Bluff City Law (2019) s01e02 Episode Script
You Don't Need a Weatherman...
1 Previously on "Bluff City Law" You're my daughter.
I want you to come back to the firm.
I want you fighting for what's right.
Meet Emerson.
Paralegal, assistant, and all around in-house genius.
Yeah, it's, uh, nice to finally meet you.
The teacher's wrongfully convicted of killing a student.
Why would you say that you were guilty if you were innocent? Your ex-husband is the chief of detectives.
Jake, is it? Did you break his heart? You broke his heart.
I know that if you can channel all this passion that you have, you can change the world.
Hey, Dad? How long you staying? What did he just call you? [LIGHT MUSIC.]
- These three best behave together.
- Emma? I heard.
- Sorry.
- Thank you.
Yeah, vultures.
You should've called me, Emma.
If a farmer has a problem, she turns to other farmers.
Not a lawyer.
Well, this lawyer taught his daughter to ride her first horse on that field right over there.
150 years, Elijah.
This land has been in my family for 150 years, and now I lost it because the court says I'm a thief.
You know, some things you just don't tell your friends 'cause you don't want to see their faces when they find out.
Five minutes, folks.
The auction will begin in five minutes.
[TIRES SCREECH.]
[LIGHTLY EDGY MUSIC.]
- Hey, that's our cart.
- Stop her! - Sorry, I need it.
- Where you going? Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll please gather up front for the auction to begin.
Bring your catalogs and, of course, your wish list.
Now, when you look at your lot numbers, I'd like to give you a quick reminder Judge Sarnow! Judge Sarnow! Judge Sarnow! Judge Sarnow, Your Honor.
I got it.
Miss Strait.
I would say I'm shocked, but when it comes to you, I think I'm going to retire that word.
Oh, thank you.
I'd like to remind you that the entire household is for sale.
I will be selling everything here, at least Hold on! Hold on, hold on, man, you're gonna want to see this.
Hold on.
- Excuse me, excuse me, sir.
- [AUCTIONEER CONTINUES TALKING.]
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
Excuse me Okay.
Let me remind you the bidding will start with 30Day Stay of the foreclosure.
Said you wanted it in person, so I put some tape on it so it won't get lost.
Sorry, folks, but today's auction has been canceled, so if you can just make your way back to your vehicles, that would be much appreciated.
Thank you so much.
Delayed folks, this auction has not been canceled, just delayed.
Did you see that? See what I did there? - [LAUGHTER.]
- Wait, wait, stop.
Easy, easy.
I don't wanna get this nice suit all dirty.
Oh, like that would stop me.
- Nothing ever did.
- [LAUGHS.]
Now, Sydney, I do appreciate your help but I already lost to Terennial in court.
I just don't see how we're doing anything but putting off the inevitable.
Well, because tomorrow we're gonna go before the Court of Appeals, we're gonna expose Terennial for the criminals they are and get the ruling against you set aside, and then the bank won't have to foreclose, because you won't have any penalties to pay.
[LAUGHING.]
She hasn't changed at all, has she? All right, come on.
Y'all came all the way out here the least I can do is feed you.
You know, I gotta get back to the city.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
All right.
Rain check then.
Yes.
- Drive safely.
- Yep.
Well, I was gonna ask how things were going between the two of you, but seems I don't have to.
Oh, come on.
[SCOFFS.]
- I'm feeding you.
- [LAUGHS.]
[BLUESY MUSIC PLAYS.]
Born on your bad side You hear that Sydney got the stay? Found the judge on the 12th green.
I'll say this for her, she does keep things interesting.
[LAUGHS.]
Hey, you got a blood lab that you trust? George Bell case? Yeah, just wanna run the blood samples again.
- What? - Oh, nothing.
Just so used to you doing big corporate cases.
It's kind of sweet to see you fight this hard for one guy.
This is an innocent guy with a wrongful imprisonment case worth millions.
This isn't about the money.
- He got you.
- Okay, therapy session over.
What's in the sauce? It's cumin.
