- Previously on L.A. Law...
- I don't take computer
fraud lightly, counselor.
Your client accessed the
records of the telephone company
and deleted all his
friends' phone bills.
- That young man
is in love with you.
- Go on.
- I probably shouldn't say this.
Don't hate me for it.
I think I love you.
- Mr. Cromwell, it's
tragic that the pilot
and those five passengers died
and I don't doubt
that we all sympathize
with their families.
But the fact remains, this
tragedy was not your fault.
- I'm very attracted to you.
- I should tell you, George,
that I'm involved with someone.
- Look, I'm trying
not to overreact
at this or anything.
But I'm jealous of this guy.
- Your Honor, I have
reason to believe
that one of my witnesses
has lied on the stand.
- You're no virgin, Mr. Kuzak.
Witnesses lie on
the stand every day.
- I'm unwilling to
proceed, Your Honor.
- You're in contempt of court.
Bailiff, take
Mr. Kuzak into custody.
- All rise!
- Before we get started,
who's got a tan Buick
with California plate
number 1EOH101?
- That's me, Your Honor.
Is there something wrong?
- You might say that.
You're parked in my spot.
Well, what are you
looking at me for?
You're holding up a
courtroom full of people.
Go move your car!
Stan, put my car where
it's supposed to be.
Clerk, call the first case.
- Kuzak versus Superior
Court. Be seated.
- I have a feeling I know
why you're here, Leland.
You are no doubt going
to demonstrate to me
the error of my ways as you've
done so many times in the past.
Am I right?
- Not I, Your Honor.
I have a writ from
the Court of Appeals
ordering you to
instruct the jailer
to release Michael
Kuzak forthwith.
- Well now, McKenzie,
Brackman certainly
takes care of its people. Okay.
You've got your Mr. Kuzak back.
He might benefit
from your tutelage
on proper conduct
of a criminal trial.
And since I don't recall your
ever having been reticent
about imparting your
wisdom to others,
I'm sure that's just
what he'll receive.
- Well, as of right
now, I'm unaware of any
misconduct on Mr. Kuzak's part.
- Are you saying I exceeded
my authority in some way?
Are you implying that I
was in error by punishing
Mr. Kuzak for contempt?
- I believe the Court of Appeals
has spoken on that
issue, Your Honor.
- Does this writ say
anywhere that I was in error?
- I take that to be the
import of it, mm-hmm.
- Leland, you're a
wizard of ambiguity,
you know that?
You can turn a phrase
that creeps on cat feet
up to the edge of being definite
then turns and disappears
without leaving a trace.
Now I'm going to do
something that I daresay
no one has ever
done to you before.
I'm going to ask you a question.
And if you give me anything
other than a one-word answer,
the two possible
choices being yes and no,
I'm going to cite you
for contempt of court
and someone else is gonna
have to come down here
and get the both of you out.
Now my question is,
does this writ say anywhere
that I was in error?
- No.
- Good.
Then what we have is a
case of the Court of Appeals
exercising their authority
differently than I
exercised mine.
This isn't the first
time that's happened.
I'm sure it won't be the last.
Release Kuzak.
It's always a pleasure
to see you, Leland.
- Take the day, pal.
He's all yours.
- Will the court officer
instruct the gentleman
who's reading his newspaper
that this isn't a bus station?
- Michael, how do you feel?
- You know how when
American hostages are released,
they usually take 'em
to a U.S. Air Force base
in West Germany so
they can get checked out?
Sort of decompress
before going home?
- Uh-huh.
- Well, what I need right now is
for us to go to a comfortable,
professionally-run hotel,
take ourselves a room,
order up a bunch
of room service.
I can get checked out
and then undergo a
concentrated regimen
of physiological rehabilitation.
- Okay.
- Gracie?
Gracie, were you faithful
to me while I was in prison?
- I tried, Mickey, but two
days is an awful long time.
- Hey, where were you?
- Just analyzing some data.
- You don't wanna be late to
a sentencing hearing, Andrew.
It sends out the
wrong kind of message.
- Yeah, but this
wasn't just any data.
I mean, I was
completing a crash course
in Judge John Englander.
- I don't follow.
- Based on a
correlation of incidents
and variance analysis, I
can expect to be sentenced
to six months summary probation
and 80 hours of
community service.
- Yeah, well, I
hope you're right
but I think you could
be looking at a year.
