Diggstown (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - Kim Bond - full transcript
Marcie fights to help an FASD mom retain custody of her baby.
Hi.
Oh, sweetie.
Whatcha looking at?
You're the cutest little guy
in the whole wide world.
Yes you are, yes.
Uh oh, stinky poo poo.
River's out of diapers.
I've gotta go to the store.
Watch him.
Cool babe.
The stove is on.
Make sure you turn it
off in five minutes.
Okay.
Come on, yeah! Come on.
Clay!
Watch him.
Okay, okay.
I got something I
wanna show you.
Oh I love this show.
No, this is actually
the Japanese version.
Oh!
She's moving.
Go!
Oh, damn.
That must have hurt.
Oh shoot, I gotta go.
Stop, stop that's my baby!
That's my son!
That's my son!
Do you live here Miss, um?
No, it's my-it's my
boyfriend's place.
We're just-we're just
staying here until-
Well one of your
neighbours called 911
when the smoke detector went off
and no one in your
unit was responding.
They found drugs
in the apartment.
Did you know there were
drugs in the apartment?
Can you please just
give me my baby back?
He needs to be changed.
I just-I just want to
change his diaper.
Child and Family Services
are on their way.
He needs to be changed!
Just, just give him back.
Can you please just
give him back.
I'm sorry.
How is it in the best
interest of this little boy
to keep him from his mother?
It is certainly not in
the child's best interest
to be kept in a home with
an habitual drug user
as well as someone
who's been diagnosed
with an illness that makes
her incapable of parenting.
Where are you getting this?
This court would be
endangering the life-
What evidence does counsel base
her opinion on, your Honour?
Urine tests
taken one hour after police
were called to the scene
show that Clay Pyke,
the father of the minor child,
had over 300 nanograms
of THC in his system.
Miss Bond's social worker,
Ona Reeves,
can provide evidence to
attest to Miss Bond's history
of missing
doctor's appointments,
as well as evading CFS's
mandated home visits.
Evading?
Your Honour, Miss Bond
taking her son
to visit with his
grandmother is evading?
Your Honour, Miss Bond's
poor executive functioning,
hyperactivity and
attention deficiencies
place her child at risk and-
Your Honour, my
client was diagnosed
with a mild form of Fetal
Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
as a teenager.
The Department of Child
and Family Services
is discriminating against
her based on her disability.-
Please, stop.
If only I had all day for this.
Miss Diggs, I'm going to give
you and your client 40 days
to present a parenting plan
acceptable to this court.
If you're unable to do so,
we will move forward with
a permanent care hearing
where final custody of the
minor child will be determined.
In the meantime,
the minor child will remain in
the care and custody of CFS.
We are adjourned.
All rise.
What does that mean?
There's a lot of
work to be done,
and very little time.
Hi, I'm, uh, Carson Myers.
5'11" 175 pounds.
I like, uh, cheap beer,
hot wings,
and, uh, baked rice pudding.
I'm currently single,
having recently divorced.
We're good?
It's a start.
I smell coffee.
Better be hot.
Colleen catches
you eating from
her secret stash,
she's gonna kill ya.
Go ahead, tell her.
Guess who won't
be at your annual
booze cruise,
and if I'm not there,
my mother's famous apple pie
won't be there either.
Aw, hey now.
That's not playing fair.
And after all the nice things
I said about you
to the School of
Social Work?
They called you?
What'd you say?
I said they'd be
lucky to have you.
Thank you.
Oh hey Kim, how's it going?
Pam, hi.
Hi.
Pam, can you tell
Marcie Noreen is
always late?
It's true, Kim's
mother is always late.
When do you go before
Judge Lawrence?
In three days.
That's when the
parenting plan is due,
but I may need to
ask for an extension
if Noreen's kinship
application isn't complete.
Where is your mother?
Oh you want your mother
to be River's guardian?
Mom's good now.
She quit drinking
and everything.
Okay, great.
So you're not gonna
appeal the judge's
initial ruling?
I have a little time,
I'd be more than happy to help.
I think we're good.
Besides, Kim wants her
little boy back with her,
not in foster care
with strangers,
and Noreen's kinship application
is the fastest way
to make this happen.
Okay, Katniss.
Nice to see you, Kim.
Katniss? Like the girl
from the Hunger Games?
Yeah, it's just a-
a stupid nickname
from my old firm.
Marcie Diggs.
Where are you?
Marcie,
Rick and I, our voices are loud.
I swear to god we
wasn't doin' nothin'!
Don't even lie to
me Noreen, okay?
The arresting officer
told me that there's been
at least five calls in
the last three weeks.
Oh I'm not allowed
to have a life?
You know what, you're selfish!
You realize 90% of
parents with FASD
have their kids taken from them.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?
Make 'em prove it.
I'll swear on a stack of
Bibles I never touched a drop
when I was pregnant with Kim.
You put me on the stand-
- So you can lie?
In three days, I have
to convince the judge
that Kim has support
systems necessary
to help raise her son,
and now because you can't keep
it together we got nothing.
No, not doing this.
You're not gonna give me a ride?
Bus is running.
A Mareva injunction,
really Tessa?
I mean do you really think
you're gonna convince a judge
to freeze my client's assets?
Sure.
Two p.m.
What'd she say?
It's good.
They want to sit down
tomorrow at two.
I think we're gonna be
able to settle this.
Everything I've got is
in that business, Colleen.
You'll take care of this, right?
Look, I'm-I'm a bit late for a
meeting with one of my lawyers,
but don't worry,
I'm gonna handle this.
Okay, thanks.
I've got a mother charged with
assault causing bodily harm
after leaving a
child in a hot car.
The Crown is considering
the death penalty.
Nice.
Nice? Have you heard
a word that I've said?
Sorry.
Look, I'm helping out a friend
on a civil litigation file.
He owns this small
landscaping business,
you know, hires kids
for the summer,
pays them a good wage,
teaches them mindfulness.
He's the definition
of a do-gooder.
What did he do?
Well one of the kids he
hired was bullying another one,
and the kid who
was being harassed
got fed up and stabbed him in
the arm with pruning shears.
The "Garden Hedge Hero"?
Your guy's messed up
in that nonsense?
The parents of the bully
are now saying that their
kid lost their reputation
due to Lyle's negligence,
and they're suing him
for two million dollars.
Let me get this straight.
Their kid bullies someone and
they're suing your friend?
That's the takeaway?
The villain becomes the victim.
How the hell did we get here?
Ona, come on.
Louise will do
whatever you tell her.
Where's the restraining order?
It-it needs to be in the file.
Get her lawyer on the phone,
we need that paper.
Tomorrow we can make a motion
and ask the judge together
to give me,
to give Kim more time.
Last time I looked,
it was just Kim and Noreen.
The paternal grandparents
aren't interested?
I've already been
down this road.
Do you think I want to take
Kim's child away from her?
Then don't!