No, it's cinnamon.
Your Yankee upbringing's showing.
Cinnamon is never found in your better barbeque sauces.
It's never found in any barbeque sauce.
No, it's never found in your run-of-the-mill mediocre sauces.
Those are fighting words, Jacob.
Wars have been fought over less.
Look, I know what you're saying, Tony.
You're from here.
You think you know everything.
But sometimes you have to think different.
That's what Steve Jobs says.
Now you're comparing yourself to Steve Jobs? No, I'm far better dressed than Steve Jobs.
[LAUGHING.]
So, you boys ready? Oh.
Come This week's secret ingredient is - Cumin.
- Pay up.
- This this is a conspiracy.
- Pay up, get the wallet.
This is a conspiracy to make me look like some kind of Yankee fool.
Charlie, is everything okay? You're a lawyer, right, Anthony? Yeah, we're both lawyers, Charlie.
People say you're the guy who saved Shelby Park? I am that man.
Good, 'cause I need you.
Butchie's making moves.
Thinks he can start some franchise using my recipe.
- Excuse me? - I wanna sue my brother for stealing my secret barbeque sauce.
[BLUESY MUSIC CONTINUES IN BACKGROUND.]
He's your man.
Oh, I would have no luck at all Jesus, Bri.
What have I told you about breaking into my house? Something about how I shouldn't do it? Yeah, boundaries.
What is this? What are we doing? It's been two days since you found out you had a half-brother and haven't talked about it, so we're going out and talking about it.
[CHATTER, MUSIC.]
I been away from you, baby My mom's dead and my dad and I aren't speaking because he has a secret love child who now works at our office.
My life is a blues song, Bri, and it's not even a good one.
You didn't know, did you? I suspected, but I didn't dig 'cause I figured if Elijah was keeping it a secret, he had a good reason.
And since the big reveal, what have we learned? Della knew, but no one else at the firm.
My dad doesn't have a whole secret second family, does he? Please.
In fact, I don't think he's been aware of Emerson for all that long.
So Dad found out while he and I weren't speaking.
- That a comfort? - [GRUNTS.]
That could be one.
No.
Come on, he's so pretty.
- Mm-mm.
- Hi.
All right, fine.
If that's what you think - is gonna make you feel better.
- Thank you.
Get your ass right back here.
[LAUGHTER.]
You're a mess.
I know.
[LAUGHTER.]
Honestly, I don't even know what's bothering me.
I mean yes, of course I'm mad at Dad, but I'm not exactly all that surprised.
I don't know.
There's just there's something just like eating away at me, and I can't I can't I can't put my finger on it.
There's a tragedy unfolding across the country.
Small farmers like Emma Sutton are falling victim to a corporate trap from which there's no escape.
What is this trap? First Terennial makes a genetically modified seed and patents it.
A farmer then plants this seed, and when that crop matures, those seeds do what all seeds do They take to the wind and blow into the fields of neighboring farms.
Then one day, Terennial knocks on those farmers' doors and says, "Guess what? You've got our patented seed in your field, so technically part of your harvest is ours, so kindly pay up.
" Now it doesn't matter if you didn't want their seed.
It doesn't even matter if, like Emma Sutton, you took measures to keep it off your property.
Terennial demands their cash, and if you say no, they take you to court for stealing their product.
And that's where the real tragedy happens.
They win.
This madness has to stop.
Farmers can't stop the wind.
They can't fight Mother Nature.
They are not stealing.
If anything, Terennial is trespassing.
And as such, we ask that Emma Sutton's ruling be set aside as defective.
Thank you.
The court finds Ms.
Strait's arguments persuasive.
However, this matter has already become settled law.
Farmers across the country have litigated the issue all the way to the Supreme Court, and each time, it's been found legal.
Therefore the court affirms the district court's ruling against Ms.
Sutton.
She will pay the judgment against her or she will forfeit her farm as previously ordered.
All rise.
Court is adjourned.
[COURTROOM MURMURS.]
Nothing this wrong is every entirely legal.