- No way. I plotted the
judge's sentencing record
against the standard
deviation curve.
That's an X-Y kind of thing.
Now the projection is
based upon a defendant
who is a white
male, age 17 to 22
from a middle to upper
middle income group
with no prior convictions
and a felony which
entailed no v*olence.
- What about for a non-white?
- Well, if you're talking
about the Ortega case,
I'd be concerned.
Hey, if you want, I can
do an analysis for you.
- And so, based on the
careful examination of the report
and the recommendation
submitted to me
and based on the fact
that this is a first offense
and the defendant
appears to be keeping
to the straight and
narrow, I believe no purpose
would be served
by incarceration.
Instead, I sentence the
defendant, Andrew Putnam,
to six months summary probation
and 80 hours community service.
Don't disappoint me, young man.
- That's fine. We'll
see you at 4:00?
- Thank you.
- Oh, boy.
- Douglas, what happened?
- I broke my ankle
playing racquet ball.
- Well, here, let me help you.
- That's quite all right.
I've gotta start getting
used to these things.
The doctor says I'll
be hobbling around
for the next six weeks.
- Are you in a lot of pain?
- What do you think?
- Thanks, Victor. And
how is our jailbird?
Does his absence
this morning mean
we failed in securing his
release from the pokey?
- He's out and
he's taking the day.
- Well, as soon as
he's recuperated,
I want him to jump
this Cromwell situation.
- Actually, Douglas, I don't
think we're gonna need him.
- In all deference to your
good labors in this matter,
trial date will be upon
us sooner than we think
and we need to bring our
best litigator up to speed.
- I'm on top of it, Douglas.
George Cromwell trusts me.
We have an excellent rapport.
And in my opinion,
he'd object to having
another litigator brought
in this deep in the case.
- Don't you think you're
being a little proprietary, Ann?
I mean, I think that's something
for George Cromwell to
decide, don't you think?
- Excuse me?
- I just think that,
if Michael has
his decks cleared, he
should jump into the fray.
- If Ann feels confident
and in control of her case,
I think we should
leave her alone.
- Thank you, Leland.
- People versus Ortega.
- Yeah. My client's charged
with knocking over a bar.
- People versus Putnam.
- Six months summary
probation and community service.
- As an aside, my compliments
to the young genius.
Our phone system
is finally working
the way it's supposed
to. Richardson Estate?
- Notice of Elections filed.
- Morning.
- Mr. Heidegger.
I hope we didn't
drag you out of bed.
- Is there a problem?
I didn't have any
appointments this morning.
- And why is that?
- Well, nobody gave me any.
- And that's your understanding
of the job description?
Dribbling your time
away like a doofus?
Collecting an excess
of $1,000 a week?
Waiting for someone to
throw busy work your way?
- Hey, I'm sorry.
- Well, if there's nothing
more, we're adjourned.
- Mr. Brackman?
- That's me.
- I have some papers for you.
- My assistant can
see you're provided
with the necessary
acknowledgment of service.
- No good, chief.
This goes to you direct.
It's a summons.
- Ann?
I'm sorry.
I was out of line,
definitely way out of line.
I have no right stepping on
your professional
life like that.
- I really appreciate your
recognizing that, Stuart.
- Ann?
Ann?
I know this isn't very cool
of me to admit or anything.
But I've just become
like a basket case
ever since you got
involved with this guy.
- Stuart, there is
no involvement.
And maybe we can talk later.
But right now, if
you'll excuse me,
I have a meeting to prepare for.
- Arnold? Just so you
know, I didn't start it.
- Oh, boy.
- Let the chips fall
where they may.
I didn't plan it, I didn't
mean for it to happen.
But now that it has,
now that Sheila's
taken the first step, so be it.
- What brought this on?
- She found out I
was having an affair.
- You?
- The truth is, I've
been having a little fling
with a low-impact aerobics
instructor from Playa Del Ray.
We were on our
way to her apartment
when the little vixen
said something
particularly provocative.
I tried to take a shortcut
to her front door and...
I didn't break my ankle
playing racquet ball.
I broke it hurtling a hedge.
She took me to the hospital
and some idiot in
the billing department
called to confirm my
insurance coverage.
Sheila came racing down
to the emergency room
and found Shannon
holding my hand.
- How committed is she
to the idea of divorce?
- Who cares? I'd just
as soon hold her to it.
