L.A. Law (1986–1994): Season 1, Episode 6 - Slum Enchanted Evening - full transcript
Kuzak represents Stacey Gill, a TV news anchorwoman who lost her on-air job following a broadcast of graphic reports concerning her breast cancer surgery. Meanwhile, Brackman is taken to court when a group of people that live in an inner city housing project accuse him of being a slumlord and their lawyer is Andrew Taylor, the former McKenzie Brackman associate. Jeffrey Sullivan causes concern for Victor when he suspects Jeffrey of dealing drugs within the office. Becker tries to work out a payment plan for his services to Hillary Mishkin.
- Previously on L.A. Law...
- I wanted to talk to you
about the other night.
It shouldn't have happened.
- I have a new client coming
in, a movie writer-producer.
And I wanna solicit her
entertainment business.
- I've never felt vindictive
towards any of my husbands.
I really want
Mitchell to suffer.
- You want stench? Take
a whiff of "Rose Bush"!
- Mr. Sullivan will be
joining us as a clerk.
He'll be working here
afternoons after school.
- How nice.
- Eric went home already.
- What do you
mean, he went home?
- His father picked him up.
- He can't. There's
a restraining order.
- I'm in the middle
of getting married.
- I know this is a hell
of a time to say this.
But I'm in love with you.
- I love you, you big ape.
- How many bodies
do we have today?
- We got three
people coming in that...
- Okay.
- Where's my cruller?
- You told me no more.
You said you were
putting on weight.
- When did I say that?
- Yo, Grace, how you doing?
- Fine, thank you.
- And the new boyfriend?
Word on the vine
says he's a real animal.
Real swinger, regular
chimp off the old block.
- Where'd you spend the
weekend? San Simeon?
- Your Honor, there's a
message from Officer Johnson.
He'll be 20 minutes late.
- Just put it on the jungle
drums as soon as you're ready.
- If I'd known she was
into dark and hairy,
I would have shown her my chest.
- I didn't know that she
was into dark and hairy.
I'd have shown her my...
- Gentlemen, excuse me.
But this is a court of law.
And while you may think
it's all fun and games,
I doubt your clients share
in your spirit of amusement.
Now if we can get
on with our work?
- Aw, Gracie, I
didn't mean nothing.
- Who's the guy?
- It doesn't matter.
- Like hell it doesn't!
- I'm in love with him.
And I'm terribly
sorry that I hurt you.
- That's not good enough!
You owe me more, baby.
You owe me at least a
chance to try to talk you out of it!
- It wouldn't have worked.
- You owed me the chance!
- You're right.
- Damn it!
I don't wanna be right, Grace.
I wanna be married to you.
- Kevin, that's not
going to happen.
What I did to you was awful.
I'm desperately sorry.
And I understand if you
can't ever forgive me.
- I already have. I may
not be exciting, Grace.
I don't run around
in a gorilla suit.
But when this burns itself out,
there's somebody
here who loves you
and wants you back.
- I have to go. Goodbye, Kevin.
- Mr. Finney, have you
ever been on a jury before?
- No.
- Would it impose any
undue hardship on you
if this trial went more
than four or five days?
- Not really. My
boss is paying me.
- Well, what do you know
about the circumstances
around this case?
- All I know is what I
read in the newspapers.
- And what's that?
- Miss Gill was the
lady on the local news.
They showed her having
a breast cancer operation
and then a while
later she was fired.
- And when she was fired, did
you sympathize with her at all?
- I figured she'd turn up on
another channel somewhere.
They all do.
- Thank you.
- Not exactly in
my corner, is he?
- We've only got three
preemptory challenges left.
I'm afraid we're gonna
have to live with him.
- The defendant accepts
Mr. Finney, Your Honor.
- Mr. Kuzak?
- The plaintiff accepts
Mr. Finney, Your Honor.
Mr. Albert, do you
have any feelings
about TV news anchorwomen?
- It's nice work
if you can get it.
Sit in a chair,
read off a cue card
and collect a six-figure check.
- Miss Gill contends
that she was fired
because the station didn't
want a news anchorwoman
who was perceived
as damaged goods.
The defendants
contend that she was fired
because of low ratings.
Do you think that you could
examine that issue objectively?
- I don't see why not.
- Thank you.
- No questions, Your Honor.
- Let's lose him!
- We can't show cause. We're
down to two preemptories.
- He's already made up his mind.
- The plaintiff
thanks and excuses
Juror Number Five, Your Honor.
- You're excused, Mr. Albert.
- Miss Bradley, did it bother
you that during her series
of news features
on breast cancer,
Miss Gill bared her
breasts on camera?
- Of course not.
It was done in the context
of a medical examination.
- So you knew about the series?
- It was one of the best
things I ever saw on television.
And when she found
out she had breast cancer,
you really felt the shock.
And then when you saw her
get a lumpectomy instead of
being mutilated by a mastectomy,
I didn't even know
that was possible.
- Thank you.
- She's perfect!
- I know. That's the problem.
- Defense excuses Miss
Brantley, Your Honor.
- You're excused.
- Then you saw
Miss Gill's series?
- Yeah, I saw it.
- What'd you think?
- My dad died of
cancer, you know.
Truthfully, there's some
things just not in good taste.
Some things I'd just as soon
not bring into my living room.
- Thank you, Mrs. Clifford.
- The plaintiff
thanks and excuses
Juror Number Four, Your Honor.
- You're excused, Mrs. Clifford.
- There we go.
- Thank you.
I don't know, counselor.
- What?
- Well, if that's a fair and
impartial jury of my peers,
we're in a lot of trouble.
- I've seen lots worse.
- Look, don't get mad.
But what would happen if
we tried for a settlement?
- Now? Well, they'd see
it as a sign of weakness.
They'd low-ball us.
- How low?
- Well, $50, maybe $75,000 tops.
Not a lot left over after
you deduct the fees.
- Yeah, but that's
better than nothing.
Which is what we
will both get if we lose.
- Well, I'm betting
that that won't happen.
- No offense, counselor.
But if you lose the
bet, you still have a job.
I'm living off of credit
cards and bank loans.
And I've got a
mortgage I can't pay.
I've got a daughter
starting college in the fall.
- You've hung on this
long. Don't quit on me now.
- When I first found
out I had cancer,
I guess I went into shock.
I went through the surgery.
I had the radiation therapy.
I was doing the series.
But it was like I was
outside of myself.
You know, like it was all
happening to some other person.
Now, 14 months
later, it's just me.
I wake up in the
middle of the night
sometimes in a cold sweat.
Terrified that I'm gonna die.
I'm alone and I am broke.
I can't get a job.
I feel ugly.
- You are not alone.
And, believe me,
Stacey, you are not ugly.
What you are is
courageous, tough-minded.
- Have you seen the
way people stare at me?
- You're a celebrity.
People stare at celebrities.
- Usually from the neck up.
Michael, I'm tired.
I'm tired of being
stared at like I'm a freak.
Like I'm a breast
that just happens
to have a woman attached to it.
- All right. I'll go to them.
I'll see if I can get
a settlement tonight
if that's what's you want.
But they breached your contract.
They fired you for reasons
that had nothing to do
with your competence.
They violated your civil rights.
And arguably they
made it impossible for you
to continue your career.
If you fold now,
you're telling them
that it's all right for them
to treat you like some
sort of cow they can
put the blade to whenever
they decide they don't
like the taste of the milk.
- Thanks a lot.
You know, that is an
utterly awful analogy.
- Don't let 'em get
away with it, Stacey.
Make 'em pay.
- In Vino Veritas.
Do you really think
my chances are good?
- I wouldn't be here
if I didn't think so.
- To justice.
- To winning.
- McKenzie, Brackman,
Chaney and Kuzak?
He's in court now.
Can I take a message?
- Hi, Susan.
- Hi. Okay.
- We're lawyers, not dentists.
- Excuse me?
- You look like you're
going in for a root canal.
- I work upstairs.
I'm looking for
Jeffrey Sullivan.
- Come on, let's
take a look around.
- Victor?
Just tell him he
had a few calls.
- Jeffrey? A young
lady here to see you.
- I'm Nancy. We
spoke on the phone?
- Right. Uh, come
into my office.
- Oh, there's some
messages for you.
These are mine.
- Oh, some classmates
want my text notes.
Thanks.
- I appreciate your forbearance
in moving our staff meeting
to the end of the day as
Mr. Kuzak and I were toiling
in our respective
vineyards of courtroom law.
- What's new in your
slumlord case, Douglas?