Our system's not perfect, but somewhere in it there is a way to make this wrong right.
And we'll find it.
Okay, Della will be the judge.
Jake and Anthony, you be our jury.
I'll argue possible strategies for our side.
Sydney, since you used to work for these kinds of companies, uh, you be Terennial.
We'll start and we'll just keep on going until we have an approach that we think has a snowball's chance of saving these farms.
Hey, when's the big barbeque meeting? - Tomorrow.
- Sound good? - Yes.
- Yep.
- Good.
- Okay, uh We attack them with science.
Call their specialists.
Get them to talk about how these seeds are engineered to spread like wildfire.
First of all, that's protected work product, so no way you're getting that in court.
She's right.
Second, it's also settled law, like the court said yesterday.
Fine.
How about Antitrust? Terennial's got a near monopoly with the percentage Antitrust is a matter for Congress.
Any secret Congressmen here? Public Health.
We can argue the dangers of every crop being genetically related Yes, please come after us for doubling productivity and keeping the world from starvation.
- Deceptive practices.
- Dead in the water.
- Patent limitations.
- Even deader in the water.
Fine, then our best bet is to go back to the science - and the spread of the seed - Yes, by all means, let's hammer them for the indiscriminate spread of their seed.
Okay, I think it's time for a nice get-your-act-together recess.
- Am I right? - Mmhmm.
[QUIET MUSIC.]
Well, I'd say we have Terennial right where we want them.
[LAUGHING.]
Move over.
I know it doesn't seem like it now, but it will be a relief not to have to keep that secret anymore for both of us.
I saw Carolyn the other night.
- What'd she say? - Well, she teased me mostly.
[LAUGHING.]
Well, that sounds like Carolyn.
You don't think me seeing something like that - is so strange? - No.
When I was 14, my sister died, and I saw her for an entire year.
Any time I wanted to see her, I would just close my eyes And when I opened them, there she was.
Should I, uh, quit? Like, seriously, should I? I feel like this is all my fault.
I asked you to wait to tell people, and now it's like crazy town out here, so I Emerson.
First of all, none of this is your fault.
Sydney and I we've got a lot of history and, um, she has every right to be mad at me, just like you have every right to be here.
But more than that, you're wanted here.
By me and the rest of the firm.
I'm sorry but, uh, things are gonna be a little bumpy for awhile but, uh I love you, son.
And knowing Sydney the way I do, in time she will, too.
Please trust that.
So, I see you found my spot.
- Your spot? - Mm-hmm.
First time I worked here this was practically my office.
Can we share it then? Thank you.
Shared a dog with a boyfriend once.
That ended poorly.
For him or the dog? I'm sorry for how I acted downstairs.
- I should've - Don't be.
You were pissed.
I get it.
I mean, nobody actually tells me what goes on in there, but from the little I do know I do, in fact, get it.
And I also get that it's not long since you lost an amazing mother.
I liked Carolyn.
She had a way of seeing the best in people.
Thank you.
Of course.
You know, Jake, I think I may have misjudged you.
No we should go back inside.
You come across as this macho, fast-car-driving guy.
Your dad probably wants to talk to us, so But you're actually a nice person.
- Hi, Jake.
- Hey, handsome.
- [GIGGLING.]
Hey.
- Hey.
Hi, Jake.
[LAUGHTER.]
- Huh.
- Yeah.
- That's why you sit out here.
- Of course not.
- Mm.
- But if you need me, I will be here Tuesdays at 4:00.
and Fridays at 6:00.
Is that your ex-husband? Why is he here? [EDGY MUSIC.]
Why didn't you tell me? I didn't want to worry you if it was nothing.
Plate traces back to Pelham Security Services out of Atlanta.
There's no red flags, there's no link to Terennial.
However, I did just notice a car idling up the block just now.
Took off as soon as I rolled up, - which makes me think that - Terennial's having us watched.
Yep.
Not surprising based on the reports we get.
Pretty much any time a farmer makes a stink, Terennial sends guys.
They intimidate, follow I've tried to get people to file complaints but It's all downside if they do.