- That's now, Douglas.
But when you've had a
chance to think about it a little,
I'm sure you'll agree.
Divorce is a pretty drastic
solution to any problems
you and Sheila are having.
- And I think a drastic solution
may be just what
the doctor ordered.
17 years of trudging home
to Sheila night after night?
By 9:00, we've eaten,
the small talk's over.
She's in bed, I've had
a stiff belt of Maalox
and I'm drowsing on
the living room couch
still bloated from dinner.
I'm looking to
cut loose a little.
Fatten up the old address book.
I wanna see 20 girls
naked in the coming year.
I guess I wanna
live the life of Becker.
- I guess I have had my share.
- You've had mine as well.
- Trust me, it's not always
the thrill you think it is.
- I'd like to be
the judge of that.
- Look, Douglas, you
can do whatever you want.
But I've gotta tell you, a
divorce will not be painless.
Besides the emotional anguish
which you're gonna go through,
and believe me,
you will go through it,
Sheila is in a position to wreak
absolute havoc with this firm.
- Do you think she'd
go after the partnership?
- Count on it.
You can also count
on the probability of
a claim on all future
earnings if she can show
a substantial contribution
to your legal education.
- Oh, my God. That's horrible.
- It's not a pretty picture.
- So you think we're
being a little precipitous?
- After 17 years, I don't
think one little deep knee bend
with an aerobics instructor
is reason for divorce, no.
- It's easy for you say.
- Look, let me arrange
a conference with Sheila
and her attorney
with the idea of maybe
reconciling your differences.
And if we need to, we'll
play hardball later on.
- I'll leave it up to you
to guide me, Arnold.
- How's the
decompression coming?
- Decompression
largely complete.
Serenity's setting in.
- Michael, just what happened
to you in jail this weekend?
- A lot.
I don't wanna make
it sound like I'm back
from 18 years in Siberia,
but it was a hell
of an experience.
Lying there on a cot,
guys yelling, bars clanging.
I got to see the world
through Sid Hershberg's eyes.
I actually began to feel
the despair that he felt.
How he had to k*ll himself
to get out of his own prison.
How I had to go
to prison to find out
and understand
how really free I am.
- So we're done with Sid now?
Sid's history?
We can get on with our lives?
- Yeah.
- Good, because all this
stuff about seeing the world
through Sid's eyes
scares the poo out of me.
- If Sid's eyes saw what
mine do now, they would
never have seen the
world the way they did.
You're the best thing that
ever happened to me, Gracie.
And I guess I can
thank him for showing me
how lucky I am to have you.
- Then here's to Sid.
- To Sid.
- McKenzie, Brackman?
- I'm sorry. I will
not be available...
- Can you hold a moment?
Yes? May I help you?
- Oh, Leland!
- Let me transfer you.
- Morris?
- Got a few minutes
for an old classmate?
- Yes. What brings you here?
- Well, for starters,
I'd like to apologize
for my behavior which
I know was a bit rash.
- Incarcerating an attorney
without granting a stay
is more than a bit rash.
- Perhaps, but if my
judgment was clouded, Leland,
it's just that my job
has rendered me
a little short of temper lately.
I'm getting out.
- What? After some
25 years on the bench?
- There's no
satisfaction anymore.
What few rewards there
are don't seem to be
particularly sustaining.
When you walked into
my courtroom this morning,
I suddenly saw all the things
that have passed me by,
including the
money, I must admit.
- Well, I'm sure
you'll have no trouble.
The firms in town will
start a feeding frenzy
over a Superior Court judge.
- Actually, Leland, I'm
here to give you first bite.
- Hmm, you wanna work here?
- I think you know that I
wouldn't be approaching you
if I wasn't damn certain that
I had a contribution to make.
- Well, I have no
doubt about that.
But we are a very small firm.
- And I can help you grow.
I've made a lot of connections
in my years, Leland.
I can be very valuable.
- Hmm, naturally,
this is something
I'd have to take up
with the other partners.
- Oh, I understand completely.
And if it helps in any way,
you can tell Mike Kuzak
I'll be willing to have
my name come after his.
You can also tell him I'm sorry.
- I'll pass that on.
- Hi.
- Oh, hi, Andrew. How'd it go?
- Well, unsupervised probation
and some community service.
- Oh, great.
- So, actually, what
I was thinking...
