mr. Tecowsky's insurance carrier

authorized throwing in the proceeds of the policy.

Which amounted to how much?

Half a million dollars.

I guess they thought I was competent, too, huh?

- Objection. - Sustained.

Mr. Kuzak, around December 1st of this year,

you approached me with this same half million dollar offer

and one additional piece of information...

namely that you knew I was not licensed to practice law.

What was my reaction to that?

Kuzak: You turned it down.

And what reason did I give for doing so?

You said you wouldn't sell your client out to save yourself.

Thank you. I have no further questions.

What did you do when you found out

that Mr. Mathers wasn't a lawyer?

Objection. Irrelevant.

Goes to credibility, Your Honor.

Gylkowski: This witness perpetrated a fraud

upon the court for which he is now

under investigation by the state bar.

I move to strike that!

Mathers: That's prejudicial and--

Judge Syler: Both of you settle down.

The witness can answer the question.

I confronted Mr. Mathers directly.

So you tried to convert it to your advantage?

Mathers: Argumentative. - Sustained.

Tell me, sir,

what is the status of Toland vs. Tecowsky now?

It's been settled.

Is that right?

Did the plaintiffs engage new counsel so soon?

The parties reached an agreement between themselves.

Did you have any conversations with Mr. Mathers

subsequent to his arrest as to what that agreement might be?

We set certain parameters. I advised Tecowsky.

I assume he did the same with the Tolands.

And how did you two boys make out?

I object, Your Honor.

District attorney is slinging mud against the wall

and hoping something sticks.

That's funny, Mr. Mathers, because

with the two of you it seems that something always does.

That's quite sufficient, thank you.

Tell me, Mr. Kuzak,

is your testifying on behalf of Mr. Mathers

part of the settlement arrangement?

I'm here under subpoena.

Naturally.

I'm sure the two of you are well-versed

at avoiding the appearance of collusion.

Lyons: I never had any romantic thing with her mother.

That was a total lie.

Did anyone from the National Informer

contact you prior to publishing this article?

No. Never.

Michael, what was your relationship with Amanda Shaw?

She was my girlfriend's mother.

Were we close? Probably.

Lovers? No, that's ridiculous.

Lyons: Totally ridiculous.

Thank you, Michael. Nothing further.

[clears throat]

Mr. Lyons, you and Elena

were boyfriend and girlfriend for how long?

Almost two years.

You were in love?

Yes.

Were you ever unfaithful to her?

Once.

But it wasn't with her mother.

Mitchell: This was about a month before Elena's death.

Is that correct?

It was one incident and

it was all straightened out.

I'm sure it was.

Mr. Lyons, did you ever have

private discussions with Elena's mother

about Elena's mental well-being?

We talked about her depression.

She wanted me to help convince Elena to get counseling.

And how did Elena feel about

these discussions with Mrs. Shaw?

She wasn't happy about it.

In fact, she shouted at you at school one day

to stop going behind her back to her mother. Isn't that correct?

Elena was real upset about a lot of things. She had--

So, as I understand it, about...

a month before Elena took her own life,

she was upset about your cheating on her

at approximately the same time that she was openly screaming

at you to stay away from her mother.

Is that a fair understanding?

You're making it sound like something

completely different than what it was.

Oh I see, so what you're saying is that it is possible

to... misinterpret the circumstances?

- Yes. Mitchell: Thank you, Mr. Lyons.

Nothing further.

And what exactly did your source tell you, Mr. Bellini?

Mr. Bellini: That a romantic affair existed

between the boy and Mrs. Shaw.

And you were satisfied that this information was accurate?

Well, he had been accurate in the past.

It jibed with all the circumstantial

evidence we collected.

I had no reason to believe the story was not true.

And, accordingly, we decided to run the piece.

Thank you.

No further questions.

Who told you about this so-called affair, Mr. Bellini?

Mr. Bellini: A reporter is not required to reveal his sources.

That's my right under the state constitution.

You're absolutely correct. But you also have the right

to disclose your source if you so desire.

And since your neck is on the cutting block

of a $50 million lawsuit here,

I would think you'd want to prove

that this informant really exists.

Or would that compromise your journalistic integrity?

I told my source I'd protect

his identity, and I stick to my word.

Are you telling this court

and this jury, that it's your game plan

to exalt the rights of a blatant liar

over those of an innocent victim?

You say he's a liar.

I've put seven witnesses up here saying he was a liar.