Appreciate you taking the time.
Really great seeing you, Robbie.
You too.
Robbie, Dad? Really? He's the chief of detectives, and he cares about you.
That's exactly who I'm calling when someone's following my daughter.
Well, thanks for the head's up.
You know, you can't give people the silent treatment and then get angry if you're out of the loop.
One thing has nothing to do with the other.
Okay, fine.
Noted.
But you're here now and, uh, we're talking.
So besides me apologizing for the way that you found out about Emerson, how's about we clear the air? I don't want any more walls between us, Sydney.
No more secrets.
Well, that's not gonna leave us with much.
What do you want to know? Ask me any question.
I'll answer it.
[BEEP.]
Mr.
Strait? Sorry to disturb you, but I have Sheriff Lord calling.
He's says it's about Emma Sutton.
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER.]
Was he on her land? 3 feet from the property line.
Did he say why he was just parked way out here like this? He claims he heard the farm was gonna be foreclosed soon and he was thinking about buying it.
Elijah, he's not pressing charges, but if she does it again Appreciate you calling.
So, farmer has a problem, she takes a tire iron to it, huh? - You're damn right she does.
- Emma, I know that you're What, you want me to play nice? They're bullies.
There's only one way you deal with bullies.
They punch you, you punch harder.
Emma, this isn't a street fight.
- We need to do this in court.
- Well, someone should tell them that, because as far as I'm concerned, they're no better than gangsters.
They sue me, but they're the ones that should be in handcuffs.
Dad? [LIGHTLY EDGY MUSIC.]
No better than gangsters.
Okay, now what? Now the new lab will compare your blood and DNA with that found at the crime scene, and when it doesn't match, I will demand that the DA either free you or give you a new trial How's that sound? Pretty damn good, I'd say.
How you doing, George? You need anything? Apple sauce? [LAUGHING.]
You know, it's funny.
You'd think it'd be easier, knowing I actually got a chance of getting out of here.
But in a way, it almost feels harder.
Well, just Just hang in there a little longer, okay? Guard.
All right.
And I will call you as soon as I hear anything about the DNA from the lab, okay? Bye, George.
Hey, Jake.
What's it like out there? I'm gonna let you find that out for yourself, George.
[SOFT MUSIC.]
[DOOR CLICKS SHUT.]
Your Honor, this is insane.
They wanna use the Civil RICO statutes Laws designed to go after drug cartels and the Mafia To prosecute a case against Terennial just because their client lost her appeal.
They move into new territory, like a gang.
They force their product on you, like a gang.
And if you don't say yes, they resort to tactics like intimidation and threats to your way of life.
So you're saying all corporations are criminal? - No, just yours.
- Insane as it may sound, Mr.
Wells, I agree with Mr.
Strait that this is a matter for a jury.
Ms.
Sutton's lawsuit against Terennial may go forward.
Now, I believe we can come to an amicable solution.
Counselor, I'd like for you to explain to my client I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm late.
Mr.
Cooper, we met before.
Jake Reilly, second chair.
I'm just, uh, here to learn from the legend.
Mr.
Reynolds was about to explain his client's position.
My client believes, being brothers, they shared in the creation of this business.
And now that my client wants to leave, he's entitled to take the recipes they created They? Who's they, Butchie? Were you in the kitchen sweating day and night? I don't think so, 'cause there's no way I would've missed seeing your fat ass.
I was out front, running the whole show.
Ordering ingredients, greeting the customers, doing the marketing.
Fixing tables with my bare hands when they broke.
Broke because you sat on them.
Insults are the tools of small minds, like Tony Robbins says.
Well, this Coop is ready to fly the coop to greener pastures.
Gentlemen, I think we all agree on the basics.
Now your client's leaving with the hopes of starting a franchise of his own.
My client's saying that he can't take the sauce.
Now, given that your client has admitted that he was nowhere near the kitchen - when the recipes were being created - Don't matter.
We have a contract.
Says everything's 50/50.
