01x07 - Raiders of the Lost Bark

[bunniefuu]

- Previously on "L.A. Law..."

- Damn it, detective!

My husband violates a
TRO, kidnapping my son,

and the best thing you can
tell me is to get my own PI?

- 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.

- If you raise this
question ever again,

you can start your own firm.

- 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.

- I have a new client coming
in, a movie writer-producer.

I want to solicit her
entertainment business.

Trust me, this
film can cross over

from a boutique specialty item

to a broad-based
box office winner.

- As an owner of a building,

do you have any
responsibility to your tenants?

- Would it be better
if I evicted them all?

- Two weeks ago, Ms. Fields

had to take her little boy
to the hospital. Rat bites.

While they were at the hospital,

her nine-year-old
girl got g*ng-r*ped.

- I want to be married to you.

- I hurt this man.

- Do you want to go back to him?

- No.

- That's exactly
it, just as I typed it.

- Who saw this?

- Just Sawyer,
the vice president.

Mr. Mellor sent
him a draft copy.

- Anybody else?

- No. He destroyed it,

and it was never
officially circulated.

I used to have a copy,

but he must have
taken it from my file.

- Without the original, this
is no good to me, Cindy.

I need you to testify.

- I told you no.

Look, I wanna help.
That's why I'm here.

But I can't do any
more than this.

- I think deep down

you will regret not
helping her in court.

- Deep down,
Mr. Kuzak, I need my job.

- I could subpoena you.

- Please. I have done all I can.

If I testify against the
station, I'll get fired.

- What kind of paper
was the memo typed on?

- Regular blue memo paper.

- Thank you.

- No comment.

- Any offer to settle, Ms. Gill?

- Mr. Kuzak? Mr. Kuzak?

- I'm sorry. Not now.

- Please, please. Come on now.

Right here.
Everybody right here.

- Michael.
- Where were you?

You were supposed
to meet me outside.

- Too much bran in the muffin.

Where's the client?

- He'll meet you
there. Division 16.

Excuse me for a second.

I really appreciate this.

It's just a simple little
Muni court dog bite case.

Our guy's pet
allegedly bit the plaintiff.

- Did he?
- To the bone.

It's a loser and we're stalling.

Just tell the
judge I'm in court.

Get a continuance
for as long as possible.

- Well, will it be a problem?

- No, no. Just say
unavailability of counsel.

He'll give you the
continuance. No sweat.

- Okay.

- Victor, thank
you. I owe you one.

- Case Number 2,
Sherell vs. Salter.

Reported settled.

Third on the list,
Weeks vs. Stokes.

- Erica Tuckman
for the plaintiff.

Ready, Your Honor.

- Victor Sifuentes
for the defendant.

Your Honor, the
defense will be requesting

a continuance at this time
due to the unavailability

of defendant's
counsel Michael Kuzak.

Mr. Kuzak is in trial
in the Superior Court,

and I will therefore be
seeking a stay of this action

until the conclusion
of that proceeding.

- Both counselors step forward.

I'm chagrined.

Now, you have stalled, dragged,

and burdened this matter

with every dilatory
measure known to mankind,

and I don't like lawyers
who clog the system

just to put off
paying a judgment.

- Your Honor, I
appreciate your sense of...

- Don't yank me.

This case was marked
no further continuances,

and the honorable
Mr. Kuzak knew it.

And if he thinks this stunt

of sending in an
unprepared attorney

is gonna buy him another
minute, he's very wrong.

- Well, what can I do, Judge?

I don't know the case.

- Then learn it,

because we're going
to trial right now.

- With all due
respect, Your Honor,

that would be a
travesty of justice.

You'd be forcing the
defendant to proceed...

- You have two
answers, counselor.

Default judgment for
plaintiff or ready for trial.

Ready for trial.

- Hi.
- Hi.

- Guess we're both
running a little late today.

You're at McKenzie,
Brackman, right?