- Who've you gotta say he's not? - Your Honor!

Mr. Bellini: I'm a professional reporter.

I check my sources. I verify my--

Did you check with Amanda Shaw before printing this article?

She didn't return my calls.

Did you check with Michael Lyons before running this article?

I figured he'd deny it.

And why ruin a good story with the facts, huh, Mr. Bellini?

There's plenty of facts we didn't print.

I was told she was pregnant with the kid's baby

and had to have an abortion.

- What?! - Sit down, Mrs. Shaw.

Mr. Bellini: But I didn't print that.

I couldn't verify it, so I didn't print it.

Because you're such a decent and honorable man, right?

Objection.

Here is a file containing every article

you've published in the last two years, Mr. Bellini.

Find me one single piece that doesn't

bash the reputation of a celebrity.

These are all legitimate stories that I wrote.

Find me one that doesn't bash the reputation of a celebrity.

I do investigative expose work.

That's what I do.

That's what you do.

Ann: No further questions.

Mr. Sifuentes, do you have anything to say

before we render our decision?

Only that it has never been our intention

to minimize the importance of ethical standards.

I've simply tried to make the committee aware

of the difficulty of Mr. Kuzak's situation.

Sifuentes: Now, Mike's record both as a prosecutor

and in private practice has been exemplary.

I would just hope that his actions be taken in context.

Mr. Kuzak, your council has argued

that the actions of Richard Mathers

justify your own.

Doesn't work that way.

What he did constitutes fraud.

What you did constitutes

devious and unethical behavior

utterly at odds with our code of conduct.

Gregg: Now, since Mr. Mathers isn't an attorney,

he is beyond the limits of our authority.

You, sir, are not.

Gregg: We are your peers.

We speak for our profession,

and we condemn what you did.

Our recommendation to the state bar association

is that you be publicly censured

and suspended from the practice of law

for a period of not less than one month,

effective immediately.

- A month? - That's right, Mr. Kuzak.

A month.

[scoffs]

Well, I'm going to sleep a lot better

knowing that the members of this committee

are there to pass out pronouncements

on the correctness of my conduct,

especially when they don't allow themselves to be distracted

by the specifics of the situation.

If your contempt for the committee

is any indication, sir,

I fully expect this will not be

the last time we'll be seeing you.

We're going to fight this out with

the bar association in court.

Let's see how smug these fat-assed Rotarians are

after they've gone a few rounds with a litigator.

No.

What do you mean "no"?

Bottom line, you broke the rules, Mike.

Now, we tried to put the best face on it that we could

and this is the way it came down.

What are you saying? You think that they're right?

Yeah. And if you want my recommendation,

both as your friend and as your lawyer right now,

I'm gonna tell you to take your medicine

and be glad it's not worse.

Shale: Kenneth Peterson was kidnapped

when he was less than three years old.

He was thrown into the trunk of a car

and driven around for days

in a state of virtually total sensory deprivation.

And from that time, he has never spoken.

But, Dr. Shale, everybody in this room

has heard him talk through the dummy.

Shale: But psychologically, that's not really Kenny.

In lay terms, that's a separate personality

that he's created to protect his real self.

Protect his real self from what?

Shale: From the outside world.

It's called atypical dissociative disorder,

and it's usually brought on by an early childhood trauma.

- Such as kidnapping? Shale: Exactly.

And this makes people become ventriloquists?

Heh. When a child won't talk,

we try to get him to talk through a doll.

Shale: I've treated Kenny from...

about age seven until 13,

at which time he refused any further treatment.

And what's the prognosis for him now, Dr. Shale?

Well, it's impossible to say with any certainty,

but unless Kenny somehow develops

a greater trust in the outside world

or faces his trauma through treatment,

I'd say his chances of

reconstituting his personality are slim.

Jonathan: And do you think he poses a threat to society, sir?

No.

The only reason he became violent that night

was because he felt Gilbert was being threatened.

Shale: When he saw Gilbert being thrown

into the trunk of that cruiser,

it recalled his own terrifying experience

and he probably just snapped.

Jonathan: Thank you, Dr. Shale. Nothing further.

Doctor, are you saying this guy's insane?

No. I'm talking about a basically functional man

who has withdrawn into a private fantasy world.

Then he knows this dummy isn't real, doesn't he?

Yes, I think he does.

Then why did you always talk to me, you fruitcake?

- You know I'm real. - Kenny...