- Contract? - Didn't I mention that? Contract? My name is Tucker Goodman, and I am the CEO of Terennial.
I flew out here personally because that's how seriously all of us at Terennial take these outrageous charges.
I started as a farmer.
I came up in a farming family.
Multi-millionaire farmers.
Terennial has, and always will be, a company where farmers matter.
Criminals don't come with a sign on them that says "criminal.
" And nowadays, it seems like anyone can be one Bankers, doctors, lawyers.
What you're going to hear from us during the course of this trial is that sometimes companies can be criminals, too.
Could you tell me what happened? I was broke.
I have a wife, three kids I was under a mountain of debt.
[EDGY MUSIC.]
And that is when the Terennial sales rep offered you a cash incentive that just happened to be the exact amount that you owed if you would be the first farmer in the county to try his product? Yes.
So what'd they do after they showed you proof that their seed had mixed with yours? They were nice at first.
Said if I switched over, they'd give me a discount.
- And did you switch over? - No.
We're an organic farm, non GMO.
Terennial's GMO.
And so then what happened when you told them no? They they sued.
And then while I was waiting for the trial, that's when the other things started to happen.
Other things? What other things, sir? They slashed my tires.
They started following me around everywhere.
I'd wake up and find smashed equipment.
I'd even see them when I picked my kids up at school.
How'd that make you feel? I was scared.
I was scared.
I was terrified.
So what did you do? Carla and I talked about it.
And we held our ground.
We decided not to take their product.
And are you still farming now? No.
The bank took the farm after we lost the court fight.
Nothing further.
Uh, if I may, Your Honor? Mr.
Miller, how long has this farm been in your family, sir? 110 years.
And what do you do for work now? I work the graveyard shift at the Stop & Shop.
Carla drives Uber.
[SOMBER MUSIC.]
Thank you.
Nothing further.
Court will adjourn for the day.
Why didn't you ask those last two questions like we planned? I made a judgment call.
This case is about community.
This group of farmers All the years that they've done this.
I decided that it would be stronger to end on the bank foreclosing.
That decision wasn't solely yours to make, and you did it without consulting.
You don't want to talk about Emerson, that's one thing.
You don't want to talk about the case, maybe take some time off.
- What? - I can handle you being mad.
I understand sad, but what I will not tolerate is letting our stuff impact you as a lawyer.
That's unfair to our clients.
You wanna know what question's eating at me? The one thing that I just I can't get out of my head no matter how hard I t? - Yes.
- Did Mom know? [QUIET MUSIC.]
She did.
That's what I thought.
[KNOCKING.]
Yes? Hey.
Hi.
Should I quit? I asked Elijah, but I realized the person I should ask is you.
I don't wanna make you miserable.
I don't want to be the reason that you stop working here.
You're important.
What you guys do here That's it's important.
But, you know, if every time you you see me, you see his mistake, I just think it makes more sense for me to go than you.
Don't don't leave, Emerson.
I I don't know how to say much more than that right now, but, um don't I don't I don't think you should leave.
Right.
Okay.
Sorry, do you mean, like, don't leave the firm or don't leave your office right now? - I mean the firm.
- Right, okay.
[BLUES GUITAR CHORDS.]
[VOICES CHATTERING, APPROACHING.]
[LAUGHTER.]
Yeah.
Yep.
Okay, bye.
Goodbye.
[SIGHS.]
See ya.
[HEAVY MUSIC.]
I grew up in South Memphis.
Gonna take more than some corporate lackey in an idling car to scare me.
She's attractive and smart, your daughter.
Must be proud.
[BOTH GRUNTING.]
Anyone say one more word about my daughter give her one more look Dead man.
[GRUNTS.]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Do you recognize Plaintiff's Exhibit A? t's the contract Charlie and I made when we first started.
- And who's it signed by? - Me and Charlie.
Really? Where's your name? Next to his, right here.
I signed it, "Coop.
" Objection, Your Honor.
Counsel is trying to use a technicality to deem this contract void.
Coop is clearly my client's nickname.