- Yes.
- I'm Peter Brosens.

I'm right upstairs at
Sheer, Taft and Helbrauner.

- Oh, sure. I think I've
seen you in the elevator.

I'm Abigail...
- Perkins, I know.

I asked around.

I was glad to hear
you made an associate.

- Thank you.

- So how's the search going?

For your son?

- You really do ask around.

- Well, the whole building
kind of knows, sort of.

- Oh, I see.

- So?

- Well, it's going.

There's nothing
really concrete yet,

but it's going.

- Well, if there's anything
I could ever do to help or...

- Thank you. I appreciate it.

- Maybe we can get
together sometime

for a drink after
work or something?

- I don't think so.

- Oh, okay.

- You seem very nice, Peter,

but I don't go out socially.

- Do you mind if I ask why?

- It's just that...
well, I just don't.

But thank you.

- It's the check for $87,000

and the note for your signature.

- Stuart, I've been
thinking about this.

I just can't.

- Ann, I get the interest from
you or I get it from the bank.

What's the difference?

- The difference
is I don't sleep...

I don't sleep with my banker.

- He doesn't know
what he's missing.

- Stuart.
- Okay, okay. Give it back.

- I can't.

- You're damned if you
do and damned if you don't.

- Exactly.

- Well, you know,
there is another solution.

You could marry me.

Well, that way, half your assets
become community property,

half your debts become
community liability,

and the loan zeroes itself out.

Well, you know, it would
get you off the hook.

- I'll accept.

- Oh, the loan.

- The loan.
- Yeah. Okay.

- Enter.

- Douglas, I think we
ought to talk about this.

- There's nothing to
talk about. I've resigned.

- Why?

- You made your
opinion of my abilities

painfully clear at
the partners meeting.

How can I command
respect from the other partners

after a humiliation like that?

- You don't command
respect, Douglas.

You've got to earn it.

- Someone's got to wear
the black hat, do they not?

- It isn't a question
of style, Douglas.

Weighing the needs
of the individuals

against those of the firm.

- I thought I did that.

- You're hard on people.

You don't make them
feel cared for or wanted.

- They have you for that.

- You know... when
your father was alive,

he was the spiritual
leader of this firm,

and I was the lightning
rod for peoples' discontent.

And partly because of that,

he was one of the most
loved and respected men

that I've ever known.

- He was a demanding tyrant.

The law according to
Douglas Brackman, Sr.

God help anyone
who questioned it

or fell short of its standard.

The man could carry a grudge.

He could punish
with his silence.

I was never able to
please him enough.

- Then it's long past
time you stopped trying to.

He's gone, Douglas.
Be your own man.

I hope you'll reconsider.

I'd hate to lose you.

- Do you mean that?

- Sincerely.

- Thank you, Leland.

- It was the most difficult
decision I ever had to make.

Personally, I
consider Stacey Gill

to be a courageous and
exceptional journalist,

but our ratings just
dropped dramatically.

- What do you mean by
dramatically, Mr. Mellor?

- Nielsen ratings showed
a drop of two full points

after she came back
from her treatment.

- Is that substantial?

- Are you kidding?

A two point drop

can cost the station
$3 million a year

in lost advertising revenue.

- Were there any
other alternatives

besides discharging Ms. Gill

which could have
remedied this problem?

- Unfortunately, this
is the news business,

and the only way to
quickly boost ratings

is to replace your
on-camera people.

I know it's unfair,
especially in this case,

but our research showed
that the ratings dropped

as a result of the
lumpectomy bit

and because she showed
her breast on camera,

and this was something
we asked her to do.

We feel terrible about it.

- Did you give any thought

to letting her continue
as your anchorwoman?

- Absolutely, and believe me,

if we could have, we would have.

But the truth is
with these ratings,

we would have been signing
our own death certificate

by keeping her on the air.

- I have nothing further.