Well, what I was hoping,
I'd like you to have dinner
with me tomorrow.
- Oh, I don't know.
- To celebrate.
You know, I already
made the reservation.
Please?
- Well...
- Do you like French food?
You'll love this place.
I'll pick you up at 7:30, okay?
- Okay.
- Great. That's great.
- Some enchanted evening?
- Oh, Arnie, stop. What
was I supposed to do?
- And the bar was
closed at this time?
- Well, I didn't think
anybody was there
'til I come out of the kitchen.
And see the cash
register busted open.
And that guy running
away with the money.
- Let the record
reflect that the witness
has again indicated the
defendant, Francisco Ortega.
Your witness.
- Thank you.
When the police
arrived, you told them
that you couldn't identify
the suspect, didn't you?
- Well, I didn't think I could
until I saw him in the lineup.
- Did you know,
sir, that Mr. Ortega
was sitting on a
stool in your bar
two nights before the robbery?
- I didn't know that until
the District Attorney told me.
- Tell me something,
Mr. Simpson.
If you were serving a
guy for a three-hour period
and then you saw
him two nights later,
he'd look familiar, wouldn't he?
- Objection! Hypothetical.
- Overruled.
- Isn't it possible, sir,
that you recognized
my client because he
was a customer in your bar?
That when you saw him
in the lineup, the only thing
that triggered in your mind was
that you had seen him before?
- He's the man I
saw with the money!
- The kitchen door and the
exit are at opposite ends.
If he was running away
when you first came in,
you couldn't see his face.
- I saw him from the side.
- The side?
He was headed in
the opposite direction.
You saw his back.
- I had an angle from the side.
- And you testified that,
when you first saw him,
he was just at the door.
So at best, we are talking
about a two or three-second
look from the side.
- Something like that.
- Mr. Simpson, I have no doubt
that you are an honest man.
I want you to tell me if
the following scenario
is possible, okay?
Just if it's possible.
You walk into a room and you
see a man running out the door.
You really don't get a
good look at his face.
It's all happening so fast.
The police come
and you tell them
that you really are
not gonna be able
to identify who did it.
But when they take
you down to the station,
they show you a face
that you have seen before.
And you say to yourself,
"That must be him."
That's possible,
isn't it, Mr. Simpson?
- Anything's possible.
- Thank you, sir.
No further questions.
- Your Honor,
this is outrageous.
Counsel is asking
for summary judgment
when there are substantial
questions of material fact.
- I'm asking for
judgment only on
the second and third
causes of action, Your Honor.
Which go to design defect only.
- Which is a big
part of our case.
- Counselors?
- So big, he didn't come
up with a single fact
in support of it.
- Miss Kelsey...
- So big, they didn't file
any affidavits or exhibits
which would indicate
anything defective in that plane.
- I must agree, Mr. McLeish,
that the evidence in support
of the allegations contained
in the second and third causes
of action is rather thin.
Have you got anything else?
- Your Honor, I have
submitted numerous affidavits
which go to the sophisticated
nature of the craft.
Such sophistication rendering it
virtually inoperable
by the deceased.
- Which goes only to
the negligence theory
in the first cause of
action, Your Honor.
And has nothing whatever
to do with the question
of design defect.
- She's got you, sir.
- I'm going to sustain you
on the first cause of action.
But as to the second and third,
there is simply no genuine
issue of material fact.
- I disagree.
- Judgment in favor
of defendant as
to the second and
third causes of action.
Counsel for both sides
should prepare to proceed
to trial on the first
cause of action only.
Thank you both.
- Brilliant.
- Thank you.
- I still can't believe
it. You were just great.
Yes, that'll be fine. Thank you.
- I felt pretty good.
- You were better than that.
You were all the champion
I could have wanted.
- Well, we haven't won yet.
- That's all right.
Your argument alone
deserves a celebration.
- At least it had
the desired effect.
- Speaking of which, I'd
like to tell you the effect
of watching you in
action had on me.
I intend to involve McKenzie,
Brackman in the affairs
of Cromwell Aviation more
than I originally intended.
See, we're planning
an acquisition next year
and I've been told
that there's a possibility
we could be involved in
some anti-trust problems.
I'd like it if you
would navigate.
- Well, there are a
couple of people at the firm
with very solid
anti-trust experience.
- Ann, I'd like you
to know something.
As far as I'm concerned,
McKenzie, Brackman,
well, it's you.