Doesn't matter.
Nicknames without a DBA or a side-letter do not meet the standards of a contract, which means the court must refer to the business license to assign ownership, and that license is in my client's name alone.
Your Honor, may I approach? What's happening? Means you're getting everything and your brother's getting the shaft.
[LAUGHING.]
I knew you was the man, Anthony.
From now on, your money's no good at my place.
There's something I wanna show you.
Keep an open mind.
No.
What's this pot roast doing here? Oh, you come here to gloat? I don't got nothing to say to you.
You think Cooper Brothers is the best barbeque in Memphis? You're standing in front of the best barbeque this city ever saw.
I'd tell you the name of the place, but [SIGHS.]
you never heard of it 'cause the family that owned it turned on each other.
This is all that remains.
My wife and I, we had our first date at your restaurant.
Families wait all week to go out, have their Saturday night dinner together at your place.
In a city that's trying to be better, you two built something this whole community loves, and you think this fight is about you? 'Cause ask yourselves how many other people will pay If you tear each other apart? I know I bust your balls, but, uh you're one hell of a lawyer.
Double or nothing on tomorrow's sauce.
Now you're talking.
How are we gonna win this trial, Sydney? I think we're doing good.
The jury wants to rule for us, so Yeah, but we need more than anonymous bad guys.
We need a face, an insider Proof that this company might as well be a gang.
Begs the question, uh what's justice in this case, hmm? Terennial pays big and Emma gets back her farm.
Yeah, what about the next wave of farmers downwind? And the one after that? Okay, well, real justice would be these people in handcuffs, but we're not the law, Dad.
We're just trying to do what's right.
Your mother she knew about Emerson.
She found out 18 months ago, when I did.
She also knew that she had a husband who was desperate to reconnect with his daughter and, uh and a daughter who might just call it a day when she found out.
And she knew that she was the thing that was keeping us together because you and I, we we might be too damn proud to work it out ourselves.
She knew a lot of things, your mother.
What she didn't know was that she wasn't gonna have the time to guide us through this.
To get us safely to shore.
I've done things, Sydney.
You can be mad at me all you want.
Don't please don't be mad at her.
She loved you and me.
And, I I think that makes us the two luckiest people I've ever known.
[SNIFFLES.]
[SOFT EMOTIONAL MUSIC.]
Well, you weren't yelling, so that probably means I'm interrupting a nice moment, which you'll forgive me for when you see this.
Okay.
Meet Cameron Rook.
Resident of Charlotte, North Carolina and coordinator of all of Terennial's intimidation tactics.
- How'd you find him? - Okay, so every time I ran a plate on one of those mystery cars, I'd get a different company 'cause they were being careful.
However, when I cross-referenced all the plates looking for common names in insurance, maintenance led me to him.
We need to call Judge Frye and get a subpoena for Rook.
Gotta do it quiet, though, 'cause if Terennial hears, this Rook He'll be in the wind.
You think you gonna have a problem heading over to Charlotte, bringing this guy back? I'm gonna pretend you didn't ask me that.
What, I know that look.
What is it? I'm thinking putting in a call to State Attorney General Edwards.
Back-up plan.
Just in case someone else is looking for Rook.
Emma, what do you love about farming? It's honest work.
It's hard, but it's satisfying.
You see the payoff after every harvest.
And you know that you're feeding people, and it feels good.
Would you tell the jury, what does it mean to leave a field fallow? It means you don't plant it.
Costs you money, but it allows your soil time to regenerate.
And in the last ten years, you've left larger portions of your fields fallow than ever before, costing you thousands of extra dollars.
Why? To try to protect my land from contamination with Terennial seed.
Did it work? I wouldn't be here if it did.
Nothing further.
[WHISPERS.]
Look at this before you say anything.
Your Honor, we have no questions for Miss Sutton.
We thank her for her courage and her candor.
The witness is thanked for her time and excused.
Court is adjourned until 10:00 a.
m.
tomorrow morning.
[TAPS GAVEL.]
- What the hell was that? - A performance.