Kim is doing, has done the work.
Her illness in and of
itself shouldn't-shouldn't
disqualify her from
raising her kid.
Come to me with somebody who
can help Kim raise her son,
and I'll consider it.
Without that,
I have to recommend River be
placed with another family
permanently.
Hello, Mr. Pyke,
I represent Kim Bond and
I was really hoping-
Hello?
Um, were you expecting Kim?
Well, she's here.
Oh, and she's leaking.
She's leaking?
My doctor told me
that breast milk
is better than
formula for babies.
Said it will make
River a smart boy.
How can I help you, Kim?
I went to take River's
milk to Ona this morning
and she wouldn't take it.
Said it was too much
for the fosters.
You're taking breast
milk to CFS every day?
River will get his milk,
don't worry.
Whoa.
I need a favour, it's personal.
Shoot.
I'm supposed to go to M&M for
a meeting at two o'clock today
on Lyle's case.
They called, they insisted
I got the time wrong.
They want to meet at noon.
I've got a conflict.
Can you... Sure.
Thanks, Doug.
Listen, one more thing.
Lyle's like family to me.
I love the guy,
but he's not gonna want to
go hard on these people.
Don't worry.
I got it covered.
Thanks.
Got any gluten-free options?
You gotta have
gluten-free options.
Well I'm cooking up my
famous fried whole clams,
will that do?
No, that's not gluten-free.
This arrived for you.
Whoa, did you see
who it was from?
Just the delivery guy.
Huh.
So, who's it from?
Return from Amazon,
nothing special.
Return from Amazon? - Mhmm.
Weird.
Do you know how hard it
is to find great fosters?
This whole business with Kim
and the bottles of breast milk?
It's too much of a burden.
Then you should have
allowed her access.
Ha, I remember being
so high and mighty.
You'll come down to
earth soon enough.
I want you to get this milk
to the foster family
before it spoils.
Did you not hear
what I just said?
What are you-
River is going to
get his mother's
freshly pumped breast milk
every day that he
remains in foster care,
and if he doesn't,
I'm gonna file a civil
suit against CFS
on behalf of Kim for
intentionally interfering
with Kim's maternal rights.
Go easy, Marcie.
Not on this.
You're lucky I like you.
Mr. Paul, Tessa Cox.
So you're the gentle giant
I've heard so much about.
Well my daughter's
got a way with words.
My daughter Leah,
she works here.
Along with 200 other folks.
No, I meant Marcie Diggs.
She's my former associate.
Marcie is great.
I miss her every day.
Mr. Kavanaugh, Tessa Cox.
Hey, uh, Lyle.
I-I wasn't aware that Legal Aid
took on cases like this.
I was happy to receive
the call from Colleen,
and I think if we put
our heads together,
we should be able to
put this matter to bed.
That is our hope.
Great.
All right. Now,
I've advised my clients
to let me do the talking.
It takes the emotion out of it.
Now, I assume your client, Lyle,
when he hired the
Nolans' son, Arthur,
that his intent was for it
to be a positive experience.
Of course.
All I want is to teach
these kids how to
interact with nature
and their peers
instead of a cellphone
or a tablet.
So you're making it
your responsibility
to prepare these boys for the
next phase of their lives?
Well I... You can't do that.
If you wanted to pose my client-
I've been instructed
by my clients
to settle the claim
against your client
with the following terms.
First, Lyle will write
a letter to Brown
on behalf of the
Nolans' son, Arthur,
taking full responsibility
for the incident
between my client's
son and the other boy.
Second, he will agree to
shut down his business.
I mean, it's not as if it's
much of a business to give up.
I know.
It should give Mr. Kavanaugh
a strong basis
to file a defamation claim.
Defamation?
Dr. Nolan and her husband
have been going around
accusing my client
of negligence,
which you can't prove.
You've blamed your son's
bullying on my client,
which you also know is false.
Your son needs counselling not-
So you're a lawyer and
a parenting coach?
Wonderful!
I'm also great at math.
Your clients own assets
north of 50 million dollars.
If you move forward
with this Mareva motion,
we'll be filing a counter claim
for at least five million
dollars in damages.
It's good to meet you, Doug.
Mm.
My best to Marcie.
We're not really
gonna sue these people are we?
I mean, I just-I just
want this to go away.
We're good.
Can I help you?
Hi. I'm Marcie Diggs.
I'm Kim Bond's lawyer.
Right, I thought I told
you we didn't want to talk.
And I thought I'd try
to change your mind.
Well I hope you're
a better talker
than you are a listener.
Come on.
I appreciate you taking
the time to speak with me.
Ona Reeves, Kim Bond's
social worker,
she mentioned that
you and Mr. Pyke
weren't interested in
filing a kinship application
for custody of your grandson,
and well, I guess I was
just curious as to why.
Miss Diggs-
Oh, Marcie, please.
I think I might've been younger
than you when I had Clay.
You've met Clay. - Yeah.
He's on the spectrum.
I mean, it's not a
definite diagnosis,
it's a little bit of this,
a little bit of that,
and finding him the right
medication was hell,
and that led to him
being a really hard-
a really hard kid to parent.
It brought our
marriage to the brink
and we didn't have any more kids
because if we'd had to
parent another Clay,
I think that we really would
have killed one another.
He's been here less than a month
and his room looks like a
bomb's been dropped in it.
Clay is living here?
Yeah, just until we can
set him up in another place.
River is, he's your grandson.
Are you okay knowing that
this really great kid,
who's your blood,
will be raised by strangers?
A few years ago I was
diagnosed with ovarian cancer
and I'm good, I mean,
no we're good.
But Kim and Clay are like
sunlight on an open sewer.
It's just too much.
I'm sorry, it breaks our heart,
but we can't have that
young woman in our life.
Mission accomplished.
Hey how'd it go?
Threatened to sue
them with defamation
if they didn't back off.
Nice!
Yeah.
Caught 'em all by surprise,
including Lyle.
Yeah well, Lyle has a tendency
to move away from aggression,
not towards it.
I noticed that.
Doesn't seem like your type.
It's not like that.
Lyle was my Manny.
I was a bloody mess when I
first moved here to Halifax.
When the end of my
marriage left me a wreck,
and I had two kids to raise,
Lyle helped put
me back together.
I owe him.
Understood.
Oh, I forgot.
A counter motion to dismiss
the Nolans' claim against Lyle.
Uh, another rum and
coke, sweetheart.
I'm gonna get his number.
Girl, you don't know
how to have fun.
I have fun.
Anyway, to what do I
owe this open bar?
I met with the Pykes today.
You kill me.
They're perfect.
They're not interested.
Arrange one visit.
One visit between River
and his grandparents.
They're, they're great people.
I guarantee you they
will fall in love.
This is good.
Mmm.
Okay, I'm trying to figure out
how I could be with a man who
gobbles up a plate of wings
and doesn't even
offer his lady one.