- I do not appreciate
that characterization
of my landlord-tenant
dispute, Mr. Becker.
- The attorney who
represents himself
has a fool for a client.
- Normally, I would not
undertake my own representation.
But going up against
Andrew Taylor is like
shooting fish in the
proverbial barrel.
I anticipate a judgment
in my favor tomorrow.
Now as the hour is drawing late,
let us move through
the items at hand.
Arnold, Mishkin versus Mishkin.
- Settlement agreement
awaiting signature.
By the way, Mrs. Mishkin
has assigned this firm
two and a half percent
of the profits in her film
in lieu of fees.
- Why wasn't this arrangement
discussed beforehand?
- As a partner in this firm, I
made a determination that
it was a gamble worth taking.
- Not when you're gambling
with other peoples' money.
- We'll discuss this further at
the partners meeting on Friday.
- Gill versus Barnett
Broadcasting.
- Jury selection is
almost complete.
- What are our chances?
- Well, the client is nervous.
But I think it's a winner.
- I hope so, as we have
$60,000 in expenses
and billable hours
sunk into this case.
- I am well aware
of that, Douglas.
- Well, keep us abreast
of developments.
- Patrimko?
- Pending.
- And where might
our Miss Perkins be?
- Stuck in traffic.
- Finally, as regards
messenger costs.
Mr. Sifuentes, I'd like
to draw your attention
to $300 worth of
messengers charged against
your pending cases
in the last four weeks.
- What? Can I see those?
- Now, unless there's anything
else, we stand adjourned.
- Oh, goodnight. See
you in the morning.
- Abby?
- Hmm? Oh, my God.
I missed the staff meeting.
- There wasn't much to miss.
Haven't you been
getting much sleep?
- No. The minute my
head hits the pillow,
my brain starts to race.
I wind up watching movies
on cable TV all night.
- So, where do you stand?
- Nowhere, basically.
Last we heard, Jim got
a traffic ticket outside
of Ft. Worth. near
Six Flags over Texas.
- How about the car?
- He sold it in Atlanta.
He told the salesman that
they were headed for Florida.
Angelo Sipriano's
theory is that they're doing
the grand tour of
amusement parks.
- Hmm.
So we're in touch
with the Florida PD
and the Victims Aid in Orlando.
It's a long shot, but
maybe they'll show up
at Disneyworld.
- Is there anything I can do?
- I'll be all right.
It's just nights.
And weekends.
- Get your things.
We're going out to dinner.
- No, no. You have
other things to do.
- Nothing as important
as having dinner with you.
We'll talk, we'll
have a glass of wine.
You'll stay over
with me tonight.
- I couldn't impose
on you like that, Ann.
- Are you kidding? The
guest room's all made up.
It'll be like a
pajama party, okay?
- Okay.
- Good.
- "Galaxy" is so
stunningly inept
one wants to
shoot it into orbit.
Now wait. You'll love this part.
The galactic share of
the blame must fall on
the shoulders of
director Mitchell Mishkin,
who brings fresh meaning
to the word pretension.
And that's his best review.
The News called it loathsome.
The Times hated it.
- Cutting off his head isn't
gonna make us any taller.
- No, but it makes
him a lot shorter.
- You and I need to
go over the proposed
ad promo campaign
for "Rose Bush" again.
- Mm-hmm.
- Is tomorrow night okay?
Maybe Spago's?
- Let's do Simply Blues.
"Galaxy" is playing at
the Cinerama Dome.
And if we get a window table,
we can count the box office.
- Or even better, the complete
and total absence of the same.
- You know, Arnie,
I've never met a man
who understands
women the way you do.
- Excuse me, Arnie.
- What, Roxanne?
- Sorry.
Mrs. Kovaks is waiting
if you're just about
finished in here.
- In wrapping up my
testimony, I'd like to reiterate,
Your Honor, that I never
intended to be a landlord.
I purchased the building
in question in hopes
of reselling it to a
Japanese conglomerate
that had plans to tear it down
and construct a hotel.
When that deal fell
through, I was stuck.
So while continuing to
look for another buyer,
I have allowed whatever
tenants were living there
to remain at a very
reasonable rent, I might add.
In the three years
since I've owned it,
I'd like to point out once again
that I have never made a profit.
- If I were to make the repairs
demanded in this lawsuit,
I would actually be losing
money on the investment.
Thank you, Your Honor.
- Mr. Brackman, approximately
how many times did
Mrs. Vernon Fields
make complaints to you
regarding the absence of
hot water in her apartment?
- I have no personal knowledge
of any such complaints.
- Your Honor, I'd like to
have marked for identification
10 letters I have here
signed by Mrs. Fields.
- The management company
handles any little problems
the tenants might
be experiencing.
- How many times
did the Sampson family
make complaints regarding
rats and cockroaches
in their apartment?
- If they complained, the
management company
handled it.
- Do you have any knowledge
of the floor that caved in
in the Perry's apartment?
- Perhaps you're not listening.
A management company
routinely handles such problems.
- And did you empower
this management company
to act as your agent?
- In a technical sense, yes.
But you certainly can't
try to hold me liable
for my agent's alleged
gross negligence.
- I see.
Approximately how much
have you spent in repairs
to the building since
you've owned it?
- Thousands.
- How many thousands?
- Three. $3,142.
- You never spent
any money to fix
a cracked sewer line, did you?
Or to repair a leaking
roof, or rotting floor?
- Perhaps you didn't
hear me before.
If I had effectuated
said repairs,
I would have been in the
loss column in the investment.
- When was the last time you
actually visited the premises?
- Not lately.
- When exactly?
- Actually, never.
I just bought it for the loft.
- Do you believe, as
an owner of a building,
you have any responsibility
to your tenants?
- Would it be better
if I evicted them all?
They'd never find
rent this cheap.
- Do you believe you have
a responsibility to provide
a minimally decent standard
of living for your tenants?
- I suppose
minimally decent, yes.
But if they want
something luxurious,
they should have to pay for it.
- Thank you.
I think I've heard
enough from both sides
to render my decision.
Waive closing
arguments, gentlemen?
- So waived, Your Honor.
- Okay, so waived.
- Mr. Brackman, I find
you liable and hereby order
you to complete work on
Mr. Taylor's list in 10 days.
If you fail to do so, you
will be held in contempt.
- This isn't fair. It
isn't constitutional.
You're asking me to provide
public housing for these people!
- In addition to the repairs,
plaintiffs shall receive
compensatory damages
in the amount of 10 times
their monthly rent
and punitive damages
in the sum of $25,000.
- Hey, I appreciate
it, man. Be good.
- Who's that?
- Tim Noah.
He's from upstairs at Price,
Plumera and Bloomingthal.
- What? They don't
have bathrooms up there?
- Just stopped by
to say hi, you know.
- Can I talk to
you for a minute?
- Sure. Yes, sir.
- In my office.
Who are you trying to kid?
- Kid? About what?
- The phone messages.
All these people.
Activity in and out
of the bathroom.
Now either you are leading
a very weird social life,
or you have the weakest
bladder in America.
Or you're dealing
coke out of this office.
- This is crazy.
That's crazy, Mr. Sifuentes.
I swear to God.
- Don't shoot me
through the grease, kid.
I was a PD too long not
to know a buy when I see it.
- I swear to God.
Tim Noah is a
real estate attorney
I'm working for
on probate notices.
- In the bathroom?
- It's a drag, but
it pays $8 an hour
and I can use the dough.
Look, I didn't wanna
meet him out in the open
because I didn't want
everyone thinking
that it was coming
out of company time.
- Well, it's coming
out of company money.
$300 worth of messengers.
And you're charging
'em to my cases.
- That's a mistake.
I told Elizabeth to
send these to me.
I'll straighten this out.
- I like you, kid. I
mean, I like your hustle.
But I'm gonna give
you fair warning.
You quit doing
business out of this office
or I'm gonna close you down
so fast your head will swim.
- You're gonna believe
what you're gonna believe.
But I swear to God,
I don't use drugs.
I don't sell drugs.
And my only hustle
is working my buns off
to make enough to make
it through law school.
Look, if it wasn't for this job
and doing other stuff
for guys like Mr. Noah
nights, weekends,
I'd never make it.
And that's the truth.
If you don't wanna
believe it, I can't help it.
And if you wanna
kill my chances here
by inferring that I deal
drugs, I can't help that either.
I'm just a kid. I
can't fight back.
I don't know about
you, Mr. Sifuentes,
but I wasn't born with a
silver spoon in my mouth.