- You fired her two weeks

after she'd been back
on the job, didn't you?

- Well, yes, but by that time...

- Two weeks?

- Well, as I said,
our ratings plunged

two full points in that period.

- Didn't she come back at
the beginning of the month?

On May 2, 1985, to be exact?

- That's about right.

- Isn't it true, Mr. Mellor,

that your ratings
drop one full point

during the first 10
days of every month?

- Well, there's
always some decline.

- Because the new
cable movies come out

at the beginning of each month

and that affects your
ratings, doesn't it?

- Yes.
- So it's possible

that one point of
this two-point drop

was directly related to these
new cable movies, isn't it?

- Perhaps, but market
research showed

that her ratings would continue
to fall in the ensuing weeks.

- Wait a minute.

So what you're
saying is you fired her

not only because of
this dip in the ratings,

but because of
an anticipated dip

that was yet to come?

- That's correct.

- And you couldn't
even wait long enough

to see if it actually
would happen?

This woman bares her
breast and her cancer

to the viewing public
at your request,

and you fire her after two weeks

because you think
your ratings might drop

if you let her stay.

- Objection. Argumentative.

- Lucky for her

she's such a courageous
and exceptional journalist.

It bought her an extra week.

- Objection.
- Sustained.

- Mr. Mellor, did
you dictate a memo

to Vice President Scott
Sawyer on May 18, 1985?

- Possibly. That's
a long time ago.

- It concerned your
decision to fire Stacey Gill.

Did you dictate such a memo?

- Well, I'm not sure.

- Mr. Mellor, did
you dictate a memo

saying, and I quote,
"How long can the public

accept an anchorwoman
with a nicked boob?"

- Who gave you that?

- It makes no
difference. Did you say it?

- That's out of context.

I can explain that phrase.

- All right. Let me see
that memo, please.

- I haven't got it,

but you wrote it,
didn't you, Mr. Mellor?

Is that a yes?

- Yes.

- No further
questions, Your Honor.

- Moving on to Gill vs.
Barnett Broadcasting.

- Well, one more
defense witness,

then closing arguments.

- Excellent. Word
through the vine

is you're doing an
outstanding job. Congrats.

- Sorry I'm late.

- It's quite all right, Victor.

As the hour is unusually early

due to respective
trial schedules,

we can forgive
a little tardiness.

- Thanks, but I'm not supposed
to have a trial scheduled.

What I'm supposed to
have is a continuance.

- Donut?

- You set me up.

You knew that judge
would make me go forward.

- Come now, Victor.
Think of the client.

As a result of Michael's
cagey maneuver,

Mr. Stokes has the
benefit of being represented

by an exceptional
defense attorney.

Arnold, anything to
report on the Mishkin films?

- Hillary's film opens
soon. His bombed.

- Keep us apprised.

Thank you all for attending.

And now, if there's
nothing else,

we stand adjourned.

- Don't forget your
meeting with Mr. Taylor.

- Thank you.

- Mike, you could have told me.

- I thought your not knowing

was gonna give
us a better chance

of getting the continuance.

The more unprepared
you were, the better.

- Yeah? Well, now what?

- This case is a flat-out loser.

The dog bit him.

At least now we have
a chance for an appeal.

We can say that it was an
abuse of judicial discretion

to make you go forward.

- Not to ruin your plans,
but I'm gonna win this one.

- You're good, but
you're not that good.

- Don't be so sure.

- Victor, Clarence Darrow
couldn't win this case.

- You care to
make a little wager?

- Mm-hmm. Anything you want.

- Your leather chair.

- Except that. No.

No, you can't have
my leather chair.

- Come on, counselor.

A bet's not a bet unless
the stakes are high.

Where's your guts?

- All right. My chair against...

your earring.

- No, no, no, no. No way.

- Aha!

- Okay, you got a bet.

- And upon
completion of the sale,

all the tenants
will be relocated

at Mr. Washington's expense
to one of his other buildings.