Get your hands off of me. You'd be objecting to this quack.

Mr. Peterson...

Hey, judgie boy! Get with the program.

Gilbert: Kenny's the dummy here. He's the one who doesn't talk.

- Your Honor-- Judge Vance: Mr. Peterson!

Go ahead. Don't be such a wimp.

Say something. I dare you.

Show us you're not a lost cause, Kenny.

Give us a word...

one well-chosen word.

I rest my case.

This guy is hopeless.

And so are you.

Everyone in my chambers... now.

So, how the hell did you ever get to be a judge?

Gilbert, I swear, if you don't shut up,

I'll roast your chestnuts on an open fire.

Ha!

It's clear to me that we're dealing with some

pretty extraordinary circumstances here,

but I can't have this guy going crazy

every time the trunk of a car slams shut.

- He's not dangerous, Judge. - He beat up a cop.

You heard the psychiatrist.

It was a unique and threatening situation.

Look, Kenny.

Gilbert.

Alright. Gilbert.

If I let Kenny go,

can you promise me he'll resume his treatment?

What am I, his keeper?

Yes, in a manner of speaking, you are.

I want your word that you and Kenny

will go back to getting therapy.

Otherwise he's going to jail... alone.

Judge Vance: Do you understand?

Ah... alright.

Criminy.

Mr. Rollins, I'm going to continue this matter

without a finding for one year,

after which I'll drop the charges

if he stays with the treatment.

Judge Vance: That's all. We're done.

I'll enter this matter in the record.

You can all go.

You were pathetic.

What's up?

Masterson pulled out.

[scoffs] He what?

McKenzie: He's going to Crea, Leitner, and Farrell.

Why?

He's afraid a federal Judge

who thinks he's first cousin to God almighty

might just be a little suspicious

of whatever it is you have to say.

And you know something?

Under the circumstances, I can't says I blame him.

I'm numb.

Yeah, well...

Before it gets any worse,

assuming such a thing is possible,

we have to take some steps.

Well, I suggest you start by speaking to Victor.

He seems to think that we should go gently into that good night.

I have spoken to Victor.

I believe he is absolutely correct.

And I intend to honor that suspension recommendation

to the letter.

Go home, Michael.

Your very presence in these offices

compromises this entire firm.

You're not gonna stand up for me?

Oh, damn it, Michael.

You kept your mouth shut about Mathers

without so much as a word of consultation.

You were wrong,

and everybody here is now paying for that!

And if you expect us all just to fall in line behind you,

well I-- I suggest you've over estimated your own importance.

I can't come back to the office for a month?

Not anywhere near it.

This newspaper printed malicious, devastating lies...

lies that destroyed Amanda Shaw's professional career.

Lies which caused her emotional pain

that will haunt her for the rest of her life.

And as if that isn't bad enough,

they're here now standing proud,

cloaking themselves in the first amendment...

freedom of expression, freedom of the press,

the fundamental principles that America stands for.

But the Constitution doesn't say you can disregard the truth

and obliterate the reputation of innocent people.

They accused her of having sex

with her daughter's teenage boyfriend.

Ann: They said that she contributed

to her daughter's suicide.

That's vicious.

That's devoid of any human decency.

And don't you dare endorse their suggestion

that that is what America stands for.

Don't you dare accept their notion

that it's this kind of freedom that makes this country great,

because everyone in this room knows

they printed that trash for the sole purpose...

of selling more newspapers at the checkout stand.

And all the flag waving in the world won't change the fact

that they sacrificed an innocent, grieving mother

for the sake of corporate profit,

and that is abhorrent.

They think they know what America stands for.

Show them what we don't stand for.

In order for Amanda Shaw to prevail here...

she has to prove that the National Informer

recklessly published that article

when they knew or should have known

that it was false.

Michael Lyons was having an affair with someone.

About 20 people at school,

heard Elena scream at Michael

to stay away from her mother.

Stay away from Amanda Shaw,

a woman who admittedly kissed him, who embraced him,

who said on national television

she was sexually attracted to him,

the woman who spent the night alone with him

when Elena was out of town.

Did the National Informer jump to a conclusion here?

Maybe.

Was it a reckless, malicious leap?

Of course not.

My client was probing the questions

that a lot of people were asking.

And isn't that exactly what a free press should do...

to ask your questions,

to explore your curiosity?