I'm just trying to make
something out of my life!
I swear on my father's grave!
Are you gonna poison
me with Mr. McKenzie?
- No. You're good enough
to do that all by yourself.
- You're a very cold
guy, Mr. Sifuentes.
- Thank you.
- You're late.
- It's been a terrible day.
- Aren't you going to
wish me a happy birthday?
- Happy birthday. Sign these.
- What are they?
- Nothing. Business.
Just sign them.
- It's my 41st birthday.
And all you can think
about is business.
- Well, excuse me.
But while you were
having your nails jubileed
or your toes pedicured
or your tips frosted
or whatever it is females
do with their afternoons,
I was working overtime trying
to protect the family assets.
So if you'll just sign
these where it's marked
with red X's, we can
move along to matters
of a more festive nature!
- These papers sign
all our community assets
over to your mother.
- Just temporarily.
- Oh, sure, until
you divorce me.
- That's absurd.
- Who is she?
- There is no she.
You're being paranoid.
- Am I?
Well, if you think
you can get rid of me
that easily, you have
another think coming.
I sign nothing until I
speak to an attorney.
- Fine!
Just don't blame
me if in the meantime
we lose everything we own!
- What are you talking about?
- That's why I'm late.
I was in court all day.
We're being sued.
- Sued? What for?
- Repairs on our
apartment building.
- Oh, my God!
- Not to worry.
We'll win the appeal.
But on the distant chance
that we are held accountable,
I'm simply trying to protect us.
- I'm gonna wind up
just like Marjorie Rollie,
divorced and poor.
Working in Newberry's
with those ugly support hose
and varicose veins
sticking out all over my legs.
- Sheila, this is crazy.
I'm not going to divorce you.
- I'm 41, old, used up.
I don't snap back
like some 25-year-old
with elastic breasts.
Once the community property is
gone, what have you got to lose?
- Well, if you're so
damn concerned about it,
sign the papers!
- No.
- It's a temporary measure.
- If it's so temporary, then
sign it over to my mother!
- Your mother
has the IQ of meat.
I'd rather file for bankruptcy.
- You are an
insensitive, uncaring man.
And I hate you!
- And you are a selfish,
pampered aging princess
who doesn't know how
to make a man feel loved!
- Ha! Sex! I was
waiting for that!
- Shh! Quiet!
People are staring.
- You came in here half an
hour late with papers for me
to sign giving over all
my community property
to your lousy mother!
You didn't even
bring me a present!
And then you wonder
why I don't want to go home
and oil up my saddle
so you can play Sgt.
Preston of the Yukon!
- Sit down!
- No!
It's my party and
I'll cry if I want to.
♪ Happy birthday to me! ♪
♪ Happy birthday to me! ♪
♪ Happy birthday, dear Sheila ♪
♪ Happy birthday to me ♪
- Miss Gill, would you
tell the jury how you came
to do this series of televised
reports on breast cancer?
- It started as a
notion of Mr. Mellers.
- The station manager.
- Yes.
He wanted me to
have a mammogram.
That's like a breast x-ray.
And then to show me at
the clinic giving an editorial
on the importance of
regular breast examination.
- But you had no idea that
you yourself had cancer
at this time.
- No, none at all.
- What happened then?
- Well, I went with
the crew to the clinic.
And then the next
day they called me
and told me that they
suspected that I had cancer.
- Did you suspend your series
on breast cancer at this time?
- No, because Mr. Mellers
thought that it would be
a very powerful piece to
show me with the doctors
discussing my options.
- And you agreed?
- Well, at first I
was just in shock.
But then I thought it
would do some good.
- How so?
- Well, you see, a lot of
women are afraid to be examined
because they can't face
the thought of losing a breast.
I hoped that my report
would show them that,
with early detection,
they didn't have to.
That they could
have a lumpectomy
instead of a mastectomy.
- A lumpectomy.
Is that the operation
that you had?
- Yes.
- And was your operation also
the subject of a news feature?
- Yes.
- And what happened
after you left the hospital?
- Well, then we did a feature
on my radiation treatments
and then I did a final story
that showed the results.
- And you exposed
your breast on camera?
- Yes.
- Miss Gill, do you think
that maybe you carried
journalism a bit too far here?
- No.
I thought it was very important
for women to see for themselves
that if, God forbid,
they got cancer,
that they didn't
have to be maimed.
- Was it worth it, Miss Gill?
- I've received hundreds of
letters from people thanking me.
Some saying that I
even saved their lives.
Yes, it was worth it.
- And how did the
station respond?
- They said that people didn't
want to watch me anymore.
That I made them uncomfortable.
And they fired me.
- Thank you.
Nothing further at
this time, Your Honor.
- Mr. Robertson? Cross.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
Miss Gill, isn't it true
that your firing had nothing
to do with your breast surgery?
- No.
- Isn't it true that
you were encouraged
to come back to your job?
And you were fired only
because your ratings went down?
- No.
- You knew your predecessor
at the station was fired
for bad ratings, didn't you?
- Yes.
- The one before her
and the one before her.
- That I don't know.
- Ratings are the
bottom line in TV news,
aren't they, Miss Gill?
And if job security
is what you want,
you probably should take
a job at the post office.
- Objection. Argumentative.
- Withdraw the question.
Miss Gill, have you
been healthy enough
to work since your operation?
- Absolutely.
- And yet, in the 14
months since then,
you've chosen not to.
- It was no choice. I
wasn't offered anything.
I assume because of the negative
publicity surrounding my firing.
- You were never
offered anything at all?
- Nothing worth taking.
- I know a lot of folks
who wouldn't find
$65,000 a year too terrible.
- You're speaking about
the radio job in Phoenix.
Well, I don't do radio.
- Or floors or windows.
- Objection, Your Honor.
- Miss Gill, who is
Dr. Howard Warnick?
- He's the surgeon that
performed my lumpectomy.
- And since then,
you've developed
quite an intimate relationship
with him, haven't you?
- Objection, Your Honor.
Miss Gill's personal life has no
relevance in these proceedings.
- Well, it's directly relevant
to the issue of damages
if she turned down
a high-paying job
because she was afraid
of losing her boyfriend.
- I'll allow the question.
- I have been out
with Dr. Warnick
on several occasions.
- You're 42 years old.
Is that correct, Miss Gill?
- I will be 43 next month.
- And isn't it true you
would very much like
to marry Dr. Warnick?
- No.
- Isn't it true you were
afraid, if you went to Phoenix,
you might lose
your chance at him?
- No.
- I'm sure, Miss
Gill, you're aware of
the Yale University
study which concluded,
among other things,
that a woman over 40,
even one with perfect breasts,
has a greater probability
of being killed by a terrorist
than of latching onto a husband.
- Objection, Your Honor!
- I had breast
cancer, Mr. Robertson.
My chances of surviving
five years are good, 80%.
And yet I can't help but
think every day of my life
whether I'm gonna be a part
of the 20% that doesn't make it.
So if you would just get
your brains out of your shorts
for even five minutes,
I can't believe that you
really think I spend
a lot of my time
worrying whether I'm
gonna latch onto a husband!
- Nothing further at this point.
- Andrew!
- How you doing, sir?
- Fine, just fine.
Well, I don't have
to ask how you are.
I hear you pinned back
Douglas's ears in court.
- Well, I hope it
wasn't a Pyrrhic victory.
- Mr. Taylor?
- It's good to see you, Andrew.
Good luck.
- Thank you, sir.
- Douglas, look.
My clients need relief
now. Drop the appeal.
We're prepared to come
way down on the judgment.
- How far down?
- Bring the building up to code
which you're gonna
have to do in any case
and $2,500 per unit in damages.
- Forget it.
- You got no grounds for
a reversal. You know that.
- Maybe so. Maybe not.
But I can spin the wheels.
- Brackman! This isn't a game!
Where's your decency?
The people in that building
are living a nightmare!
- Mr. Taylor, I
intend to avail myself
of the full appellate process.
I shall seek
vindication of my rights
with the State Appeals Court,
and if necessary, continue on to
the Supreme Court of California!
It will likely take
a long, long time.
But that is the system
and I shall not
apologize for it!
Now if you'll excuse me,
I have a busy morning.
- I'm only doing this because
you're a friend of Nina's.
But you gotta tell her not
to come by here any more.
Call me at my apartment
from now on, okay?
Okay, where's my $1,000?
- You're busted, kid!
- Turn around, hands
above your head.
You have the right
to remain silent.