- Why are you doing this for me?

- I'm not doing this for you.

Those people
shouldn't have to spend

another night in that building.

- I agree, Andrew,

and I swear I'm not looking

to make a single cent
from the transaction.

If I could just break
even or not lose my shirt,

I'll be grateful forever.

- I'll see you this afternoon.

- I look forward to it.

- Hi, Peter.
- Hi.

- Come on in.

- Thanks.

Look, I'm not really
very good at chit-chatting,

so I was thinking
about what you said

about not going out socially.

I once saw this film

about a man whose
only son was kidnapped.

He spends every waking
minute of his life trying to find him.

He loses his job,
he loses his friends.

Finally he even loses his wife.

But he's so obsessed
with finding his son

that nothing else matters.

And finally, years later,
he thinks he's located him.

But as he gets
closer and closer,

he begins to hesitate.

This search has
taken up his whole life,

and when it ends, he realizes

that he'll lose his
only reason for living.

- The point being?

- The point being,
you've got to have a life

outside of this crisis.

- How dare you
presume to advise me.

My life inside or
outside of this crisis

is none of your damn business!

- I wasn't presuming.
I was just...

- You were just what,

suggesting I
lighten up a little?

Butt out of my life!
You were not invited!

- Look, I'm sorry.

I guess I should have
kept my mouth shut.

- Now there's some advice.

- Each rating point
represents 50,000 households.

A two point drop would
mean that 100,000 families

were switching their
dials to other stations.

- All right, and what
does that translate to

in dollars and cents?

- A news show
with 24 spots a night

and a two point drop
would lose $7,200 a night,

$50,000 a week,
$2.6 million a year.

- So her drop in ratings
could cost the station

approximately $3
million annually?

- Yes. And her Q score
indicated a further drop.

- Q score?

- A formula we use to
measure viewer appeal.

It factors in her
recognizability

and her likeability,

and we come out with a number.

80 is good, 60 is bad.

Hers was 43.

- Thank you. Your witness.

- Well, pretty extensive
data, Mr. Weiner.

- We research everything.

- Does your research show

how many lives were
saved by Stacey Gill's story?

- No.

- Does it show how many
women, after having seen the story,

opted for a lumpectomy

rather than the more
mutilating mastectomy?

- No.

- Does it measure the
pain suffered by my client

having to expose herself
to millions of people?

- No.

- In fact, sir, these factors

count for nothing in
your research, correct?

- That's correct.

- Thank you. That's all.

- And calling your attention
to the morning of June 6, 1985,

did you then have
occasion to see the animal?

- Yes, I did.

I was manicuring my shrubs,
one of which was turning yellow,

'cause it whiddled on it.

- Objection to the term "it."

- Overruled.

- Cockapoo.

- I beg your pardon?

- It is a full-bred cockapoo.

- Continue.

- Could you tell us then,
Mr. Weeks, what happened next?

- Well, I said to him,
"See what you did?"

These plants are my
passion, my family really.

"See what you did?," I said.

Then the little mutt mauled me.

- Objection to the term "mutt."

- Counselor!

- It is not an it or
a mutt. He's a pet,

and just because you
hate animals doesn't...

- I didn't say I hated...

- Tell the jury
what you do to cats.

- Mr. Sifuentes.
- I'm sorry, Judge,

but I have no tolerance
for animal abuse.

- Mr. Sifuentes!
- Hey!

- Maybe you can sit by and
watch vindictive eccentrics

b*at up on helpless
little puppies...

- Oh, for God sakes!

- Your Honor, please, I...
- Get up here now!

I know your game, cowboy.

You want a mistrial so
you can buy more time.

Well, you're not gonna get it.

What you will get is sanctions.

What you will get is contempt.

What you will get is a
directed verdict for the plaintiff.

Now you step back and
act like a lawyer, big sh*t,

or you're gonna lose
this case right now.