- You shouldn't
take your lawyer out
like this before
the case is over.
I'm glad I don't have to
be in court in the morning.
- I'm sure you'd do just fine.
- You show a lot of faith
in me. I've gotta say that.
- Complete faith.
- It's appreciated.
- It's well-earned.
- Thank you for dinner.
- Thank you for the company.
- Excuse me?
When were you planning
on saying something to me?
Around the time
the two of you took
a long weekend
together in Paris?
- Stuart, could we
possibly do this later?
- Save the continuances
for court, Ann, okay?
- Okay, Stuart.
There's obviously a
series of burning questions
that you're afraid to ask.
So let me answer them.
Yes, he does have a
romantic interest in me.
No, that doesn't
bother me particularly.
And, no, I haven't
slept with him.
- So far.
You gonna sleep
with him in the future?
- You know, the fact
that you feel compelled
to ask that question
means that we do
have a problem, you and I.
But the problem isn't
George Cromwell.
- No, huh-uh.
No, George
Cromwell is just a guy
that you kissed last night.
- What?
- I saw you, Ann.
- You spied on me?
- I started out just waiting.
- Waiting for what?
- Waiting for you to come home.
- You knew I went
out to dinner with him.
- Ann, does dinner necessarily
entail coming home drunk?
Forgive me, Ann.
The last time I saw
you that plowed,
you went to bed with me.
And you didn't even remember it.
- I will not be made
to feel like a slut
because I had
dinner with my client.
And I will not tolerate
your spying on me!
- I'm jealous, Ann.
Forgive me, I'm jealous.
Is that a big sin
where you come from?
- You're more than jealous.
The problem you have
with George Cromwell
is entirely in your mind.
If he didn't exist, you'd
think of something else.
- Wrong, because you
could have shut him down
and you didn't.
You let him wonder
and you let him hope.
You let him, Ann.
You let him kiss you.
- What was I
supposed to do, Stuart?
Punch out his lights?
Stop smothering me!
We have gone from
friendship to courtship
to total domesticity so fast,
I feel like I can't breath!
You are the sweetest man
that I've ever met, Stuart.
But you are also the neediest.
- Well, maybe you need
somebody a little less needy.
- Now, I'd like to
report happily that,
as basketball season is over,
Mr. Heidegger has been
prevailed upon to tender
his long-overdue resignation.
So, if there's nothing more,
Arnold and I are
expected across town.
- I have one more
piece of business.
Judge Morris Hood
of Superior Court
has approached me with the news
that he's looking to
retire from the bench
and he'd like to join this firm.
- Are you kidding?
- Wait a minute.
This is the same guy that
threw Mike in the slam?
- Yeah. Morris and I have known
each other since law school.
He is a seasoned jurist.
And there's no doubt he
can make a contribution here.
- Wait a minute.
Are you telling us that
you've already invited him?
- I told him that I would air it
with the members of the firm.
So I now throw it open to you.
- Absolutely not.
Quite apart from the
personality conflicts
which will inevitably
result, the fact is,
this firm needs
more foot soldiers.
The last thing we
need is another general.
- Yeah, I agree.
I think we ought
to reject him simply
out of solidarity to Mike.
Besides which, this is
definitely not the time
earnings-wise to take on
another profit participant.
- What are your
feelings about it, Leland?
- At the present, I
would rather not say.
- Well, whatever you
do say can and will be
used against you by
somebody sometime.
- You brought it up.
You've gotta have feelings
one way or the other.
- Knowing him for
as long as you have,
you're in the best position
to guide us, Leland.
- I think that's exactly
what he's doing, Douglas.
- Oh, Morris, surely
you can understand
that I'm under serious
constraints here.
What my firm is in need of
is associates, not partners.
That's just a hard
economic fact.
- Why didn't you offer me
a position as an associate
in that case?
- Oh, come on, Morris.
- Why not?
Were you afraid I'd accept?
- I'm no more about to
become your employer
than you are mine.
If you and I are to
have an association,
I wouldn't think of
doing it on anything
other than a partnership basis.
- Oh, the ways that exist
for telling someone no.
The ways in which I've heard it.
My hands are tied, Morris.
I wish it had been up to me.
I've got bigger things
in mind for you, Morris.
Play ball on this, Morris.
There's a federal
judgeship in it for you.