If you give up the
right to remain silent,
anything you say can and
will be used against you
in a court of law.
You have the
right to an attorney.
If you cannot
afford an attorney,
one will be provided
by the court.
- Come on.
- Come on, let's
get him outta here.
Let these people
get back to work.
- Mr. Sifuentes? Mr. Sifuentes!
I need to know something.
Did you roll over on me?
- Nope.
- Good, 'cause I'm
gonna need a lawyer
and I feel like you
and I have a rapport.
- I'm sorry, Jeffrey.
I'm not with the public
defender anymore.
- Don't worry about that.
Call my father, Harold Sullivan.
He's chairman and CEO
of Titan Sports Industries.
- Come on!
- Oh, and you weren't born with
a silver spoon in
your mouth, huh?
- No. Actually,
more like platinum.
He'll arrange bail and
pay whatever you charge!
I'm sorry, sir.
I appreciate everything
you've done for me.
I'm sure my father will
be in touch to express
his appreciation personally.
I want you to know this
charge is totally without merit.
I don't use drugs.
I don't sell drugs.
- Get him outta here!
- I don't even know
what cocaine looks like!
That's the truth!
- Let's go! Move it!
- Don't say it.
- Leland?
- I've got something
for you to sign.
- Oh? What is it?
- It's a letter from you to
the Dean of Admissions
at the Loyola School of Law.
- On who's behalf?
- Mine.
- I hope I've mentioned
your uncanny skill
at judging character.
- Along with intelligence
and loyalty and diligence.
- Mm-hmm. Does this
mean I'm losing you, Iris?
- Night school.
- Ah.
But who knows
after I pass the bar?
- Well, I'd hope you'd consider
an associate position
with McKenzie, Brackman.
- I'd be delighted to, Leland.
I think they're waiting for
you at the partners meeting.
- Yeah.
- And upon signing the
partnership agreement,
you become 5% owners
of the law firm of McKenzie,
Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak.
- Said share to
increase 5% every year
until it matches that
of the other partners.
All we need from each of
you is a check for $87,000.
- What?
- Well, I assume,
Douglas, that you'll provide
low-cost in-house
financing, right?
- In the past, we have.
But consequent to
Norman Chaney's passing,
we need an infusion
of working capital.
So we're going to
ask you to arrange
your financing elsewhere.
- Douglas, how the hell
am I supposed to secure
a note for $87,000?
- Your financial problems are
not my concern, Miss Kelsey.
However, this firm's very
real financial problems are.
- Well, based on the
bottom line, Douglas,
I don't think we need to
hold a benefit for ourselves.
- On the contrary.
If we have any intentions
of showing meaningful profits
through the remainder
of the decade, we must,
A, resist the impulse
to make a partner
of everyone who
rattles their saber.
B, take on at least four
new associates right away.
And C, generate among
our current lawyers
a minimum of 5,000 more
billable hours per annum
than they're producing now.
Which brings me to
something else I find troubling.
I've taken the liberty of doing
some personal accounting.
Here is a list of everyone's
billable hours for the year.
You will note that,
with one exception,
all the partners
including our new ones
billed in the 1,500
to 2,000 hour range.
The one exception
was our founding partner
who accounted for just over 300.
That's less than one
revenue-generating hour a day.
- Get to it, Douglas.
What's on your mind?
- It seems to me that
someone who works part-time
should not have a full share,
much less 8% more
than the rest of us.
- But if all that mattered
were the number of hours
that you put in, the world
would be run by waitresses.
It's the quality of the
hours that matters.
If he can settle a labor
strike in 45 minutes
or bring in a major corporate
account over a breakfast meeting
or help me win a case
by giving me one piece
of advice, then how
do you measure that?
- Under the most
generous of formulas,
he is still receiving far
more than he is entitled to.
As things stand now, our
two most senior partners
will receive 50%
of this year's profits.
One is dead, the
other might as well be.
- You are out of line, Douglas!
- That's all right.
Frank exchanges are what
partners meetings are for.
In the spirit of
which, let me say that
I would be happy
to fold my tent,
and walk away from this
firm, taking my primary assets,
my name and my
reputation with me.
You may have the firm, Douglas.
And any of the attorneys and
clients who choose to remain.
- Leland goes, I go with him.
- Me too, assuming
that you want me.
- Ditto.
- Will this new firm
do entertainment law?
- I've been giving that
serious thought, Arnold.
And I think it's time to dip a
cautious toe in those waters.
The bottom line, Douglas,
is you are not your father.
You are not the deep thinker
he was nor do you possess
his courtroom skills,
evidenced by your bungling
of that disgraceful
landlord-tenant suit.
However, you are an
adequate corporate attorney,
a solid office manager
and you have absolutely
reached your level of competence.
And if you raise this
question ever again,
I will disband this
firm in two seconds flat
and you can start your own firm.
Now are we clear on that point?
- Yes.
- Good.
Now that we've had a
frank exchange of ideas,
this meeting is adjourned.
- Dinner, partner?
- After that meeting,
who can afford to eat?
- My treat.
- Stuart, do you know
what my net worth is?
- Come on, there's
not enough numbers
in that calculator to
compute your net worth.
- Seriously.
I am a single woman
with virtually no deductions
other than my condo for which I
am mortgaged up to my arm pits.
What bank is gonna
carry my note for $87,000?
- The Bank of Markowitz.
- Stuart, absolutely not.
- Why not? It's a loan.
You'll sign a note, I'll
charge you interest.
On top of which, if
you miss a payment,
I get to foreclose
on your assets.
- Which is exactly
why I shouldn't.
- Ann, come on. Get serious.
What choice do you have?
- What did I do before you
came into my life, Markowitz?
- Whatever it was, I
don't wanna know about it.
- Gimme that!
- Take my wallet!
I won't fight you!
- Shut up! Shut up!
- I have a wife and
children! Don't kill me!
- Get out!
Come on!
- What are you gonna do with me?
- Shut up!
- Where are we?
- Don't you recognize
it, Brackman?
This is your building.
- Taylor? You bastard.
I'll have you
disbarred for this.
- Comes to that, I'm
gonna have to live with it.
- You can't deny
people their rights
and expect to get away with it.
- You do.
- I'll have you on criminal
assault, kidnapping.
You are going
to jail, my friend.
- Maybe so, but before I do,
you're gonna see a
jail of another kind.
Wiring gave out of
here months ago.
There's no light.
During the day, it's
a shooting gallery
and at night, the
bums sleep here.
Apartment 216.
A month ago, a 68-year-old woman
was raped and killed in here.
There was no lock on the door.
- Management company...
- This is your building,
your responsibility.
This is the only bathroom
on the second floor.
Tenants don't use it.
Plumbing's backed up
and there's a missing door.
'Course that don't
stop the junkies
who come in off the
street from using it.
Rats, they own the place.
Ugh!
- It ain't Perrier, Doug.
- Yeah? Who is it?
- It's me, Miss
Fields, Andrew Taylor.
Can I come in?
- Come on in.
- You okay?
- Mm-hmm.
- This is the gentleman
I told you about.
- Come in.
- All right.
Come on in, Douglas.
The baby gets cold at night.
So she has to run
her stove for heat.
Two weeks ago,
Miss Fields had to take
her little boy to the hospital.
Rat bites.
While they were at the hospital,
her nine-year-old
girl got gang-raped.
There's no lock
on her door either.
- Oh, God. I didn't know.
- You didn't care.
- I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry. What can I do?
- Just put your money
where your mouth is.
- Anything.
I'll do whatever it takes.
- Radio: It took six
units almost two hours
to finally knock down
the blaze which started
in a mattress factory
in the 4400 block
of Burnside Avenue.
And finally, the Stacey
Gill trial began today.
Miss Gill, the former
Channel 6 news anchor
who was fired last year, is
suing Barnett Broadcasting
for breach of contract
and sex discrimination,
claiming that a series
of features she did
on her breast cancer surgery
and post operative treatment
led to her dismissal
and not, as Barnett
Broadcasting maintains,
low ratings.
And now for the weather report.
- You wanna mess around?
- I thought you had
homework to do.
- We're in recess 'til Monday.
- Oh.
I'm sorry. I don't feel like it.
- What do you feel like?
- Maybe I should go.
- Are we having a fight?
- No, no, no, no.
It's my problem.
- Is it something you
wanna talk about?
- Damn it.
I hurt this man.
And he didn't do
anything to deserve it.
There was no excuse
for what I did, none.
- You wanna go back to him?