- Yes, sir.

- Now then, Mr. Weeks,

getting back to the
day the dog bit you.

- Objection to the term "bit."

I'm sorry, Your Honor,

but the medical
records indicate a nip.

- A nip? It was a vicious bite.

- You're a liar!
- I'm warning you!

- A dog beater and a liar, too.

- In my chambers, now!

Jury is excused
till 1 P.M. Move it!

- You left me no choice.

- Do you think I won't order
a verdict for the plaintiff?

You think I won't?

- With all due respect,
if you direct a verdict

before I even present my case

after already forcing
an unprepared attorney

to go forward, I'm gonna have
a*t*matic grounds for an appeal,

and you know it.

- You want it, just ask for it.

- Go ahead.
Take it. I'd love it.

Face it. The only way your
guy can be a real winner

is to win this trial on
the merits right here.

On the other hand, if
you think I've got you,

take the directed verdict.

You'll lose money, but
at least you'll save face.

- No DV, no
mistrial, Your Honor.

Let's go back in there.

- He's busy!

- They loved it!

- Brilliantly written
and ex*cuted,

"Rose Bush" looks like

the sleeper box office
smash of the season.

You can't pay for
a better review.

- Eroticism so highly charged

you can feel the heat
coming off of the screen.

Every teenager
with raging hormones

will be lining up for this one.

You were totally right
about the sex scene, Arnie.

I never thanked you.

You're a genius.

- Aw, come on. I bet you
say that to all the guys.

I'll make some
reservations at Michael's.

We'll start the celebration
there, continue at my place.

- Oh, I can't.

I already have a date.

- Well, break it.

- I can't.

- I did for you.

- Arnie, I'm having dinner
with a highly bankable actor.

If I can get him interested
in me and/or my script,

I've got a go project.

Anyway, I just
wanted to tell you

that I love you a lot and
when things are less crazed,

I'll call and we'll have lunch.

- Arnie?

Did that woman do
something to you?

- No, no, I did it to myself.

I let my guard down.

I let myself care.

Oh, I should be smarter
about women by now.

All they see is the package,

the money, the
clothes, the flash.

That's all they want.

And when they've used
you up, they just spit you out.

- You go out with the
wrong women, Arnie.

There's a sincere loving
woman somewhere

who could really appreciate
you for who you are.

- Rox, I've never
shown this to anyone.

I've never trusted
anyone enough.

Can I trust you?

- With your life.

- Arnold Becker in high school.

- You look different.

- Fat.

Fat boy with glasses.

- A little stocky.

- I went out on a blind
date once, Roxanne.

Peggy Miller, daughter of
one of my mother's friends.

When I got to the door,

there was one of those
little peephole things,

this eyeball looking me over,

and I heard a lot of muffled
voices moving around inside.

Finally, Peggy's
friend let me in.

Peggy was standing
there in a robe.

Her friend said that she
was too sick to go out.

As I walked away from the door,

I heard them laughing in there.

They were laughing
at me, Roxanne.

You have no idea
what that felt like.

- I know.

What you need is someone

to really love you, to hold you,

and take away all the hurt.

- Rox, you ever
been to Michael's?

- No.

- I really used to think

the day that I could afford
to eat at a place like that,

then I'd be a happy man.

Where's the happiness if
you haven't got somebody

to share it with, right?

- Right.

- So as difficult as it is,

I think the thing to do
is to go to Michael's,

a beautiful companion on my arm,

and try to enjoy the
pleasure of the moment, right?

- Right.

- So let's try
Christina Amarelli.

If she's not there,
Barbara St. John.

Rox.

I don't know what
I'd do without you.

- So all I'm asking,
ladies and gentlemen,

is that when you assemble
all of this evidence,

you take a good long
whiff of what they did,

because it stinks.

They asked her to
showcase her cancer,

to bare her breast, her
pain, her humiliation,

and when she
did, they fired her.