- If you were coming
in at any other time,
I'm sure the others could
have been persuaded.
- If you wanted me, you
could have done it now.
But once you decided against me,
it was a dead issue as far as
anyone else was concerned.
Let's face it, Leland.
You're afraid of the
competition a presence
like mine would generate!
- I'm not afraid of
competition, Morris.
The truth is, I have
no reason to expect
your temperament as attorney
to be any more to my liking
than your
temperament as a judge!
- Well, I've watched kids
out of school two, three years
come before me making
more money than I'll ever see.
You're damn right my temperament
can get a little nasty.
- Oh, damn it! There's
more to this than money!
- Well, one time there was.
My ambition ran to politics.
But when the Democrats
lost the state House in '66,
that ambition became a
drawer full of mementos
and a file cabinet full
of failure that sits next
to the water heater
in my basement.
They give me a parking
place next to the courthouse.
They let me sit on
the dais at dinners.
But they told me Superior
Court is as far as I go.
Now I don't care
if it doesn't live up
to your lofty ideals, ideals
you can so easily afford
to indulge in.
My dreams have been broken.
What I want is the money.
- That's mine.
- I realize that an
expensive lunch
is only proper form for telling
someone thanks, but no thanks.
And while I don't want
to appear ungracious
or unappreciative
of the hospitality
and the largess,
thanks, but no thanks.
- This way, gentlemen.
- Thank you. There you go.
- Good morning, gentlemen.
- Lisa? Where's Alvin?
- I'll be handling the
preliminary stages
of this case.
- I didn't even know
that you worked here.
- Shall we get started?
I read a copy of
your settlement offer.
And I was wondering if I
could take a look at your copy.
- Why do you wanna see our copy?
- I think there may be some
pages missing from mine.
- Pages missing?
- Yes.
I didn't see anything in
there about the partnership.
I assumed it was
a clerical error.
- What were you expecting to see
about the partnership, Lisa?
- Mr. Brackman is
a managing partner
with vested interests in all
income earned by your firm.
Before we even begin
serious discussions,
I need to see
financial statements
going back nine
years or coterminous
with his being made partner.
- Don't you think that
might be a little premature?
Particularly in light of
the fact that Mr. Brackman
feels extreme remorse
about this entire matter?
We'd very much like
to explore the possibility
of a reconciliation
with Mrs. Brackman
in spite of the circumstances.
It's nice to see you, Sheila.
- I have advised
my client to resist
any attempt at reconciliation.
- Have you advised
your client as well
of the fact that you have a
personal ax to grind with me?
- Mr. Becker must be
referring to an extremely
brief romantic incident in
which we were both involved.
- You apparently mistake
ambition for romance.
But that's not surprising
coming from someone
whose only passion
is scrambling up on
the backs of others.
- How would you know
what my passion is?
I never displayed
any of it to you.
- Oh, what was it? Make believe?
- That, or pity.
There's something so
desperate about you, Becker.
The way you always
fuss over your clothes
and your car and your condo.
- Who's more
desperate than you, Lisa?
Oh, you're fairly young now.
But in a few years,
you're gonna be clutching
at a box of saltines late
at night trying to figure out
how it is that you managed
to wind up so all alone!
- And where will
you be, I wonder?
Probably tucked in
bed somewhere with
the largest collection of
pornographic videotapes
in west L.A.
You'll lull yourself to
sleep with the images
of naked strangers
on the screen.
Young ones, Arnie,
the younger the better.
And you watching them,
fat, burnt out and bald!
- Excuse me!
Whose divorce is this?
Sheila, I can't help
feeling that this
is getting away from us.
- That's what usually
happens when you start
trying to jump over
another woman's bushes.
- I had an affair.
These things happen.
I have no doubt that there
are consequences to that.
- You better believe it, mister.
- I'm willing to try
to patch things up.
- Well, maybe I'm not.
And it has nothing to do
with this affair, Douglas.
You've had affairs,
I've had affairs.
It runs deeper than that.
- You've had affairs?
What kind of affairs
have you had?
- They didn't amount to much.
The point is, I am more than
just a housewife or a cosigner.
I need attention.
- I just need to get
this straight in my mind.
Have you had multiple affairs?
Was it once?
Was it someone I know?
- It was the pool man, okay?
- Angelo?
- Tony, the new pool man.
- Oh, my God.
- Look, you both had a
little extracurricular activity.