Oh, sure, newspapers and magazines

can print nice, pleasant articles

that never offend, anger, or provoke.

Mitchell: Wouldn't it be neat

if we can pick up a newspaper every day

and never have to read anything

that was, my god, inappropriate?

Wouldn't it be swell if the press stopped being

aggressive or hungry?

I hate to stall Ms. Kelsey's momentum here,

but, the first amendment exists in part

not only to promote that kind of zeal by the media,

but to guarantee it,

so that we don't have editors

telling us what is good to read and what is not.

Mitchell: So we do not have to have publishers

suspending our civil rights

every time there's a chance...

that somebody might be bruised.

Amanda Shaw...

suffered real pain here.

I won't ask you to believe otherwise.

But when Ms. Kelsey steps up here

and tells you that this case is not about

first amendment or freedom of the press,

don't you believe that either.

Not for one single second.

[instrumental music]

Judge Adelstein: Have you reached a verdict, Mr. Foreman?

- We have, Your Honor. Judge Adelstein: How say you?

In the matter of Amanda Shaw vs. The National Informer,

we find in favor of the plaintiff

and order the defendant to pay damages

in the amount of $1.3 million.

[indistinct chattering]

Happy with the amount, Ms. Kelsey?

Very satisfied. Yes.

How are you gonna spend it, Amanda?

Mm, maybe donate it to a university

that teaches responsible journalism.

One point three million is a pretty big donation.

Money isn't the issue here. I think you all know that.

The big thing is is that I'm finally exonerated.

That verdict tells the world that those lies were lies.

I'm just happy to get my name cleared.

I take it you haven't seen today's

edition of the National Informer.

No, and I don't care to. Thank you.

Reporter 1: How do you feel about

making the front page again, Amanda?

Any truth to the story about your abortion, Amanda?

I'll sue them again. You pigs.

Shaw: I'll sue you again. Ann: Amanda.

- You bastard. - Amanda.

- I'll sue you again! Reporter 2: Mr. Nelson!

- Nice. Very nice. - Mr. Nelson, any reaction?

Reporter 3: Any comments? - She called us pigs.

- That's slander. - Alright, that's enough.

Thank you very much. No more. Thank you.

That's all. Goodbye.

Are you going to countersue?

- We can't sue them. - What are you talking about?

This one's worse than the other one.

This just recounts what was said in court.

They can print that.

But it was their reporter who said it in court.

It doesn't matter. A newspaper can cover court proceedings.

Then let's sue the reporter for saying it in the first place.

We can't do that either.

Witnesses have qualified immunity.

Are you telling me that because he said this lie

on a witness stand, he can get away with it?

Basically.

So, is this how the system works, Ann?

Is this what I went through two years of litigation for?

[sighs deeply]

I always felt that the beauty of the jury system

was that ordinary people make the ultimate decisions,

guided by their hearts,

their minds,

and their own humanity.

Mather: Right now, I don't want to talk

about the elements of fraud,

burdens of proof, or reasonable doubt or any of that.

I just want to tell you who I am.

My whole life, I never wanted to be anything but a lawyer.

Mathers: By the time I was a teenager,

I could recite the courtroom speeches

from every lawyer movie I had ever seen.

"Inherit The Wind," "To Kill A Mockingbird,"

"Town Without Pity..." I knew all of them.

I went to law school for a year at night.

When I lost my scholarship, I dropped out.

I drove a cab, I taught high school,

I sold office furniture.

But the whole time, I read and I worked

at teaching myself how to be a lawyer.

Mathers: At first, I practiced just for friends.

Little by little, though, I realized

I could really do this.

I didn't need a diploma.

I was going up against graduates from top ten schools

and beating them cold.

I might not have been legitimate...

but I served my clients with unstinting loyalty.

Mathers: Not a single one of them came to testify against me

because not a single one of them felt defrauded.

Competent representation was what they asked for,

and competent representation was what they got.

Yes, I practiced law without a license.

And regardless of your verdict,

I will never practice law again.

That, for me, is the greatest punishment of all.

When I walk through those doors,

when I see that reporter sitting at her machine,

and I plead my case knowing that someone

is depending on me to get them through

what are most likely the most desperate moments of their life,

I feel more alive here than I do anywhere else on earth.

I love doing this.

God, I love doing this.

It's hard to imagine this is the last time I ever will.

[inhales deeply]

[instrumental music]

- Thank you so much. - Thank you.

Come on, come on.