Well you are looking at
this all wrong, right?
I'm just saying.
This here is salmonella city.
No, I love you so much that
I'm taking the hit for you.
We're using that word now?
Just popped out.
Well maybe pop it back in.
Hey.
I told you that I'm
your lady, right?
Yeah. Thanks.
Big mouth.
Katniss?
Why would you tell Pam that?
It was just a compliment.
It means you're tenacious,
smart, feisty.
Compliment?
You knew that was just
some PC code for bitch,
'cause I took care of business.
Marcie.
You and Pam want to
have pillow talk
that's your business
but you keep my name
out of your mouth.
Hey listen, I just I didn't-
Avery...
Thank you.
Marcie Diggs.
Marcie - I just wanna see him!
Please!
Clay said it was okay!
Kim is at the Pykes.
- It's okay, Dad.
Jesus.
Clay, you said this was okay!
It is! Come on, Dad.
Did you tell her about
the meeting today?
I want this to work, remember?
She's not coming in here, Clay.
Don't be a goof, Dad!
Call the police, Cecilia.
Why are you such a jerk, Dad?
I just wanna see him.
- It's okay, Dad.
You need to come get her, now.
I'm on my way.
River!
So I got a whole list
of gluten-free-
No Reggie, you can't just-
Is that a pair of Wagners?
Nice.
Well if you don't want 'em.
I'm late for a conference call.
Oh.
Thanks.
Kim, what were you thinking?
This was to get the
Pykes to help us.
Now you've
ruined every
chance we had-
Take her.
What happened?
This is the emotionally
unstable person
you think should be entrusted
with the care of a
six month old infant.
Clay said if I came
over I could hold River.
He said he'd let me.
Why can't I just hold
my baby, Marcie?
I'd never hurt him.
I know.
I know you just want
to see your boy.
Kim, why don't you go
sit in my car, okay?
I'll be right there.
Okay.
Just so you know,
the judge is going to hear
about this little outburst.
Where's River now?
He's with his grandparents.
So it's going well?
You don't stop, do you?
Hi, hey, hello.
You check off the type of
Legal Aid you're looking for
and then we're actually gonna
have to get some expenses
and your deductions there,
and if you have any questions-
Iris, can you get
Colleen for me?
And then you're... Iris?
Pick up the phone, call Colleen,
tell her I want to see her now.
Excuse me for a second,
Miss Taylor.
Just bring it back
when you're done.
Colleen is attending a
meeting at the Bar Society.
When will she be back?
When the meeting's over,
I suppose.
Are you being fresh?
Excuse me?
Gregor.
I need a word.
Is there a problem?
Why is the Minister of Justice
calling me
giving me shit because one
of our lawyers is harassing
one of the government's
chief policy advisers?
I don't know what
you're talking about.
Elsie Nolan and her husband.
Look, why don't-why don't
we go into my office-
Let me be very clear.
You are under contract
to Halifax Legal Aid.
You do not do favours
for friends, okay?
So this mess you're involved in,
clean it up.
Sure, um, there's a
motion tomorrow morning-
No no no no no,
you're not hearing me.
You're to tell your friend
you're no longer his
counsel as of today.
I'm not gonna do that, Gregor.
You don't want to fight
me on this, Colleen.
You gonna fire me?
Good luck.
I don't report to you.
I report to the board,
and you're only one vote.
I think you believe you're
more popular than you are.
You think for one second
if I put someone else
in that seat of yours
that one member of that board
is gonna so much as
sigh in your defence?
Fix it.
Excuse me.
Oh, Colleen... Not now Lyle.
I just got off the
phone with Ona.
She said Kim showed up
at the Pykes' house.
Not sure why she'd be
discussing that with you.
She said it was a disaster.
Not my take-away.
Do you think the
paternal grandparents
are still on the table?
Pam, I'm gonna have my lunch.
Do you still think Kim
can self-regulate enough
to raise this child?
With the right meds, yeah.
Did she really throw a
rock through their window?
She's human, Pam.
What's your point?
Adoption's open, here.
Maybe that would be the best
option for Kim and her baby.
Pam, I've got this.
Please, I've got this!
God.
What is your problem?
Pardon me?
I don't know, you
seem to have a-
a problem with me.
I don't know why, I-
I want to be your friend
and I keep trying and you-
Well, maybe I don't
need any new friends.
You're an asshole.
You know why I
keep blocking you?
'Cause you're never real.
You're in here fronting
with your vintage clothes,
and your No Name pop,
and you hang out at the Port
like you're some local pleb
when that couldn't be
further from the truth.
At least I'm interested
in engaging with the world,
and not burying myself in the
mess of other people's lives
to avoid dealing with my own.
I'm frontin'?
Okay.
Look in the mirror.
Iris, I'm on lunch.
Really?
I'm so glad you came in.
I hope this is good news.
We think it is.
We talked to our lawyer
and she said we were a bit late-
You're right though,
we're River's family
and we want to make
sure he remains family.
Great, this is,
this is great to hear.
So you're gonna go ahead and
file a kinship application.
No, I think you misunderstood.
We're going to petition
to adopt River.
We simply wanted to know
if you would talk to Kim
to ask her not to fight us.
We have a house on
Long Point in Ontario.
I'm thinking it's not a bad
place to raise a little boy.
So you're just
gonna take her kid?
I think it's better for River
if he's raised by his family
rather than the alternative,
isn't it?
Let's go.
This was a mistake.
She doesn't get it.
The Pykes have asked
that you not contest
their adoption of River.
No.
I won't agree to this.
I mean, how fair is it Clay
will get to see him grow up
and not me?
It's not fair.
I know, Kim.
I hate this.
But three months from now,
a year from now,
the Pykes' feelings
about you could soften
and you may have a chance
to be part of River's life.
And with the Pykes you'll
know that River's safe.
If you go through
with this hearing,
it's likely that you will
never see your son again
until he's old enough
to come looking for you.
Maybe the judge
will see it my way.
Maybe, but-
You don't get it.
It'll kill me,
knowing he's with them.
I can't see him or hold him?
I will die.
If he's with a
stranger, somehow,
it'll be easier to pretend
River doesn't exist.
Hard but easier, you know?
Hey.
What are you doing here?
Well you weren't home
and I remembered how much
you like your Friday
morning massages, so.
Well remind me to be
less predictable.
I don't want you to come
to the meeting this morning.
I'll-I'll handle things with
the Nolans from here on.
What did you get a
law degree overnight?
Let me go get myself
together and we can-
No no no, listen.
I got myself into this mess
and I can get myself out of it.
Look, Colleen, if I'd known what
a problem this was gonna be,
I never would have-
Lyle, I spent eight years
reinventing myself and my career
and you more than anybody
else other than my kids
knows how tough that was for me.
Listen, you're my friend
and if helping you means
going back to square one,
then so be it.
I'm gonna go take a shower.
I'll see you soon.