- No.
- So, you can't
be happy with him,
and you won't let
yourself be happy with me.
- It's, uh...
It's just gonna take
a little time, that's all.
- You got it.
- And a quart of
Rocky Road ice cream?
- I'll get it.
- And a hug?
- Come here.
- Um, maybe we can
wait on the ice cream.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
- I wanted to talk to you
about the other night.
It shouldn't have happened.
- I have a new client coming
in, a movie writer-producer.
And I wanna solicit her
entertainment business.
- I've never felt vindictive
towards any of my husbands.
I really want
Mitchell to suffer.
- You want stench? Take
a whiff of "Rose Bush"!
- Mr. Sullivan will be
joining us as a clerk.
He'll be working here
afternoons after school.
- How nice.
- Eric went home already.
- What do you
mean, he went home?
- His father picked him up.
- He can't. There's
a restraining order.
- I'm in the middle
of getting married.
- I know this is a hell
of a time to say this.
But I'm in love with you.
- I love you, you big ape.
- How many bodies
do we have today?
- We got three
people coming in that...
- Okay.
- Where's my cruller?
- You told me no more.
You said you were
putting on weight.
- When did I say that?
- Yo, Grace, how you doing?
- Fine, thank you.
- And the new boyfriend?
Word on the vine
says he's a real animal.
Real swinger, regular
chimp off the old block.
- Where'd you spend the
weekend? San Simeon?
- Your Honor, there's a
message from Officer Johnson.
He'll be 20 minutes late.
- Just put it on the jungle
drums as soon as you're ready.
- If I'd known she was
into dark and hairy,
I would have shown her my chest.
- I didn't know that she
was into dark and hairy.
I'd have shown her my...
- Gentlemen, excuse me.
But this is a court of law.
And while you may think
it's all fun and games,
I doubt your clients share
in your spirit of amusement.
Now if we can get
on with our work?
- Aw, Gracie, I
didn't mean nothing.
- Who's the guy?
- It doesn't matter.
- Like hell it doesn't!
- I'm in love with him.
And I'm terribly
sorry that I hurt you.
- That's not good enough!
You owe me more, baby.
You owe me at least a
chance to try to talk you out of it!
- It wouldn't have worked.
- You owed me the chance!
- You're right.
- Damn it!
I don't wanna be right, Grace.
I wanna be married to you.
- Kevin, that's not
going to happen.
What I did to you was awful.
I'm desperately sorry.
And I understand if you
can't ever forgive me.
- I already have. I may
not be exciting, Grace.
I don't run around
in a gorilla suit.
But when this burns itself out,
there's somebody
here who loves you
and wants you back.
- I have to go. Goodbye, Kevin.
- Mr. Finney, have you
ever been on a jury before?
- No.
- Would it impose any
undue hardship on you
if this trial went more
than four or five days?
- Not really. My
boss is paying me.
- Well, what do you know
about the circumstances
around this case?
- All I know is what I
read in the newspapers.
- And what's that?
- Miss Gill was the
lady on the local news.
They showed her having
a breast cancer operation
and then a while
later she was fired.
- And when she was fired, did
you sympathize with her at all?
- I figured she'd turn up on
another channel somewhere.
They all do.
- Thank you.
- Not exactly in
my corner, is he?
- We've only got three
preemptory challenges left.
I'm afraid we're gonna
have to live with him.
- The defendant accepts
Mr. Finney, Your Honor.
- Mr. Kuzak?
- The plaintiff accepts
Mr. Finney, Your Honor.
Mr. Albert, do you
have any feelings
about TV news anchorwomen?
- It's nice work
if you can get it.
Sit in a chair,
read off a cue card
and collect a six-figure check.
- Miss Gill contends
that she was fired
because the station didn't
want a news anchorwoman
who was perceived
as damaged goods.
The defendants
contend that she was fired
because of low ratings.
Do you think that you could
examine that issue objectively?
- I don't see why not.
- Thank you.
- No questions, Your Honor.
- Let's lose him!
- We can't show cause. We're
down to two preemptories.
- He's already made up his mind.
- The plaintiff
thanks and excuses
Juror Number Five, Your Honor.
- You're excused, Mr. Albert.
- Miss Bradley, did it bother
you that during her series
of news features
on breast cancer,
Miss Gill bared her
breasts on camera?
- Of course not.
It was done in the context
of a medical examination.
- So you knew about the series?
- It was one of the best
things I ever saw on television.
And when she found
out she had breast cancer,
you really felt the shock.
And then when you saw her
get a lumpectomy instead of
being mutilated by a mastectomy,
I didn't even know
that was possible.
- Thank you.
- She's perfect!
- I know. That's the problem.
- Defense excuses Miss
Brantley, Your Honor.
- You're excused.
- Then you saw
Miss Gill's series?
- Yeah, I saw it.
- What'd you think?
- My dad died of
cancer, you know.
Truthfully, there's some
things just not in good taste.
Some things I'd just as soon
not bring into my living room.
- Thank you, Mrs. Clifford.
- The plaintiff
thanks and excuses
Juror Number Four, Your Honor.
- You're excused, Mrs. Clifford.
- There we go.
- Thank you.
I don't know, counselor.
- What?
- Well, if that's a fair and
impartial jury of my peers,
we're in a lot of trouble.
- I've seen lots worse.
- Look, don't get mad.
But what would happen if
we tried for a settlement?
- Now? Well, they'd see
it as a sign of weakness.
They'd low-ball us.
- How low?
- Well, $50, maybe $75,000 tops.
Not a lot left over after
you deduct the fees.
- Yeah, but that's
better than nothing.
Which is what we
will both get if we lose.
- Well, I'm betting
that that won't happen.
- No offense, counselor.
But if you lose the
bet, you still have a job.
I'm living off of credit
cards and bank loans.
And I've got a
mortgage I can't pay.
I've got a daughter
starting college in the fall.
- You've hung on this
long. Don't quit on me now.
- When I first found
out I had cancer,
I guess I went into shock.
I went through the surgery.
I had the radiation therapy.
I was doing the series.
But it was like I was
outside of myself.
You know, like it was all
happening to some other person.
Now, 14 months
later, it's just me.
I wake up in the
middle of the night
sometimes in a cold sweat.
Terrified that I'm gonna die.
I'm alone and I am broke.
I can't get a job.
I feel ugly.
- You are not alone.
And, believe me,
Stacey, you are not ugly.
What you are is
courageous, tough-minded.
- Have you seen the
way people stare at me?
- You're a celebrity.
People stare at celebrities.
- Usually from the neck up.
Michael, I'm tired.
I'm tired of being
stared at like I'm a freak.
Like I'm a breast
that just happens
to have a woman attached to it.
- All right. I'll go to them.
I'll see if I can get
a settlement tonight
if that's what's you want.
But they breached your contract.
They fired you for reasons
that had nothing to do
with your competence.
They violated your civil rights.
And arguably they
made it impossible for you
to continue your career.
If you fold now,
you're telling them
that it's all right for them
to treat you like some
sort of cow they can
put the blade to whenever
they decide they don't
like the taste of the milk.
- Thanks a lot.
You know, that is an
utterly awful analogy.
- Don't let 'em get
away with it, Stacey.
Make 'em pay.
- In Vino Veritas.
Do you really think
my chances are good?
- I wouldn't be here
if I didn't think so.
- To justice.
- To winning.
- McKenzie, Brackman,
Chaney and Kuzak?
He's in court now.
Can I take a message?
- Hi, Susan.
- Hi. Okay.
- We're lawyers, not dentists.
- Excuse me?
- You look like you're
going in for a root canal.
- I work upstairs.
I'm looking for
Jeffrey Sullivan.
- Come on, let's
take a look around.
- Victor?
Just tell him he
had a few calls.
- Jeffrey? A young
lady here to see you.
- I'm Nancy. We
spoke on the phone?
- Right. Uh, come
into my office.
- Oh, there's some
messages for you.
These are mine.
- Oh, some classmates
want my text notes.
Thanks.
- I appreciate your forbearance
in moving our staff meeting
to the end of the day as
Mr. Kuzak and I were toiling
in our respective
vineyards of courtroom law.
- What's new in your
slumlord case, Douglas?
- I do not appreciate
that characterization
of my landlord-tenant
dispute, Mr. Becker.
- The attorney who
represents himself
has a fool for a client.
- Normally, I would not
undertake my own representation.
But going up against
Andrew Taylor is like
shooting fish in the
proverbial barrel.