Terennial always will be a company where farmers matter.
Unfortunately, some very serious illegal activity has been brought to our attention recently.
So I launched an internal investigation.
As of an hour ago, Terennial has filed suit against Cameron Rook, an independent subcontractor who we believe did try to intimidate innocent farmers in order to boost sales for his own benefit.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
Cameron Brook is gone.
Terennial must've found out we were coming and warned him.
Yeah, we know.
He's gone.
What I heard this past week, shocked and upset me.
- Isn't this good for us? - No.
No, by getting out in front, he's painting himself as the hero and he's inoculating Terennial from guilt.
They're not a bad company, just had one bad apple acting on his own.
It's the ultimate defense for a RICO case.
I'd also like to thank Elijah Strait.
While I think this proves his lawsuit is frivolous, he did help bring Mr.
Rook's infractions to our attention.
He also gave our company the chance to show, again, farmers matter.
Looks like we've got one more witness to call.
Plaintiff calls Tucker Goodman.
Your Honor, Mr.
Goodman is not on the witness list.
Well, that's because we had no idea that he would inject himself into this case by launching investigations, thanking me publicly.
Mr.
Goodman, you've been CEO of Terennial for 14 years now.
Would you say the company has thrived under your leadership? - It's a team effort.
- There's no need to be modest here, sir.
Under your stewardship, the stock price has gone up 600%.
And you produce almost 80% of all of the seed that is sold in this country.
- Is there a question here? - Has Terennial thrived by making farmers an offer they can't refuse? Your Honor, Counsel is wording his question in a veiled attempt to invoke thoughts of organized crime.
There's nothing veiled about it.
It's the point of this trial.
We make attractive offers.
We also make a superior product.
But farmers can and do refuse offers.
And at one point do you sue them? On rare occasions.
[CHUCKLES.]
Oh, no.
114 times Terennial has sued farmers in the last two years.
Of those 114 farmers, some of them who are here today, do you know how many of them still own their farms? I do not.
Would you be surprised to know that that number is zero? Are you surprised that no one who refuses a Terennial offer continues to exist? - Your Honor - Take your product or they are out of business.
Isn't that an offer you can't refuse? Mr.
Strait, your question has been asked and answered.
We should just cut to the chase here.
Mr.
Goodman, you think this whole court case is frivolous, don't you? - I do.
- Why? Because while we may be a tough competitor in a fierce market, nothing we do is illegal.
- Having farmers followed? - I don't do that.
Having women and children intimidated? - I don't do that either.
- Witness tampering? I'm sorry, did you answer that? It's a simple yes or no question.
Have you, as head of the Terennial family, ever been involved in witness tampering? Objection.
I'll allow it.
Hypothetically, would it surprise you to learn, Mr.
Goodman, that the North Carolina attorney general was already investigating Cameron Rook, the man you identified as a "rogue contractor"? - Objection, Your Honor.
- Your Honor, Mr.
Goodman opened the door to this line of questioning when he decided to hold a press conference on the steps of our courthouse.
Continue.
Hypothetically, would it surprise you to hear that you were recorded telling Mr.
Rook to flee before I could subpoena him? Your Honor, Counsel is testifying and not allowing the witness to speak.
Hypothetically, would you be worried, sir, that there's an arrest warrant for your behavior? For your criminal behavior? Can you answer that? No, I would not be worried because we don't do things like that, Mr.
Strait.
At Terennial, farmers matter.
Indeed they do.
He scored points in there.
He looked like a desperate man on a fishing expedition.
Well, tomorrow when you question me, I want to make sure you put any lingering doubts to bed.
Then I want you to file a complaint with the Tennessee Bar Association.
Tucker Goodman, I have a warrant for your arrest on the charge of witness tampering.
Let me see that warrant.
[REPORTERS CHATTERING.]
Turns out, the attorney general really did tap that phone.
I've got a car waiting around the side, but I know you like pictures, so we can take you out front.
Don't say a word.
We'll go out the side.
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER.]
You were right.
Farmers matter.