Your Honour, it is my
submission that my client,
Miss Bond, can with
appropriate ongoing supports
like treatment related
to her FASD diagnosis,
parenting education,
regular home visits from
healthcare professionals,
can successfully
raise her son River
who is the subject
of today's hearing.
That's it counsel?
That's our submission,
Your Honour.
Your Honour,
at this time we'd
like to move forward
with a Permanent Care Hearing
with respect to
the infant child.
Miss Bond?
Yes, Your Honour?
Miss Bond, has your
lawyer explained
what a Permanent
Care Hearing is?
Yes, Your Honour.
And at this time do
you wish to relinquish
your parental rights
to the minor child?
My baby's name is River,
Your Honour.
River.
No, I don't want to give him up.
Thank you, Miss Bond.
Your Honour, it has
come to our attention
that River's
paternal grandparents
would like to make an
application for custody.
Therefore, I'd like to move
that this hearing be adjourned.
Objection, Your Honour.
Counsel, come.
I don't understand this.
You'd rather the child be
placed in permanent care
than with his grandparents?
We'd rather Miss Bond's son
be returned to his
mother's custody.
Your Honour, the Pykes
intend to move to Ontario
to dedicate themselves full-time
to raising their grandson.
They have the means to-
So, being poor makes
you a poor parent?
Without the appropriate hearing-
I think Ms. Reeve's
point is this hearing
is not the appropriate
venue anymore,
given we have an application
for custody, step back.
It's not in the
child's best interest
to be raised by folks who
don't see the inherent value
of a mother and a child's bond.
I have your point on that,
Miss Diggs.
Step back.
This is insane, Your Honour.
Watch yourself, Miss Diggs.
My client is facing
the loss of her child
because she went
out to get diapers
and milk at the corner store.
Miss Diggs is grossly un-
She did not leave River alone,
she didn't leave River
with some stranger.
She left her baby
boy with the father.
She did the right thing,
but because she's poor,
because she lives
in social housing,
because her challenges
put her in CFS's radar,
her choice,
the same choice that mothers
make every single day,
may cost Kim her child.
This is wrong!
Step back!
We appreciate a
Mareva injunction
is an extraordinary measure
for a situation like this,
but we believe Mr. Kavanaugh
could very likely liquidate
the assets of his business
prior to the resolution
of my clients' claim.
Your Honour,
the assets in question
are old gardening tools,
lawnmowers,
and three 10 year old
Ford pickup trucks.
Assets with no real
commercial value,
thus the recovery of damages
would not be impacted
if the assets were
not preserved.
And don't even get me started
on the applicants' case,
meaning there is none.
I don't think a determination
needs to be made here.
I don't think Ms. MacDonnell
is asking me
to make a determination,
but simply pointing out,
as part of the Mareva test,
that the strength of
your client's case
is a consideration.
Actually, we are
asking Your Honour
to dismiss the Nolans'
negligence claim.
There are major issues.
Standing, the Nolans'
son was not a minor
when these incidents occurred,
so the parents have no
legal cause of action
against my client.
Ms. Cox knows this.
The employment relationship,
meaning the contract
signed by the Nolans' son
clearly states that he was
an independent contractor,
not an employee,
thus the vicarious liability
argument is inherently faulty.
Also-
I think you've made your
point, Ms. MacDonnell.
I think we're done here.
Are you sure, Your Honour?
I can keep going.
I have considered the arguments
of all parties involved
in this matter.
As much as possible,
I've tried to sift through
the emotion of this case.
Kim, you have to say something.
You cannot leave this courtroom
without them hearing your voice.
Best interest of the
child is the guiding light
in any child custody matter.
Miss Diggs?
I would like to say
something please,
Your Honour.
I know I can be a good mother.
Or what I think a good
mother is, anyway.
Like when River's hungry,
I feed him.
When he cries, I hold him,
comfort him.
I'm taking parenting classes
and being really good
about my medicine and-
I know Miss Reeves and the Pykes
think River's not safe with me,
that I'm not good enough,
but I promise
if you let me have my baby back,
I'll be good enough.
I'll be good enough.
There is no doubt in my mind
Miss Bond would do
everything possible
to raise her son River
in a safe and
stable environment.
However, as the child matures,
the court is concerned
Miss Bond's
cognitive limitations
would make her ability to
provide such an environment
near impossible.
Miss Bond's petition
for custody is denied.
The paternal grandparents
have applied for custody.
There is no need to move forward
with a Permanent Care Hearing.
This proceeding is at an end.
Your Honour,
until the custody application
of the Pykes is final,
we ask that Miss Bond
has access to her son.
Your Honour, the Pykes will
allow supervised visitation
through an intermediary
until such time
as their application
for custody is final.
Good, we're adjourned.
All rise. - Oh, thank you.
I'll get to see River.
Yes, we will talk to Ona
about making that
happen right away.
World and down the road
Hello?
Marcie.
Kim, I'm, uh,
I'm sorry about what happened.
Marcie, I just
wanted to thank you.
I didn't get to do that today.
No one's ever talked
about me like that,
and I wanted you to know.
Thank you.
What do you mean it's not there?
It's a 50 foot boat,
it doesn't just disappear.
Woman, what woman?
Eleanor.
Your-your weekend?
You know this is when
I take our office out
on our annual cruise.
Stop saying it's your weekend.
Bring her back in!
Hello, hello?
How about a barbecue,
at my place?
We can do it at my place
Well you sure you want the
unwashed masses in your palace?
Well, when you put
it like that, no,
but let's do it anyway.
Hello Gregor.
This is a hell of a view.
Do you need a roommate?
This is quite the place.
You don't seem too enthused.
I'm living in one of
my parents' houses.
When we go on family vacation,
they pay the full shot.
My dad just bought me
a pair of $2,000 skis.
It's embarrassing.
I want for nothing and yet
every day I am defending people
who want for everything.
Rent your own place,
pay your own airfare,
and return the skis.
But I like this.
Then be okay with it,
because the only one who
cares about it is you.
Play something on
that phone of yours.
Oh I like this.
How'd it go with Lyle today?
Aced it.
Did you talk to Gregor?
Don't ruin this cab for me.
Cheers. - Cheers.
Colleen sprang for cab
chits for everyone.
Good.
It's been that kind of day.
Thank you.
Saw you in court today.
The system's FUBAR'd.
Yep.
But I want to
remember this though.
I want to feel this.
And then on Monday I am
going to work like hell
to make certain I
don't feel this again.
Cheers. - Cheers.
I like it, I like it.
Oh, sorry.
Tessa?
Your ears must be burning.
A few of the partners and
I are having some drinks,
and your name came up.
How about coming home?
Excuse me?
We want you back at M&M,
where you belong.
And this red pen.
No no no, if it's not
on the counter already,
it's not on offer.
Oh come on.
Just the Chateau Palmer.
Yeah, get the opener.
- No put it back!