[laughs] Well, Leland,

another year, another holiday season

to demarcate the passage of time.

- Yes, indeed. - I don't know about you guys.

But I've always felt the spiritual side

and the business side to be wholly compatible.

- Huh. - Hmm.

I mean, is a pretzel and potato chip sampler

lithographed with a print of Christ in the manger,

or an electric menorah with sequentially blinking bulbs

necessarily any less an expression of

faith than simple prayer?

David: Heavy.

[knocking]

Uh, if I promise to be a good little boy,

can I come in and have some cake and ice cream?

So what's new on the fertility front?

We met with a baby broker yesterday.

Ann, that's wonderful.

Abby, I'm 38 years old.

- I've never changed a diaper. - It's easy.

What if we get one of those colicky babies

that cries all night and never sleeps?

And what happens if they get sick?

I mean, it's not as if they can tell you what's bothering them.

- What about crib death? - Ann, stop.

Don't worry about things you can't control.

I guess I just always thought that

I'd have nine months of pregnancy

to learn how to accept a baby and love it.

But I'm not going to be pregnant.

What if I don't love this baby?

You may be terrified right now, but the first time

that you hold this little... [inhales deeply]

tiny, helpless baby in your arms,

you'll fall in love.

And within 24 hours you won't be able to

imagine your world without it.

Markowitz: Merry Christmas! Ho ho ho!

And a Happy Hanukah!

So, how do you feel about the place so far?

Mm, not bad. I think I'll get used to it.

You have much experience with divorce cases?

Only my own.

Well, first thing is... thanks.

Divorce yourself from your own divorce.

You don't have to worry. Tell me what you want me to do,

and I'll do it.

Ms. Kelsey.

Kudos and attaboys on a big win.

Ugh, some win, Douglas.

All Amanda Shaw got for her troubles

was another round of vicious public lies.

Celebrities open themselves up to it, Ann.

But at least through our efforts maybe they'll think twice

before doing it to someone else.

Fat chance. At a million three,

they probably made money on the deal.

That aside, let us not forget the one-third

that swells the coffers of McKenzie Brackman.

Gilbert: I'll do what I can.

But I give up. I mean it.

What's the use of protecting you?

You're useless.

Everybody out there is onto you, boy.

They're laughing at you.

Gilbert: They know how screwed up you are.

You're a pathetic little mole.

Don't look away. I'm talking to you, buster.

Leave him alone.

Shut up, dummy.

Don't you pick on him. He's scared.

Scared?

What's he got to be scared about?

I'm the one who takes the heat.

I'm the one that got thrown into the car trunk

when he refused to talk to the policeman.

I'm the one that had to go to court

and talk to the stupid Judge for him.

Do you think it's easy living my life

as this idiot's mouthpiece?

You know what I think?

I-- I think you don't want him to talk.

Excuse me, doofus?

'C-- cause if he could talk, he wouldn't need you.

[indistinct chattering]

Hey.

Van Owen: No practicing law, remember?

Leaving instructions for a few things

that have to be taken care of during my exile.

Any plans of your own?

Well, no more appointment book for starters.

Van Owen: You could always reread "Crime And Punishment."

[laughs] Maybe I should.

When too many people tell me that I'm wrong,

I'd be a fool not to consider the possibility.

On the other hand,

maybe I better just find a rock somewhere,

and sit down and think.

I'll join you.

I've had a few doubts about my own ethics lately.

Kuzak : You know what the funny thing is?

Mathers doesn't have any such doubts.

I saw his summation today.

He's one of the best lawyers I've ever seen.

He may have broken the law,

but his moral centre never wavered.

Will a jury make that distinction?

[scoffs] They already did.

Took them exactly 35 minutes to come back with an acquittal.

So he's a fake, we're for real,

and it's our moral compasses that need adjustment?

Well, not to worry.

I think that between the two of us,

we ought to be able to find true north.

- Merry Christmas. - Merry Christmas, Mickey.

- Merry Christmas, Benny. - Thanks, Victor. You, too.

Hey, Waldo.

What?

This dummy thinks he's got something to say to you.

[soft music]

Thank you...

for sticking up for me.

I-- i-- it's okay.

I know I have to find the strength

to face people... just like you do.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Big deal.

[music continues]

Anyway...

Merry Christmas.

[Benny chuckles]

Merry Christmas to you, too.

And happy new year!

This is making me sick.

I got to go puke.

[theme music]