- Who else? The
kitchen contractor?
The roofer? Oh, my God.
What's his name? The tennis pro!
- Bjorn.
- People, please, look.
The important thing here
is not what you've done
outside the bonds
of your marriage.
But what you've built
within the marriage.
- Oh, please.
- A home, a family, a life.
- I can't stand the thought
of you with another man.
- I thought we were
getting a divorce here.
- There's no one who
wants you more than I.
Take me back, Sheila, please.
- Douglas, are you begging me?
- Yes.
- All right.
- Mr. Sifuentes, Mr. Aoli?
Having considered
your closing arguments
and having heard the
testimony you used at
three days of trial, including
that of an eye witness
I found to be
substantially credible,
I now find the defendant,
Francisco Ortega,
guilty of robbery
in the first degree.
Sentencing set
February 9, 10 a.m.
- Your Honor, at this
time, I move for a new trial
and the disqualification of
Your Honor from this case.
- On what grounds?
- Bigotry, Your Honor.
- This statistical
analysis demonstrates
a clear-cut r*cist
predisposition based
on Your Honor's
conviction and sentencing
record over the years.
- That's outrageous!
- Your Honor's conviction
rate in non-jury trials
for non-white defendants
when the prosecution
has a white eye witness
is nearly six times as great
as when the defendant
is white or the eye witness
is non-white.
This includes Your Honor's
time on the Municipal
as well as the Superior Court's.
And it clearly demonstrates
that Your Honor's racism
has served to deny
my client a fair trial.
- I don't know what
all this is, counselor,
but I'll tell you,
you're way out of line.
- Your Honor, I am not
trying to provoke or offend you.
But the fact remains
that these statistics...
- Don't stand there
calling me a r*cist
and pretend you're not
trying to provoke or offend me!
I sit here very much
offended, Mr. Sifuentes!
- Shall I take this to be a
denial of my motion, sir?
- Take it as a personal
response to your accusation!
I'll respond in my official
capacity at a later date!
In the meantime, this motion
is taken under advisement.
- May I help you?
- I have a reservation for two
under the name of Putnam.
- Putnam, Putnam,
Putnam. Thank you.
Right this way, if you would.
Enjoy your dinner.
- How much you
supposed to tip those guys?
- I've never really
known, Andrew.
Maybe $5.
- Really? Gee, I wish I'd
known. I just gave him $2.
- It's all right,
really. $2 is fine.
- I hope you're right.
You don't think I
should just go over
and give him the difference?
- No, definitely not.
It's not a big thing.
- Good evening.
Would you care for
anything from the bar?
- Yes.
We'd like a bottle of Dom
Perignon, please, chilled.
- So, this must be a tremendous
weight off your shoulders.
- Oh, it is.
I intend to put
that all behind me.
- I am sorry to bother you, sir.
But I wonder if I might
see some identification
that would verify your age?
- My age?
Well, actually, gentlemen,
that's quite a compliment.
I appreciate it.
You know, if it's
just a thing of an ID...
- Why don't I just
order the champagne?
- If your companion is underage,
we cannot permit him
to drink on the premises.
- I understand.
It'll just be for me.
- May I bring the
young man a soft drink?
- Well, don't you look
exceptionally
alluring this morning?
- Thank you.
- Uh-huh, I knew it.
- What?
- How you can always
tell with a woman.
The whites of her
eyes get totally clear.
- That's really dumb, Arnie.
- Tell me what happened.
- No.
- How was it?
- It's none of your
business, Arnie.
- Oh, come on, Rox. Share!
- No, and don't ask me again.
- You wanted to see me?
- Yes. Come on in.
I've been reading through
your motion papers.
I must say, I'm really stunned.
- I was just going by
the numbers, Your Honor.
- Numbers are a
funny thing, counselor.
Do you wanna hear
some interesting numbers
about Victor Sifuentes?
When you worked in the
Public Defender's office,
you were nine times
more likely to seek a trial
when the defendant
was of Hispanic descent
than when he was
either black or white.
- My clients happen
to be primarily Hispanic.
- Numbers of Hispanics
was slightly less than
twice the number
of blacks and whites.
The number of hours
you logged per case
shows a distinct predisposition
towards favoring clients
with Hispanic surnames.
A lot like your present
client, I might add.
- With all due
respect, you don't know
the first thing about
the cases that I handled.
- And just how much do you
know about the cases I handled?