I anticipate a judgment
in my favor tomorrow.
Now as the hour is drawing late,
let us move through
the items at hand.
Arnold, Mishkin versus Mishkin.
- Settlement agreement
awaiting signature.
By the way, Mrs. Mishkin
has assigned this firm
two and a half percent
of the profits in her film
in lieu of fees.
- Why wasn't this arrangement
discussed beforehand?
- As a partner in this firm, I
made a determination that
it was a gamble worth taking.
- Not when you're gambling
with other peoples' money.
- We'll discuss this further at
the partners meeting on Friday.
- Gill versus Barnett
Broadcasting.
- Jury selection is
almost complete.
- What are our chances?
- Well, the client is nervous.
But I think it's a winner.
- I hope so, as we have
$60,000 in expenses
and billable hours
sunk into this case.
- I am well aware
of that, Douglas.
- Well, keep us abreast
of developments.
- Patrimko?
- Pending.
- And where might
our Miss Perkins be?
- Stuck in traffic.
- Finally, as regards
messenger costs.
Mr. Sifuentes, I'd like
to draw your attention
to $300 worth of
messengers charged against
your pending cases
in the last four weeks.
- What? Can I see those?
- Now, unless there's anything
else, we stand adjourned.
- Oh, goodnight. See
you in the morning.
- Abby?
- Hmm? Oh, my God.
I missed the staff meeting.
- There wasn't much to miss.
Haven't you been
getting much sleep?
- No. The minute my
head hits the pillow,
my brain starts to race.
I wind up watching movies
on cable TV all night.
- So, where do you stand?
- Nowhere, basically.
Last we heard, Jim got
a traffic ticket outside
of Ft. Worth. near
Six Flags over Texas.
- How about the car?
- He sold it in Atlanta.
He told the salesman that
they were headed for Florida.
Angelo Sipriano's
theory is that they're doing
the grand tour of
amusement parks.
- Hmm.
So we're in touch
with the Florida PD
and the Victims Aid in Orlando.
It's a long shot, but
maybe they'll show up
at Disneyworld.
- Is there anything I can do?
- I'll be all right.
It's just nights.
And weekends.
- Get your things.
We're going out to dinner.
- No, no. You have
other things to do.
- Nothing as important
as having dinner with you.
We'll talk, we'll
have a glass of wine.
You'll stay over
with me tonight.
- I couldn't impose
on you like that, Ann.
- Are you kidding? The
guest room's all made up.
It'll be like a
pajama party, okay?
- Okay.
- Good.
- "Galaxy" is so
stunningly inept
one wants to
shoot it into orbit.
Now wait. You'll love this part.
The galactic share of
the blame must fall on
the shoulders of
director Mitchell Mishkin,
who brings fresh meaning
to the word pretension.
And that's his best review.
The News called it loathsome.
The Times hated it.
- Cutting off his head isn't
gonna make us any taller.
- No, but it makes
him a lot shorter.
- You and I need to
go over the proposed
ad promo campaign
for "Rose Bush" again.
- Mm-hmm.
- Is tomorrow night okay?
Maybe Spago's?
- Let's do Simply Blues.
"Galaxy" is playing at
the Cinerama Dome.
And if we get a window table,
we can count the box office.
- Or even better, the complete
and total absence of the same.
- You know, Arnie,
I've never met a man
who understands
women the way you do.
- Excuse me, Arnie.
- What, Roxanne?
- Sorry.
Mrs. Kovaks is waiting
if you're just about
finished in here.
- In wrapping up my
testimony, I'd like to reiterate,
Your Honor, that I never
intended to be a landlord.
I purchased the building
in question in hopes
of reselling it to a
Japanese conglomerate
that had plans to tear it down
and construct a hotel.
When that deal fell
through, I was stuck.
So while continuing to
look for another buyer,
I have allowed whatever
tenants were living there
to remain at a very
reasonable rent, I might add.
In the three years
since I've owned it,
I'd like to point out once again
that I have never made a profit.
- If I were to make the repairs
demanded in this lawsuit,
I would actually be losing
money on the investment.
Thank you, Your Honor.
- Mr. Brackman, approximately
how many times did
Mrs. Vernon Fields
make complaints to you
regarding the absence of
hot water in her apartment?
- I have no personal knowledge
of any such complaints.
- Your Honor, I'd like to
have marked for identification
10 letters I have here
signed by Mrs. Fields.
- The management company
handles any little problems
the tenants might
be experiencing.
- How many times
did the Sampson family
make complaints regarding
rats and cockroaches
in their apartment?
- If they complained, the
management company
handled it.
- Do you have any knowledge
of the floor that caved in
in the Perry's apartment?
- Perhaps you're not listening.
A management company
routinely handles such problems.
- And did you empower
this management company
to act as your agent?
- In a technical sense, yes.
But you certainly can't
try to hold me liable
for my agent's alleged
gross negligence.
- I see.
Approximately how much
have you spent in repairs
to the building since
you've owned it?
- Thousands.
- How many thousands?
- Three. $3,142.
- You never spent
any money to fix
a cracked sewer line, did you?
Or to repair a leaking
roof, or rotting floor?
- Perhaps you didn't
hear me before.
If I had effectuated
said repairs,
I would have been in the
loss column in the investment.
- When was the last time you
actually visited the premises?
- Not lately.
- When exactly?
- Actually, never.
I just bought it for the loft.
- Do you believe, as
an owner of a building,
you have any responsibility
to your tenants?
- Would it be better
if I evicted them all?
They'd never find
rent this cheap.
- Do you believe you have
a responsibility to provide
a minimally decent standard
of living for your tenants?
- I suppose
minimally decent, yes.
But if they want
something luxurious,
they should have to pay for it.
- Thank you.
I think I've heard
enough from both sides
to render my decision.
Waive closing
arguments, gentlemen?
- So waived, Your Honor.
- Okay, so waived.
- Mr. Brackman, I find
you liable and hereby order
you to complete work on
Mr. Taylor's list in 10 days.
If you fail to do so, you
will be held in contempt.
- This isn't fair. It
isn't constitutional.
You're asking me to provide
public housing for these people!
- In addition to the repairs,
plaintiffs shall receive
compensatory damages
in the amount of 10 times
their monthly rent
and punitive damages
in the sum of $25,000.
- Hey, I appreciate
it, man. Be good.
- Who's that?
- Tim Noah.
He's from upstairs at Price,
Plumera and Bloomingthal.
- What? They don't
have bathrooms up there?
- Just stopped by
to say hi, you know.
- Can I talk to
you for a minute?
- Sure. Yes, sir.
- In my office.
Who are you trying to kid?
- Kid? About what?
- The phone messages.
All these people.
Activity in and out
of the bathroom.
Now either you are leading
a very weird social life,
or you have the weakest
bladder in America.
Or you're dealing
coke out of this office.
- This is crazy.
That's crazy, Mr. Sifuentes.
I swear to God.
- Don't shoot me
through the grease, kid.
I was a PD too long not
to know a buy when I see it.
- I swear to God.
Tim Noah is a
real estate attorney
I'm working for
on probate notices.
- In the bathroom?
- It's a drag, but
it pays $8 an hour
and I can use the dough.
Look, I didn't wanna
meet him out in the open
because I didn't want
everyone thinking
that it was coming
out of company time.
- Well, it's coming
out of company money.
$300 worth of messengers.
And you're charging
'em to my cases.
- That's a mistake.
I told Elizabeth to
send these to me.
I'll straighten this out.
- I like you, kid. I
mean, I like your hustle.
But I'm gonna give
you fair warning.
You quit doing
business out of this office
or I'm gonna close you down
so fast your head will swim.
- You're gonna believe
what you're gonna believe.
But I swear to God,
I don't use drugs.
I don't sell drugs.
And my only hustle
is working my buns off
to make enough to make
it through law school.
Look, if it wasn't for this job
and doing other stuff
for guys like Mr. Noah
nights, weekends,
I'd never make it.
And that's the truth.
If you don't wanna
believe it, I can't help it.
And if you wanna
kill my chances here
by inferring that I deal
drugs, I can't help that either.
I'm just a kid. I
can't fight back.
I don't know about
you, Mr. Sifuentes,
but I wasn't born with a
silver spoon in my mouth.
I'm just trying to make
something out of my life!
I swear on my father's grave!
Are you gonna poison
me with Mr. McKenzie?
- No. You're good enough
to do that all by yourself.
- You're a very cold
guy, Mr. Sifuentes.
- Thank you.
- You're late.