Sacrifice your personal
privacy, they said.

Do it for the
job, they told her.

And then they
took away that job.

And now, after
doing all of that to her,

they are asking
you to say it's okay.

This one reeks of
unfairness, people.

Draw upon your sense of justice,
upon your sense of fairness,

and send a message
loud and clear

that this sort of blatant
prejudice will not be tolerated.

Thank you.

- Draw upon your emotion.

That's what Mr. Kuzak
wants you to do.

Because emotion is
blind, ladies and gentlemen.

And if he can blind
you, then you won't see

the things that hurt
his case like facts.

The fact that she
had the worst ratings

of any anchorperson
in the last four years.

The fact that she
turned down a job

that would have paid
her most of the money

she claims to have lost.

The fact that newscasters
on every station

get fired all the
time for bad ratings.

The only fact the plaintiff
wants you to concentrate on

is the fact that this
whole thing is unfair,

and to that charge, I say
they're absolutely right.

It's unfair that
outstanding news people

get fired for low ratings.

It's unfair that Stacey
Gill in particular got fired.

It's grossly unfair that what
caused her ratings to fall

was a piece that perhaps will
end up saving women's lives.

And what really tips
the scales of equity here

is that the station
told her to do

what ultimately caused
her ratings to drop.

If the question
here were fairness,

I'll admit we wouldn't
have much of a case.

But the issue in
this court of law

is not whether Stacey Gill
was treated fairly. She wasn't.

The question is whether
Stacey Gill was treated legally.

Whether she has been
denied any of her legal rights,

and the facts of this
case say she hasn't.

Thank you.

- And if you find,
members of the jury,

that defendant's
discharge of plaintiff

was motivated by any factor

concerning her physical
anatomy or sexuality,

then you must
find for the plaintiff.

But if you find
that the discharge

was motivated solely by ratings,

as that term has been defined,

then you must find
for the defendant.

- What?

- No matter how
unfair or unpopular

you may consider
that discharge to be,

given the particular
circumstances of this case.

- I don't understand.
What happened?

- The judge went with the
other side's instructions, not ours.

- Well, what's the difference?

- Ours would have allowed them

to consider
fairness as an issue.

- Mr. Kuzak, do you
feel more or less...

- Can I see you a minute?

- Excuse me for
a second, all right?

- Come on, counsel.

- Just a couple of questions.

- Are you settling now?

- All right, try this out.

Dismiss the sex
discrimination claim.

Settle the breach of
contract for 200,000.

- You're offering $200,000

with that dream instruction
you just got from the judge?

- It's a jury.

Give them all the
instructions in the world,

they could still say we
got a big TV corporation

against a mother
with a school-aged kid,

cancer, and no husband.

You know, the truth is,
I think I made my case,

but a sex discrimination
rap ain't good for a TV station.

We just can't take the risk.

- Lump sum or structured?

- All of it, payable today.

- I'll recommend to my client
that she accept this offer.

- All right then.

- You ready for this?

They just offered us 200 grand

if we drop the
discrimination claim.

- I don't believe it.

- Believe it, but
let's not sit on it.

The jury could come
back any minute.

- Michael, I won't settle.

I've come too far.

- Now hold on a minute.

There's a good chance...

No, no, make that a great chance

that we could lose
and get nothing here.

And even if we win, it
may not be $200,000.

- But if I drop the sex
discrimination claim,

it's like I'm selling out.

- Stacey, listen,

I know that I counseled you
to hold to your convictions,

and I think you
did the right thing.

But now, in my
professional opinion,

this is the best result
we can hope for.

- But what about
upholding my principle?

- Your principle won't
get upheld if we lose.

- I won't settle.

- I admire your fortitude,

but don't let it interfere
with common sense.

- Michael, you
said it the other day.

If I settle, it's
like telling them

it was okay for them to
do what they did to me.