Marcie?
Tessa thank you,
but, uh, I'm good.
Oh, sweetie.
Whatcha looking at?
You're the cutest little guy
in the whole wide world.
Yes you are, yes.
Uh oh, stinky poo poo.
River's out of diapers.
I've gotta go to the store.
Watch him.
Cool babe.
The stove is on.
Make sure you turn it
off in five minutes.
Okay.
Come on, yeah! Come on.
Clay!
Watch him.
Okay, okay.
I got something I
wanna show you.
Oh I love this show.
No, this is actually
the Japanese version.
Oh!
She's moving.
Go!
Oh, damn.
That must have hurt.
Oh shoot, I gotta go.
Stop, stop that's my baby!
That's my son!
That's my son!
Do you live here Miss, um?
No, it's my-it's my
boyfriend's place.
We're just-we're just
staying here until-
Well one of your
neighbours called 911
when the smoke detector went off
and no one in your
unit was responding.
They found drugs
in the apartment.
Did you know there were
drugs in the apartment?
Can you please just
give me my baby back?
He needs to be changed.
I just-I just want to
change his diaper.
Child and Family Services
are on their way.
He needs to be changed!
Just, just give him back.
Can you please just
give him back.
I'm sorry.
How is it in the best
interest of this little boy
to keep him from his mother?
It is certainly not in
the child's best interest
to be kept in a home with
an habitual drug user
as well as someone
who's been diagnosed
with an illness that makes
her incapable of parenting.
Where are you getting this?
This court would be
endangering the life-
What evidence does counsel base
her opinion on, your Honour?
Urine tests
taken one hour after police
were called to the scene
show that Clay Pyke,
the father of the minor child,
had over 300 nanograms
of THC in his system.
Miss Bond's social worker,
Ona Reeves,
can provide evidence to
attest to Miss Bond's history
of missing
doctor's appointments,
as well as evading CFS's
mandated home visits.
Evading?
Your Honour, Miss Bond
taking her son
to visit with his
grandmother is evading?
Your Honour, Miss Bond's
poor executive functioning,
hyperactivity and
attention deficiencies
place her child at risk and-
Your Honour, my
client was diagnosed
with a mild form of Fetal
Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
as a teenager.
The Department of Child
and Family Services
is discriminating against
her based on her disability.-
Please, stop.
If only I had all day for this.
Miss Diggs, I'm going to give
you and your client 40 days
to present a parenting plan
acceptable to this court.
If you're unable to do so,
we will move forward with
a permanent care hearing
where final custody of the
minor child will be determined.
In the meantime,
the minor child will remain in
the care and custody of CFS.
We are adjourned.
All rise.
What does that mean?
There's a lot of
work to be done,
and very little time.
Hi, I'm, uh, Carson Myers.
5'11" 175 pounds.
I like, uh, cheap beer,
hot wings,
and, uh, baked rice pudding.
I'm currently single,
having recently divorced.
We're good?
It's a start.
I smell coffee.
Better be hot.
Colleen catches
you eating from
her secret stash,
she's gonna kill ya.
Go ahead, tell her.
Guess who won't
be at your annual
booze cruise,
and if I'm not there,
my mother's famous apple pie
won't be there either.
Aw, hey now.
That's not playing fair.
And after all the nice things
I said about you
to the School of
Social Work?
They called you?
What'd you say?
I said they'd be
lucky to have you.
Thank you.
Oh hey Kim, how's it going?
Pam, hi.
Hi.
Pam, can you tell
Marcie Noreen is
always late?
It's true, Kim's
mother is always late.
When do you go before
Judge Lawrence?
In three days.
That's when the
parenting plan is due,
but I may need to
ask for an extension
if Noreen's kinship
application isn't complete.
Where is your mother?
Oh you want your mother
to be River's guardian?
Mom's good now.
She quit drinking
and everything.
Okay, great.
So you're not gonna
appeal the judge's
initial ruling?
I have a little time,
I'd be more than happy to help.
I think we're good.
Besides, Kim wants her
little boy back with her,
not in foster care
with strangers,
and Noreen's kinship application
is the fastest way
to make this happen.
Okay, Katniss.
Nice to see you, Kim.
Katniss? Like the girl
from the Hunger Games?
Yeah, it's just a-
a stupid nickname
from my old firm.
Marcie Diggs.
Where are you?
Marcie,
Rick and I, our voices are loud.
I swear to god we
wasn't doin' nothin'!
Don't even lie to
me Noreen, okay?
The arresting officer
told me that there's been
at least five calls in
the last three weeks.
Oh I'm not allowed
to have a life?
You know what, you're selfish!
You realize 90% of
parents with FASD
have their kids taken from them.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?
Make 'em prove it.
I'll swear on a stack of
Bibles I never touched a drop
when I was pregnant with Kim.
You put me on the stand-
- So you can lie?
In three days, I have
to convince the judge
that Kim has support
systems necessary
to help raise her son,
and now because you can't keep
it together we got nothing.
No, not doing this.
You're not gonna give me a ride?
Bus is running.
A Mareva injunction,
really Tessa?
I mean do you really think
you're gonna convince a judge
to freeze my client's assets?
Sure.
Two p.m.
What'd she say?
It's good.
They want to sit down
tomorrow at two.
I think we're gonna be
able to settle this.
Everything I've got is
in that business, Colleen.
You'll take care of this, right?
Look, I'm-I'm a bit late for a
meeting with one of my lawyers,
but don't worry,
I'm gonna handle this.
Okay, thanks.
I've got a mother charged with
assault causing bodily harm
after leaving a
child in a hot car.
The Crown is considering
the death penalty.
Nice.
Nice? Have you heard
a word that I've said?
Sorry.
Look, I'm helping out a friend
on a civil litigation file.
He owns this small
landscaping business,
you know, hires kids
for the summer,
pays them a good wage,
teaches them mindfulness.
He's the definition
of a do-gooder.
What did he do?
Well one of the kids he
hired was bullying another one,
and the kid who
was being harassed
got fed up and stabbed him in
the arm with pruning shears.
The "Garden Hedge Hero"?
Your guy's messed up
in that nonsense?
The parents of the bully
are now saying that their
kid lost their reputation
due to Lyle's negligence,
and they're suing him
for two million dollars.
Let me get this straight.
Their kid bullies someone and
they're suing your friend?
That's the takeaway?
The villain becomes the victim.
How the hell did we get here?
Ona, come on.
Louise will do
whatever you tell her.
Where's the restraining order?
It-it needs to be in the file.
Get her lawyer on the phone,
we need that paper.
Tomorrow we can make a motion
and ask the judge together
to give me,
to give Kim more time.
Last time I looked,
it was just Kim and Noreen.
The paternal grandparents
aren't interested?
I've already been
down this road.
Do you think I want to take
Kim's child away from her?
Then don't!
Kim is doing, has done the work.