- It's been a terrible day.
- Aren't you going to
wish me a happy birthday?
- Happy birthday. Sign these.
- What are they?
- Nothing. Business.
Just sign them.
- It's my 41st birthday.
And all you can think
about is business.
- Well, excuse me.
But while you were
having your nails jubileed
or your toes pedicured
or your tips frosted
or whatever it is females
do with their afternoons,
I was working overtime trying
to protect the family assets.
So if you'll just sign
these where it's marked
with red X's, we can
move along to matters
of a more festive nature!
- These papers sign
all our community assets
over to your mother.
- Just temporarily.
- Oh, sure, until
you divorce me.
- That's absurd.
- Who is she?
- There is no she.
You're being paranoid.
- Am I?
Well, if you think
you can get rid of me
that easily, you have
another think coming.
I sign nothing until I
speak to an attorney.
- Fine!
Just don't blame
me if in the meantime
we lose everything we own!
- What are you talking about?
- That's why I'm late.
I was in court all day.
We're being sued.
- Sued? What for?
- Repairs on our
apartment building.
- Oh, my God!
- Not to worry.
We'll win the appeal.
But on the distant chance
that we are held accountable,
I'm simply trying to protect us.
- I'm gonna wind up
just like Marjorie Rollie,
divorced and poor.
Working in Newberry's
with those ugly support hose
and varicose veins
sticking out all over my legs.
- Sheila, this is crazy.
I'm not going to divorce you.
- I'm 41, old, used up.
I don't snap back
like some 25-year-old
with elastic breasts.
Once the community property is
gone, what have you got to lose?
- Well, if you're so
damn concerned about it,
sign the papers!
- No.
- It's a temporary measure.
- If it's so temporary, then
sign it over to my mother!
- Your mother
has the IQ of meat.
I'd rather file for bankruptcy.
- You are an
insensitive, uncaring man.
And I hate you!
- And you are a selfish,
pampered aging princess
who doesn't know how
to make a man feel loved!
- Ha! Sex! I was
waiting for that!
- Shh! Quiet!
People are staring.
- You came in here half an
hour late with papers for me
to sign giving over all
my community property
to your lousy mother!
You didn't even
bring me a present!
And then you wonder
why I don't want to go home
and oil up my saddle
so you can play Sgt.
Preston of the Yukon!
- Sit down!
- No!
It's my party and
I'll cry if I want to.
♪ Happy birthday to me! ♪
♪ Happy birthday to me! ♪
♪ Happy birthday, dear Sheila ♪
♪ Happy birthday to me ♪
- Miss Gill, would you
tell the jury how you came
to do this series of televised
reports on breast cancer?
- It started as a
notion of Mr. Mellers.
- The station manager.
- Yes.
He wanted me to
have a mammogram.
That's like a breast x-ray.
And then to show me at
the clinic giving an editorial
on the importance of
regular breast examination.
- But you had no idea that
you yourself had cancer
at this time.
- No, none at all.
- What happened then?
- Well, I went with
the crew to the clinic.
And then the next
day they called me
and told me that they
suspected that I had cancer.
- Did you suspend your series
on breast cancer at this time?
- No, because Mr. Mellers
thought that it would be
a very powerful piece to
show me with the doctors
discussing my options.
- And you agreed?
- Well, at first I
was just in shock.
But then I thought it
would do some good.
- How so?
- Well, you see, a lot of
women are afraid to be examined
because they can't face
the thought of losing a breast.
I hoped that my report
would show them that,
with early detection,
they didn't have to.
That they could
have a lumpectomy
instead of a mastectomy.
- A lumpectomy.
Is that the operation
that you had?
- Yes.
- And was your operation also
the subject of a news feature?
- Yes.
- And what happened
after you left the hospital?
- Well, then we did a feature
on my radiation treatments
and then I did a final story
that showed the results.
- And you exposed
your breast on camera?
- Yes.
- Miss Gill, do you think
that maybe you carried
journalism a bit too far here?
- No.
I thought it was very important
for women to see for themselves
that if, God forbid,
they got cancer,
that they didn't
have to be maimed.
- Was it worth it, Miss Gill?
- I've received hundreds of
letters from people thanking me.
Some saying that I
even saved their lives.
Yes, it was worth it.
- And how did the
station respond?
- They said that people didn't
want to watch me anymore.
That I made them uncomfortable.
And they fired me.
- Thank you.
Nothing further at
this time, Your Honor.
- Mr. Robertson? Cross.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
Miss Gill, isn't it true
that your firing had nothing
to do with your breast surgery?
- No.
- Isn't it true that
you were encouraged
to come back to your job?
And you were fired only
because your ratings went down?
- No.
- You knew your predecessor
at the station was fired
for bad ratings, didn't you?
- Yes.
- The one before her
and the one before her.
- That I don't know.
- Ratings are the
bottom line in TV news,
aren't they, Miss Gill?
And if job security
is what you want,
you probably should take
a job at the post office.
- Objection. Argumentative.
- Withdraw the question.
Miss Gill, have you
been healthy enough
to work since your operation?
- Absolutely.
- And yet, in the 14
months since then,
you've chosen not to.
- It was no choice. I
wasn't offered anything.
I assume because of the negative
publicity surrounding my firing.
- You were never
offered anything at all?
- Nothing worth taking.
- I know a lot of folks
who wouldn't find
$65,000 a year too terrible.
- You're speaking about
the radio job in Phoenix.
Well, I don't do radio.
- Or floors or windows.
- Objection, Your Honor.
- Miss Gill, who is
Dr. Howard Warnick?
- He's the surgeon that
performed my lumpectomy.
- And since then,
you've developed
quite an intimate relationship
with him, haven't you?
- Objection, Your Honor.
Miss Gill's personal life has no
relevance in these proceedings.
- Well, it's directly relevant
to the issue of damages
if she turned down
a high-paying job
because she was afraid
of losing her boyfriend.
- I'll allow the question.
- I have been out
with Dr. Warnick
on several occasions.
- You're 42 years old.
Is that correct, Miss Gill?
- I will be 43 next month.
- And isn't it true you
would very much like
to marry Dr. Warnick?
- No.
- Isn't it true you were
afraid, if you went to Phoenix,
you might lose
your chance at him?
- No.
- I'm sure, Miss
Gill, you're aware of
the Yale University
study which concluded,
among other things,
that a woman over 40,
even one with perfect breasts,
has a greater probability
of being killed by a terrorist
than of latching onto a husband.
- Objection, Your Honor!
- I had breast
cancer, Mr. Robertson.
My chances of surviving
five years are good, 80%.
And yet I can't help but
think every day of my life
whether I'm gonna be a part
of the 20% that doesn't make it.
So if you would just get
your brains out of your shorts
for even five minutes,
I can't believe that you
really think I spend
a lot of my time
worrying whether I'm
gonna latch onto a husband!
- Nothing further at this point.
- Andrew!
- How you doing, sir?
- Fine, just fine.
Well, I don't have
to ask how you are.
I hear you pinned back
Douglas's ears in court.
- Well, I hope it
wasn't a Pyrrhic victory.
- Mr. Taylor?
- It's good to see you, Andrew.
Good luck.
- Thank you, sir.
- Douglas, look.
My clients need relief
now. Drop the appeal.
We're prepared to come
way down on the judgment.
- How far down?
- Bring the building up to code
which you're gonna
have to do in any case
and $2,500 per unit in damages.
- Forget it.
- You got no grounds for
a reversal. You know that.
- Maybe so. Maybe not.
But I can spin the wheels.
- Brackman! This isn't a game!
Where's your decency?
The people in that building
are living a nightmare!
- Mr. Taylor, I
intend to avail myself
of the full appellate process.
I shall seek
vindication of my rights
with the State Appeals Court,
and if necessary, continue on to
the Supreme Court of California!
It will likely take
a long, long time.
But that is the system
and I shall not
apologize for it!
Now if you'll excuse me,
I have a busy morning.
- I'm only doing this because
you're a friend of Nina's.
But you gotta tell her not
to come by here any more.
Call me at my apartment
from now on, okay?
Okay, where's my $1,000?
- You're busted, kid!
- Turn around, hands
above your head.
You have the right
to remain silent.
If you give up the
right to remain silent,
anything you say can and
will be used against you
in a court of law.
You have the
right to an attorney.
If you cannot
afford an attorney,
one will be provided
by the court.
- Come on.
- Come on, let's
get him outta here.
Let these people
get back to work.
- Mr. Sifuentes? Mr. Sifuentes!