I won't tell them that.

- You hate this dog, don't you?

- No, I don't hate the dog.

- Come on,
Mr. Weeks. Come clean.

The jury won't believe you
unless you level with us.

- Objection!
- Those shrubs are your passion.

You weed 'em, you prune
'em, you mulch, sprits 'em.

Then that little mutt comes over

and lifts his leg till
all the leaves fall off.

You like that dog?

- I never said I liked him.

- That's your family that
he leaks on biweekly.

You hate that dog.

- I don't like the dog.

- 'Cause he yellows your plants.
- That's right.

- 'Cause he goes
to the bathroom.

- In my yard.

- Well, why don't you
just shoo him away?

- I try. He growls.

- That's right. He
bit your bamboo rake

and punctured
the shaft, didn't he?

- Yes.

- What were you doing with
the rake when he bit it, sir?

- I was shooing him away.

- You hit that
dog with the rake!

- I didn't hit that dog!

- I got three witnesses
here, Mr. Weeks!

You wanna change that answer?

- Objection!
- Overruled.

- I just brushed him
with it to shoo him.

- You called the pound
three times in the last year.

Tell us, Mr. Weeks, tell us.

Tell us why you
called the pound.

- Answer the question, sir.

- I called to suggest
that they look into...

That they explore
the possibility

of whether it would
be appropriate

to put the dog
humanely to sleep.

- In other words, you
b*at on him with a rake,

and now you want him
dead for no good reason.

- Objection!
- For every reason!

That damn mutt is
nothing but a bag of worms.

The damn dog
destroyed my shrubs!

- He deserves to
die, doesn't he?

- Oh, you bet he does!

- Oh!

- No further
questions, Your Honor.

- Good night, Peter.

- Hi.

- You get off on
the wrong floor?

- Just the wrong foot.

- You and me both.

Look, I am really sorry...
- Peter, I wanted to...

- I really am sorry.
I had no business.

- We were both out of line.

Look, for what it's worth,

you did give me
something to think about,

and, well, I was kind of hoping

that maybe we could
wipe the slate clean

and start all over.

Yeah, that sounds good.

So.

- A beer after work.

- Yeah.

- Okay, Mr. Washington
will purchase the building

at the agreed-upon price

and assume the cost
of relocating the tenants.

In addition, he will pay $2,500
in settlement to each family.

In consideration
of this arrangement,

the tenants agree to drop
their suit against Mr. Brackman

and release him
from all liability.

Are we agreed?

- Agreed.

- Oh, you guys
really play hardball,

but... okay.

- All right. If
you'll both initial,

I'll draw up full papers
tomorrow for signature.

Gentlemen, good night.

Dwight, how's it going?

- Oh, pretty good, sir.
How about yourself?

- A little lonely at
this hour, isn't it?

- Oh, I don't know, sir.

I like it quiet.

Besides, I got my music.

- How long have you
been with us now, Dwight?

- Well, it's been
nine years now, sir.

- Are you happy here?

- I don't got no complaints.

- That's incredible, Dwight.

There aren't many
people able to say that.

- Well, we all have
our problems, sir.

- But you seem to bear yours

with such dignity
and good humor.

May I ask how much
you earn in a week?

- I take home about 285.

- Now, I earn 10 times that.

But do you know
something, Dwight?

You're the richer man.

- Oh, I don't know.
I ain't got much.

- You've got peace of mind,

and that's what it's
all about, my friend.

- Well, if you say so.

- I can learn much
from a man like you.

Thank you, Dwight.

Thank you for your
outlook, my friend.

Uh, I want you to have this.

- Oh, no, I don't
want your money, sir.

- Take it. I want
you to have it.

- Thank you, sir.
Thank you very much.

Good night.
- Good night.

- Sir.

- Has the jury reached
a verdict, Mr. Foreman?

- We have, Your Honor.

- Very well. What then
say you, Mr. Foreman?