Her illness in and of
itself shouldn't-shouldn't
disqualify her from
raising her kid.
Come to me with somebody who
can help Kim raise her son,
and I'll consider it.
Without that,
I have to recommend River be
placed with another family
permanently.
Hello, Mr. Pyke,
I represent Kim Bond and
I was really hoping-
Hello?
Um, were you expecting Kim?
Well, she's here.
Oh, and she's leaking.
She's leaking?
My doctor told me
that breast milk
is better than
formula for babies.
Said it will make
River a smart boy.
How can I help you, Kim?
I went to take River's
milk to Ona this morning
and she wouldn't take it.
Said it was too much
for the fosters.
You're taking breast
milk to CFS every day?
River will get his milk,
don't worry.
Whoa.
I need a favour, it's personal.
Shoot.
I'm supposed to go to M&M for
a meeting at two o'clock today
on Lyle's case.
They called, they insisted
I got the time wrong.
They want to meet at noon.
I've got a conflict.
Can you... Sure.
Thanks, Doug.
Listen, one more thing.
Lyle's like family to me.
I love the guy,
but he's not gonna want to
go hard on these people.
Don't worry.
I got it covered.
Thanks.
Got any gluten-free options?
You gotta have
gluten-free options.
Well I'm cooking up my
famous fried whole clams,
will that do?
No, that's not gluten-free.
This arrived for you.
Whoa, did you see
who it was from?
Just the delivery guy.
Huh.
So, who's it from?
Return from Amazon,
nothing special.
Return from Amazon? - Mhmm.
Weird.
Do you know how hard it
is to find great fosters?
This whole business with Kim
and the bottles of breast milk?
It's too much of a burden.
Then you should have
allowed her access.
Ha, I remember being
so high and mighty.
You'll come down to
earth soon enough.
I want you to get this milk
to the foster family
before it spoils.
Did you not hear
what I just said?
What are you-
River is going to
get his mother's
freshly pumped breast milk
every day that he
remains in foster care,
and if he doesn't,
I'm gonna file a civil
suit against CFS
on behalf of Kim for
intentionally interfering
with Kim's maternal rights.
Go easy, Marcie.
Not on this.
You're lucky I like you.
Mr. Paul, Tessa Cox.
So you're the gentle giant
I've heard so much about.
Well my daughter's
got a way with words.
My daughter Leah,
she works here.
Along with 200 other folks.
No, I meant Marcie Diggs.
She's my former associate.
Marcie is great.
I miss her every day.
Mr. Kavanaugh, Tessa Cox.
Hey, uh, Lyle.
I-I wasn't aware that Legal Aid
took on cases like this.
I was happy to receive
the call from Colleen,
and I think if we put
our heads together,
we should be able to
put this matter to bed.
That is our hope.
Great.
All right. Now,
I've advised my clients
to let me do the talking.
It takes the emotion out of it.
Now, I assume your client, Lyle,
when he hired the
Nolans' son, Arthur,
that his intent was for it
to be a positive experience.
Of course.
All I want is to teach
these kids how to
interact with nature
and their peers
instead of a cellphone
or a tablet.
So you're making it
your responsibility
to prepare these boys for the
next phase of their lives?
Well I... You can't do that.
If you wanted to pose my client-
I've been instructed
by my clients
to settle the claim
against your client
with the following terms.
First, Lyle will write
a letter to Brown
on behalf of the
Nolans' son, Arthur,
taking full responsibility
for the incident
between my client's
son and the other boy.
Second, he will agree to
shut down his business.
I mean, it's not as if it's
much of a business to give up.
I know.
It should give Mr. Kavanaugh
a strong basis
to file a defamation claim.
Defamation?
Dr. Nolan and her husband
have been going around
accusing my client
of negligence,
which you can't prove.
You've blamed your son's
bullying on my client,
which you also know is false.
Your son needs counselling not-
So you're a lawyer and
a parenting coach?
Wonderful!
I'm also great at math.
Your clients own assets
north of 50 million dollars.
If you move forward
with this Mareva motion,
we'll be filing a counter claim
for at least five million
dollars in damages.
It's good to meet you, Doug.
Mm.
My best to Marcie.
We're not really
gonna sue these people are we?
I mean, I just-I just
want this to go away.
We're good.
Can I help you?
Hi. I'm Marcie Diggs.
I'm Kim Bond's lawyer.
Right, I thought I told
you we didn't want to talk.
And I thought I'd try
to change your mind.
Well I hope you're
a better talker
than you are a listener.
Come on.
I appreciate you taking
the time to speak with me.
Ona Reeves, Kim Bond's
social worker,
she mentioned that
you and Mr. Pyke
weren't interested in
filing a kinship application
for custody of your grandson,
and well, I guess I was
just curious as to why.
Miss Diggs-
Oh, Marcie, please.
I think I might've been younger
than you when I had Clay.
You've met Clay. - Yeah.
He's on the spectrum.
I mean, it's not a
definite diagnosis,
it's a little bit of this,
a little bit of that,
and finding him the right
medication was hell,
and that led to him
being a really hard-
a really hard kid to parent.
It brought our
marriage to the brink
and we didn't have any more kids
because if we'd had to
parent another Clay,
I think that we really would
have killed one another.
He's been here less than a month
and his room looks like a
bomb's been dropped in it.
Clay is living here?
Yeah, just until we can
set him up in another place.
River is, he's your grandson.
Are you okay knowing that
this really great kid,
who's your blood,
will be raised by strangers?
A few years ago I was
diagnosed with ovarian cancer
and I'm good, I mean,
no we're good.
But Kim and Clay are like
sunlight on an open sewer.
It's just too much.
I'm sorry, it breaks our heart,
but we can't have that
young woman in our life.
Mission accomplished.
Hey how'd it go?
Threatened to sue
them with defamation
if they didn't back off.
Nice!
Yeah.
Caught 'em all by surprise,
including Lyle.
Yeah well, Lyle has a tendency
to move away from aggression,
not towards it.
I noticed that.
Doesn't seem like your type.
It's not like that.
Lyle was my Manny.
I was a bloody mess when I
first moved here to Halifax.
When the end of my
marriage left me a wreck,
and I had two kids to raise,
Lyle helped put
me back together.
I owe him.
Understood.
Oh, I forgot.
A counter motion to dismiss
the Nolans' claim against Lyle.
Uh, another rum and
coke, sweetheart.
I'm gonna get his number.
Girl, you don't know
how to have fun.
I have fun.
Anyway, to what do I
owe this open bar?
I met with the Pykes today.
You kill me.
They're perfect.
They're not interested.
Arrange one visit.
One visit between River
and his grandparents.
They're, they're great people.
I guarantee you they
will fall in love.
This is good.
Mmm.
Okay, I'm trying to figure out
how I could be with a man who
gobbles up a plate of wings
and doesn't even
offer his lady one.
Well you are looking at
this all wrong, right?
I'm just saying.