I need to know something.
Did you roll over on me?
- Nope.
- Good, 'cause I'm
gonna need a lawyer
and I feel like you
and I have a rapport.
- I'm sorry, Jeffrey.
I'm not with the public
defender anymore.
- Don't worry about that.
Call my father, Harold Sullivan.
He's chairman and CEO
of Titan Sports Industries.
- Come on!
- Oh, and you weren't born with
a silver spoon in
your mouth, huh?
- No. Actually,
more like platinum.
He'll arrange bail and
pay whatever you charge!
I'm sorry, sir.
I appreciate everything
you've done for me.
I'm sure my father will
be in touch to express
his appreciation personally.
I want you to know this
charge is totally without merit.
I don't use drugs.
I don't sell drugs.
- Get him outta here!
- I don't even know
what cocaine looks like!
That's the truth!
- Let's go! Move it!
- Don't say it.
- Leland?
- I've got something
for you to sign.
- Oh? What is it?
- It's a letter from you to
the Dean of Admissions
at the Loyola School of Law.
- On who's behalf?
- Mine.
- I hope I've mentioned
your uncanny skill
at judging character.
- Along with intelligence
and loyalty and diligence.
- Mm-hmm. Does this
mean I'm losing you, Iris?
- Night school.
- Ah.
But who knows
after I pass the bar?
- Well, I'd hope you'd consider
an associate position
with McKenzie, Brackman.
- I'd be delighted to, Leland.
I think they're waiting for
you at the partners meeting.
- Yeah.
- And upon signing the
partnership agreement,
you become 5% owners
of the law firm of McKenzie,
Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak.
- Said share to
increase 5% every year
until it matches that
of the other partners.
All we need from each of
you is a check for $87,000.
- What?
- Well, I assume,
Douglas, that you'll provide
low-cost in-house
financing, right?
- In the past, we have.
But consequent to
Norman Chaney's passing,
we need an infusion
of working capital.
So we're going to
ask you to arrange
your financing elsewhere.
- Douglas, how the hell
am I supposed to secure
a note for $87,000?
- Your financial problems are
not my concern, Miss Kelsey.
However, this firm's very
real financial problems are.
- Well, based on the
bottom line, Douglas,
I don't think we need to
hold a benefit for ourselves.
- On the contrary.
If we have any intentions
of showing meaningful profits
through the remainder
of the decade, we must,
A, resist the impulse
to make a partner
of everyone who
rattles their saber.
B, take on at least four
new associates right away.
And C, generate among
our current lawyers
a minimum of 5,000 more
billable hours per annum
than they're producing now.
Which brings me to
something else I find troubling.
I've taken the liberty of doing
some personal accounting.
Here is a list of everyone's
billable hours for the year.
You will note that,
with one exception,
all the partners
including our new ones
billed in the 1,500
to 2,000 hour range.
The one exception
was our founding partner
who accounted for just over 300.
That's less than one
revenue-generating hour a day.
- Get to it, Douglas.
What's on your mind?
- It seems to me that
someone who works part-time
should not have a full share,
much less 8% more
than the rest of us.
- But if all that mattered
were the number of hours
that you put in, the world
would be run by waitresses.
It's the quality of the
hours that matters.
If he can settle a labor
strike in 45 minutes
or bring in a major corporate
account over a breakfast meeting
or help me win a case
by giving me one piece
of advice, then how
do you measure that?
- Under the most
generous of formulas,
he is still receiving far
more than he is entitled to.
As things stand now, our
two most senior partners
will receive 50%
of this year's profits.
One is dead, the
other might as well be.
- You are out of line, Douglas!
- That's all right.
Frank exchanges are what
partners meetings are for.
In the spirit of
which, let me say that
I would be happy
to fold my tent,
and walk away from this
firm, taking my primary assets,
my name and my
reputation with me.
You may have the firm, Douglas.
And any of the attorneys and
clients who choose to remain.
- Leland goes, I go with him.
- Me too, assuming
that you want me.
- Ditto.
- Will this new firm
do entertainment law?
- I've been giving that
serious thought, Arnold.
And I think it's time to dip a
cautious toe in those waters.
The bottom line, Douglas,
is you are not your father.
You are not the deep thinker
he was nor do you possess
his courtroom skills,
evidenced by your bungling
of that disgraceful
landlord-tenant suit.
However, you are an
adequate corporate attorney,
a solid office manager
and you have absolutely
reached your level of competence.
And if you raise this
question ever again,
I will disband this
firm in two seconds flat
and you can start your own firm.
Now are we clear on that point?
- Yes.
- Good.
Now that we've had a
frank exchange of ideas,
this meeting is adjourned.
- Dinner, partner?
- After that meeting,
who can afford to eat?
- My treat.
- Stuart, do you know
what my net worth is?
- Come on, there's
not enough numbers
in that calculator to
compute your net worth.
- Seriously.
I am a single woman
with virtually no deductions
other than my condo for which I
am mortgaged up to my arm pits.
What bank is gonna
carry my note for $87,000?
- The Bank of Markowitz.
- Stuart, absolutely not.
- Why not? It's a loan.
You'll sign a note, I'll
charge you interest.
On top of which, if
you miss a payment,
I get to foreclose
on your assets.
- Which is exactly
why I shouldn't.
- Ann, come on. Get serious.
What choice do you have?
- What did I do before you
came into my life, Markowitz?
- Whatever it was, I
don't wanna know about it.
- Gimme that!
- Take my wallet!
I won't fight you!
- Shut up! Shut up!
- I have a wife and
children! Don't kill me!
- Get out!
Come on!
- What are you gonna do with me?
- Shut up!
- Where are we?
- Don't you recognize
it, Brackman?
This is your building.
- Taylor? You bastard.
I'll have you
disbarred for this.
- Comes to that, I'm
gonna have to live with it.
- You can't deny
people their rights
and expect to get away with it.
- You do.
- I'll have you on criminal
assault, kidnapping.
You are going
to jail, my friend.
- Maybe so, but before I do,
you're gonna see a
jail of another kind.
Wiring gave out of
here months ago.
There's no light.
During the day, it's
a shooting gallery
and at night, the
bums sleep here.
Apartment 216.
A month ago, a 68-year-old woman
was raped and killed in here.
There was no lock on the door.
- Management company...
- This is your building,
your responsibility.
This is the only bathroom
on the second floor.
Tenants don't use it.
Plumbing's backed up
and there's a missing door.
'Course that don't
stop the junkies
who come in off the
street from using it.
Rats, they own the place.
Ugh!
- It ain't Perrier, Doug.
- Yeah? Who is it?
- It's me, Miss
Fields, Andrew Taylor.
Can I come in?
- Come on in.
- You okay?
- Mm-hmm.
- This is the gentleman
I told you about.
- Come in.
- All right.
Come on in, Douglas.
The baby gets cold at night.
So she has to run
her stove for heat.
Two weeks ago,
Miss Fields had to take
her little boy to the hospital.
Rat bites.
While they were at the hospital,
her nine-year-old
girl got gang-raped.
There's no lock
on her door either.
- Oh, God. I didn't know.
- You didn't care.
- I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry. What can I do?
- Just put your money
where your mouth is.
- Anything.
I'll do whatever it takes.
- Radio: It took six
units almost two hours
to finally knock down
the blaze which started
in a mattress factory
in the 4400 block
of Burnside Avenue.
And finally, the Stacey
Gill trial began today.
Miss Gill, the former
Channel 6 news anchor
who was fired last year, is
suing Barnett Broadcasting
for breach of contract
and sex discrimination,
claiming that a series
of features she did
on her breast cancer surgery
and post operative treatment
led to her dismissal
and not, as Barnett
Broadcasting maintains,
low ratings.
And now for the weather report.
- You wanna mess around?
- I thought you had
homework to do.
- We're in recess 'til Monday.
- Oh.
I'm sorry. I don't feel like it.
- What do you feel like?
- Maybe I should go.
- Are we having a fight?
- No, no, no, no.
It's my problem.
- Is it something you
wanna talk about?
- Damn it.
I hurt this man.
And he didn't do
anything to deserve it.
There was no excuse
for what I did, none.
- You wanna go back to him?
- No.
- So, you can't
be happy with him,
and you won't let
yourself be happy with me.
- It's, uh...
It's just gonna take
a little time, that's all.
- You got it.
- And a quart of
Rocky Road ice cream?
- I'll get it.
- And a hug?
- Come here.
- Um, maybe we can
wait on the ice cream.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.