- We, the jury, find
in favor of the plaintiff

on count one and count
two of the complaint.

And order the defendant
to pay damages

in the amount of $1.3 million.

- Oh!

- Congratulations.
You were right.

- Oh, thank you, thank you.

- Were you surprised
by the verdict, Ms. Gill?

Do you plan to go
back to broadcasting?

- What do you think...

- Will you ever go back
to the station, Ms. Gill?

- Ms. Gill, do you ever think

they'll let you back
in to broadcasting?

- What are you going to do
with all that money, Ms. Gill?

- Ms. Gill, is it true that
you signed a book contract

for the Stacey Gill story

in the neighborhood of a
half million dollars or so?

- I have signed a
book contract, yes.

- And is it also
true that the deal

was conditioned upon this
case going to a final verdict?

- I'd rather not talk about the
book right now, if you don't...

- Excuse me. Can I
talk to you for a second?

- What's this book deal?

- It was something I was
offered during the trial.

- How much?

- I don't think that's
really your concern.

- How much?

- $450,000 advance.

- Conditioned on your
getting a jury verdict, right?

- The publisher wanted
an ending, win or lose.

- So that's why
you wouldn't settle,

because you would
have blown the book deal.

You lied to me.

- I didn't lie.

- Well, you omitted the
truth. The same thing.

- And if I had told you,

would you have been so
passionate, so fired up?

- I doubt it.

- That's right. And it was
your fire that won this thing.

It was your passion
that got the jury.

It paid off in there,

and it's gonna pay off again
when I capture it in my book.

- In other words,
anything for a story.

- Oh, well, forgive
me for thinking

that the livelihood of the
client or the client's family

could ever come before
the attorney's interest

in his tidy little trial.

Grow up, Michael.
You won and so did I.

And as far as results go,

I think that's a
pretty good one.

- You didn't.

- Verdict for defendant
in 17 minutes.

Congratulations yourself.

This is a great country, huh?

- What happened to your foot?

- The fleabag bit it.

- So sue.
- No, it'll be okay.

I'll just keep it elevated

as I lean back in
my nice soft chair.

- Come on, Victor.
I want it back.

- A bet's a bet.

- Victor, it took me a long
time to break in that chair.

- You know, you did a good job.

The soft spots, they're
just in the right place.

- Yeah, well, it's
not just the time.

I've spent every day of my
professional life in that chair.

It's part of me.

- These things happen, Mike.

You could use
that one if you want.

Another four or five years,

and it'll be broken
in like this one.

Damn!

- The Stacey Gill
trial ended today

when a jury awarded her
$1.3 million in damages.

- No!
- No what?

- I'm not letting you in
until you agree with me.

- I'm serious.

- You won a big case.

You're a hero in the
news and with your client,

and you made
$400,000 for your firm,

and you're telling me I
can't get in under your sheets

unless I agree you
were victimized?

- She used me.

- Oh! Look!

- But I am most grateful to
my attorney Michael Kuzak,

who was not only
brilliant throughout,

but a great source of strength

during these very trying times.
- Look!

- How do you feel
about the outcome?

- Uh, we're happy
that justice was done.

The verdict was fair

and we're grateful
that the truth came out.

- Hurray for justice.

Well...

- Uh-uh. Tell the truth.

If you had to do
it all over again

and she walked into your office

and she said "Take
my case", would you?

- Well...
- Of course you would

because it is juicy,
newsy, exciting stuff.

Come on. Come on.

She may have used you to
get her kicks as a journalist,

but you used her to get
your kicks as an attorney.

To tell you the truth, I
don't see the difference

between what she did to
you and what you did to Victor.

Uh-huh.

So give me one good
reason to be so upset.

- I lost my chair.

- What?

- I lost my chair.

- You have my deepest
sympathies, Mikey,

but don't worry.

As long as we're together,

you'll always have
something to sit on.