This here is salmonella city.
No, I love you so much that
I'm taking the hit for you.
We're using that word now?
Just popped out.
Well maybe pop it back in.
Hey.
I told you that I'm
your lady, right?
Yeah. Thanks.
Big mouth.
Katniss?
Why would you tell Pam that?
It was just a compliment.
It means you're tenacious,
smart, feisty.
Compliment?
You knew that was just
some PC code for bitch,
'cause I took care of business.
Marcie.
You and Pam want to
have pillow talk
that's your business
but you keep my name
out of your mouth.
Hey listen, I just I didn't-
Avery...
Thank you.
Marcie Diggs.
Marcie - I just wanna see him!
Please!
Clay said it was okay!
Kim is at the Pykes.
- It's okay, Dad.
Jesus.
Clay, you said this was okay!
It is! Come on, Dad.
Did you tell her about
the meeting today?
I want this to work, remember?
She's not coming in here, Clay.
Don't be a goof, Dad!
Call the police, Cecilia.
Why are you such a jerk, Dad?
I just wanna see him.
- It's okay, Dad.
You need to come get her, now.
I'm on my way.
River!
So I got a whole list
of gluten-free-
No Reggie, you can't just-
Is that a pair of Wagners?
Nice.
Well if you don't want 'em.
I'm late for a conference call.
Oh.
Thanks.
Kim, what were you thinking?
This was to get the
Pykes to help us.
Now you've
ruined every
chance we had-
Take her.
What happened?
This is the emotionally
unstable person
you think should be entrusted
with the care of a
six month old infant.
Clay said if I came
over I could hold River.
He said he'd let me.
Why can't I just hold
my baby, Marcie?
I'd never hurt him.
I know.
I know you just want
to see your boy.
Kim, why don't you go
sit in my car, okay?
I'll be right there.
Okay.
Just so you know,
the judge is going to hear
about this little outburst.
Where's River now?
He's with his grandparents.
So it's going well?
You don't stop, do you?
Hi, hey, hello.
You check off the type of
Legal Aid you're looking for
and then we're actually gonna
have to get some expenses
and your deductions there,
and if you have any questions-
Iris, can you get
Colleen for me?
And then you're... Iris?
Pick up the phone, call Colleen,
tell her I want to see her now.
Excuse me for a second,
Miss Taylor.
Just bring it back
when you're done.
Colleen is attending a
meeting at the Bar Society.
When will she be back?
When the meeting's over,
I suppose.
Are you being fresh?
Excuse me?
Gregor.
I need a word.
Is there a problem?
Why is the Minister of Justice
calling me
giving me shit because one
of our lawyers is harassing
one of the government's
chief policy advisers?
I don't know what
you're talking about.
Elsie Nolan and her husband.
Look, why don't-why don't
we go into my office-
Let me be very clear.
You are under contract
to Halifax Legal Aid.
You do not do favours
for friends, okay?
So this mess you're involved in,
clean it up.
Sure, um, there's a
motion tomorrow morning-
No no no no no,
you're not hearing me.
You're to tell your friend
you're no longer his
counsel as of today.
I'm not gonna do that, Gregor.
You don't want to fight
me on this, Colleen.
You gonna fire me?
Good luck.
I don't report to you.
I report to the board,
and you're only one vote.
I think you believe you're
more popular than you are.
You think for one second
if I put someone else
in that seat of yours
that one member of that board
is gonna so much as
sigh in your defence?
Fix it.
Excuse me.
Oh, Colleen... Not now Lyle.
I just got off the
phone with Ona.
She said Kim showed up
at the Pykes' house.
Not sure why she'd be
discussing that with you.
She said it was a disaster.
Not my take-away.
Do you think the
paternal grandparents
are still on the table?
Pam, I'm gonna have my lunch.
Do you still think Kim
can self-regulate enough
to raise this child?
With the right meds, yeah.
Did she really throw a
rock through their window?
She's human, Pam.
What's your point?
Adoption's open, here.
Maybe that would be the best
option for Kim and her baby.
Pam, I've got this.
Please, I've got this!
God.
What is your problem?
Pardon me?
I don't know, you
seem to have a-
a problem with me.
I don't know why, I-
I want to be your friend
and I keep trying and you-
Well, maybe I don't
need any new friends.
You're an asshole.
You know why I
keep blocking you?
'Cause you're never real.
You're in here fronting
with your vintage clothes,
and your No Name pop,
and you hang out at the Port
like you're some local pleb
when that couldn't be
further from the truth.
At least I'm interested
in engaging with the world,
and not burying myself in the
mess of other people's lives
to avoid dealing with my own.
I'm frontin'?
Okay.
Look in the mirror.
Iris, I'm on lunch.
Really?
I'm so glad you came in.
I hope this is good news.
We think it is.
We talked to our lawyer
and she said we were a bit late-
You're right though,
we're River's family
and we want to make
sure he remains family.
Great, this is,
this is great to hear.
So you're gonna go ahead and
file a kinship application.
No, I think you misunderstood.
We're going to petition
to adopt River.
We simply wanted to know
if you would talk to Kim
to ask her not to fight us.
We have a house on
Long Point in Ontario.
I'm thinking it's not a bad
place to raise a little boy.
So you're just
gonna take her kid?
I think it's better for River
if he's raised by his family
rather than the alternative,
isn't it?
Let's go.
This was a mistake.
She doesn't get it.
The Pykes have asked
that you not contest
their adoption of River.
No.
I won't agree to this.
I mean, how fair is it Clay
will get to see him grow up
and not me?
It's not fair.
I know, Kim.
I hate this.
But three months from now,
a year from now,
the Pykes' feelings
about you could soften
and you may have a chance
to be part of River's life.
And with the Pykes you'll
know that River's safe.
If you go through
with this hearing,
it's likely that you will
never see your son again
until he's old enough
to come looking for you.
Maybe the judge
will see it my way.
Maybe, but-
You don't get it.
It'll kill me,
knowing he's with them.
I can't see him or hold him?
I will die.
If he's with a
stranger, somehow,
it'll be easier to pretend
River doesn't exist.
Hard but easier, you know?
Hey.
What are you doing here?
Well you weren't home
and I remembered how much
you like your Friday
morning massages, so.
Well remind me to be
less predictable.
I don't want you to come
to the meeting this morning.
I'll-I'll handle things with
the Nolans from here on.
What did you get a
law degree overnight?
Let me go get myself
together and we can-
No no no, listen.
I got myself into this mess
and I can get myself out of it.
Look, Colleen, if I'd known what
a problem this was gonna be,
I never would have-
Lyle, I spent eight years
reinventing myself and my career
and you more than anybody
else other than my kids
knows how tough that was for me.
Listen, you're my friend
and if helping you means
going back to square one,
then so be it.
I'm gonna go take a shower.
I'll see you soon.