- Nothing at all,
but I cannot ignore
a computer analysis of
your record on the bench
when there appears to be
a good chance that my client
was convicted
because he is a Chicano!
- Judges don't judge by
computer, Mr. Sifuentes.
We judge with our hearts
and minds and experience.
I don't think of myself
as a bigot any more
than you think of
yourself as one.
Nevertheless, I'm
granting your motion.
These numbers at
least entitle your client
to the benefit of the doubt.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
- My reputation is that
of a liberal, counselor.
I have supported
various civil rights causes
over the years because
my sense of decency
told me they were
worthy of support.
But now you come along
with this frankly chilling
bit of news that, for all
my professed liberalism,
I've in fact been sending
men to prison at least
in part because of
the color of their skin.
That is not something
I can ignore.
I will think long
and hard on this.
Hope you do the same.
- Yes?
- Judge Morris Hood, sir.
- Tell him I'll call him back.
- He's been arrested.
- Put him on.
- I really hate
your guts, Becker.
- I don't hate yours, Lisa.
- You didn't give a damn
about saving that marriage.
You just wanted to
humiliate me all over again.
- Not true.
I pride myself on
knowing what the client
really wants and delivering it.
Humiliating you
was just a bonus.
- You don't know what I
had to do to get Kroenisch
to let me handle that case.
- I have a pretty good idea.
- No. See, you don't.
I lost one job that way.
I'm not about to lose another.
Oh, you're really
something, Arnie.
You s*ab me in the back,
you poison this
entire firm against me.
And then you saw to
it that I didn't get hired
at a time when I
really needed a job.
And all because you
decided it would be awkward
to work in the same office
with a girl you had an affair with.
Well, it wouldn't have
had to be awkward at all.
In fact, I could
have easily forgotten
that it ever happened.
- That was the whole
problem. I couldn't have.
When I found out that
I was just another rung
on the ladder for
you, Lisa, it hurt me.
Look, will you do me something?
I'm not the hard
guy you think I am.
- Oh, you lying sack!
- Hey, I'm a sucker for
a pretty girl's affection.
And when I find out that I've
been had, sometimes, yeah.
I can get a little ugly.
- Trying to get ahead
of someone on line
at the post office
is a little ugly.
What you did to
me was despicable.
- You seem to forget that,
as a partner in this firm,
I have an obligation
to assist my colleagues
in making informed
decisions about
who we hire and who we don't.
And having a first-year
associate who has shown
a pronounced willingness
to sleep around as a method
of career advancement
is not in the best interest
of this firm.
Besides, you seem to
have landed on your feet.
- Yeah, I did, didn't I?
Kind of makes you curious
about what a second go-around
would be like, doesn't it?
- No.
- Why?
Because I'm a lawyer
in my own right?
Because I have a bright
future at the firm I'm with?
Because the uncertainty
of my getting hired
or not getting hired isn't
hanging over us anymore?
- I just don't
think that this is
appropriate right now, Lisa.
- No, I bet you don't.
It isn't nearly sordid enough
for Arnold Becker, is it?
No sl*ve trade, no trap doors,
no ice pick through the heart.
Nothing to gain except
the pure turn-on of it all.
And that's no turn-on at
all for Arnold Becker, is it?
- I don't know.
But if you wanna try, come on.
Let's try.
- Stop it!
- What's the matter, kid?
Not sordid enough for you?
- I guess not.
The tragedy of this
is, I'm just like you.
Arnold Becker
with a pair of jugs.
- Judge Hood!
- What comes next, Your Honor?
- How many people are involved?
- Your Honor, any comments?
- Excuse me, sir.
- I'm Judge Hood's attorney.
- Well, you'll have
to wait out here
until he's through being
processed, counselor.
- Address?
- 1139 South Crest,
West Los Angeles.
- Charged with one count PC 93,
receiving a bribe
by a judicial officer.
Have you read him his rights?
- Yeah, he's been read and
he understands the Miranda.
- All right, Judge.
I'm gonna fingerprint you now.
So just extend your right hand.
Relax your fingers
and I'll do the rest.
01x14 - The Douglas Fur Ball
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High-powered law firm of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak handles both criminal and civil cases, but the office politics and romance often distract them from the courtroom.
High-powered law firm of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak handles both criminal and civil cases, but the office politics and romance often distract them from the courtroom.