Your Honour, it is my
submission that my client,
Miss Bond, can with
appropriate ongoing supports
like treatment related
to her FASD diagnosis,
parenting education,
regular home visits from
healthcare professionals,
can successfully
raise her son River
who is the subject
of today's hearing.
That's it counsel?
That's our submission,
Your Honour.
Your Honour,
at this time we'd
like to move forward
with a Permanent Care Hearing
with respect to
the infant child.
Miss Bond?
Yes, Your Honour?
Miss Bond, has your
lawyer explained
what a Permanent
Care Hearing is?
Yes, Your Honour.
And at this time do
you wish to relinquish
your parental rights
to the minor child?
My baby's name is River,
Your Honour.
River.
No, I don't want to give him up.
Thank you, Miss Bond.
Your Honour, it has
come to our attention
that River's
paternal grandparents
would like to make an
application for custody.
Therefore, I'd like to move
that this hearing be adjourned.
Objection, Your Honour.
Counsel, come.
I don't understand this.
You'd rather the child be
placed in permanent care
than with his grandparents?
We'd rather Miss Bond's son
be returned to his
mother's custody.
Your Honour, the Pykes
intend to move to Ontario
to dedicate themselves full-time
to raising their grandson.
They have the means to-
So, being poor makes
you a poor parent?
Without the appropriate hearing-
I think Ms. Reeve's
point is this hearing
is not the appropriate
venue anymore,
given we have an application
for custody, step back.
It's not in the
child's best interest
to be raised by folks who
don't see the inherent value
of a mother and a child's bond.
I have your point on that,
Miss Diggs.
Step back.
This is insane, Your Honour.
Watch yourself, Miss Diggs.
My client is facing
the loss of her child
because she went
out to get diapers
and milk at the corner store.
Miss Diggs is grossly un-
She did not leave River alone,
she didn't leave River
with some stranger.
She left her baby
boy with the father.
She did the right thing,
but because she's poor,
because she lives
in social housing,
because her challenges
put her in CFS's radar,
her choice,
the same choice that mothers
make every single day,
may cost Kim her child.
This is wrong!
Step back!
We appreciate a
Mareva injunction
is an extraordinary measure
for a situation like this,
but we believe Mr. Kavanaugh
could very likely liquidate
the assets of his business
prior to the resolution
of my clients' claim.
Your Honour,
the assets in question
are old gardening tools,
lawnmowers,
and three 10 year old
Ford pickup trucks.
Assets with no real
commercial value,
thus the recovery of damages
would not be impacted
if the assets were
not preserved.
And don't even get me started
on the applicants' case,
meaning there is none.
I don't think a determination
needs to be made here.
I don't think Ms. MacDonnell
is asking me
to make a determination,
but simply pointing out,
as part of the Mareva test,
that the strength of
your client's case
is a consideration.
Actually, we are
asking Your Honour
to dismiss the Nolans'
negligence claim.
There are major issues.
Standing, the Nolans'
son was not a minor
when these incidents occurred,
so the parents have no
legal cause of action
against my client.
Ms. Cox knows this.
The employment relationship,
meaning the contract
signed by the Nolans' son
clearly states that he was
an independent contractor,
not an employee,
thus the vicarious liability
argument is inherently faulty.
Also-
I think you've made your
point, Ms. MacDonnell.
I think we're done here.
Are you sure, Your Honour?
I can keep going.
I have considered the arguments
of all parties involved
in this matter.
As much as possible,
I've tried to sift through
the emotion of this case.
Kim, you have to say something.
You cannot leave this courtroom
without them hearing your voice.
Best interest of the
child is the guiding light
in any child custody matter.
Miss Diggs?
I would like to say
something please,
Your Honour.
I know I can be a good mother.
Or what I think a good
mother is, anyway.
Like when River's hungry,
I feed him.
When he cries, I hold him,
comfort him.
I'm taking parenting classes
and being really good
about my medicine and-
I know Miss Reeves and the Pykes
think River's not safe with me,
that I'm not good enough,
but I promise
if you let me have my baby back,
I'll be good enough.
I'll be good enough.
There is no doubt in my mind
Miss Bond would do
everything possible
to raise her son River
in a safe and
stable environment.
However, as the child matures,
the court is concerned
Miss Bond's
cognitive limitations
would make her ability to
provide such an environment
near impossible.
Miss Bond's petition
for custody is denied.
The paternal grandparents
have applied for custody.
There is no need to move forward
with a Permanent Care Hearing.
This proceeding is at an end.
Your Honour,
until the custody application
of the Pykes is final,
we ask that Miss Bond
has access to her son.
Your Honour, the Pykes will
allow supervised visitation
through an intermediary
until such time
as their application
for custody is final.
Good, we're adjourned.
All rise. - Oh, thank you.
I'll get to see River.
Yes, we will talk to Ona
about making that
happen right away.
World and down the road
Hello?
Marcie.
Kim, I'm, uh,
I'm sorry about what happened.
Marcie, I just
wanted to thank you.
I didn't get to do that today.
No one's ever talked
about me like that,
and I wanted you to know.
Thank you.
What do you mean it's not there?
It's a 50 foot boat,
it doesn't just disappear.
Woman, what woman?
Eleanor.
Your-your weekend?
You know this is when
I take our office out
on our annual cruise.
Stop saying it's your weekend.
Bring her back in!
Hello, hello?
How about a barbecue,
at my place?
We can do it at my place
Well you sure you want the
unwashed masses in your palace?
Well, when you put
it like that, no,
but let's do it anyway.
Hello Gregor.
This is a hell of a view.
Do you need a roommate?
This is quite the place.
You don't seem too enthused.
I'm living in one of
my parents' houses.
When we go on family vacation,
they pay the full shot.
My dad just bought me
a pair of $2,000 skis.
It's embarrassing.
I want for nothing and yet
every day I am defending people
who want for everything.
Rent your own place,
pay your own airfare,
and return the skis.
But I like this.
Then be okay with it,
because the only one who
cares about it is you.
Play something on
that phone of yours.
Oh I like this.
How'd it go with Lyle today?
Aced it.
Did you talk to Gregor?
Don't ruin this cab for me.
Cheers. - Cheers.
Colleen sprang for cab
chits for everyone.
Good.
It's been that kind of day.
Thank you.
Saw you in court today.
The system's FUBAR'd.
Yep.
But I want to
remember this though.
I want to feel this.
And then on Monday I am
going to work like hell
to make certain I
don't feel this again.
Cheers. - Cheers.
I like it, I like it.
Oh, sorry.
Tessa?
Your ears must be burning.
A few of the partners and
I are having some drinks,
and your name came up.
How about coming home?
Excuse me?
We want you back at M&M,
where you belong.
And this red pen.
No no no, if it's not
on the counter already,
it's not on offer.
Oh come on.
Just the Chateau Palmer.
Yeah, get the opener.
- No put it back!
Marcie?
Tessa thank you,
but, uh, I'm good.