George, hey.
Um [CLEARS THROAT.]
Test results came back.
They rule you out completely.
They prove you're innocent.
[LAUGHS.]
So, officially settlement talks will start tomorrow, but with Terennial's CEO indicted and the company under RICO investigation, I'd say we got pretty good leverage to start I've got my farm.
[SCOFFS.]
The money, when it comes, it'll be nice.
But I got my farm and the freedom to work it as I see fit.
So do a lot of other people around here.
All thanks to you.
You did good, kiddo.
You done real good.
But now this thing with your dad work it out, even if he's wrong.
No, especially if he's wrong, work it out, because life is short.
[SOFT, STIRRING MUSIC.]
I want you to come back to the firm.
I want you fighting for what's right.
Meet Emerson.
Paralegal, assistant, and all around in-house genius.
Yeah, it's, uh, nice to finally meet you.
The teacher's wrongfully convicted of killing a student.
Why would you say that you were guilty if you were innocent? Your ex-husband is the chief of detectives.
Jake, is it? Did you break his heart? You broke his heart.
I know that if you can channel all this passion that you have, you can change the world.
Hey, Dad? How long you staying? What did he just call you? [LIGHT MUSIC.]
- These three best behave together.
- Emma? I heard.
- Sorry.
- Thank you.
Yeah, vultures.
You should've called me, Emma.
If a farmer has a problem, she turns to other farmers.
Not a lawyer.
Well, this lawyer taught his daughter to ride her first horse on that field right over there.
150 years, Elijah.
This land has been in my family for 150 years, and now I lost it because the court says I'm a thief.
You know, some things you just don't tell your friends 'cause you don't want to see their faces when they find out.
Five minutes, folks.
The auction will begin in five minutes.
[TIRES SCREECH.]
[LIGHTLY EDGY MUSIC.]
- Hey, that's our cart.
- Stop her! - Sorry, I need it.
- Where you going? Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll please gather up front for the auction to begin.
Bring your catalogs and, of course, your wish list.
Now, when you look at your lot numbers, I'd like to give you a quick reminder Judge Sarnow! Judge Sarnow! Judge Sarnow! Judge Sarnow, Your Honor.
I got it.
Miss Strait.
I would say I'm shocked, but when it comes to you, I think I'm going to retire that word.
Oh, thank you.
I'd like to remind you that the entire household is for sale.
I will be selling everything here, at least Hold on! Hold on, hold on, man, you're gonna want to see this.
Hold on.
- Excuse me, excuse me, sir.
- [AUCTIONEER CONTINUES TALKING.]
Hey, hey, hey, hey.
Excuse me Okay.
Let me remind you the bidding will start with 30Day Stay of the foreclosure.
Said you wanted it in person, so I put some tape on it so it won't get lost.
Sorry, folks, but today's auction has been canceled, so if you can just make your way back to your vehicles, that would be much appreciated.
Thank you so much.
Delayed folks, this auction has not been canceled, just delayed.
Did you see that? See what I did there? - [LAUGHTER.]
- Wait, wait, stop.
Easy, easy.
I don't wanna get this nice suit all dirty.
Oh, like that would stop me.
- Nothing ever did.
- [LAUGHS.]
Now, Sydney, I do appreciate your help but I already lost to Terennial in court.
I just don't see how we're doing anything but putting off the inevitable.
Well, because tomorrow we're gonna go before the Court of Appeals, we're gonna expose Terennial for the criminals they are and get the ruling against you set aside, and then the bank won't have to foreclose, because you won't have any penalties to pay.
[LAUGHING.]
She hasn't changed at all, has she? All right, come on.
Y'all came all the way out here the least I can do is feed you.
You know, I gotta get back to the city.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
All right.
Rain check then.
Yes.
- Drive safely.
- Yep.
Well, I was gonna ask how things were going between the two of you, but seems I don't have to.
Oh, come on.
[SCOFFS.]
- I'm feeding you.
- [LAUGHS.]
[BLUESY MUSIC PLAYS.]
Born on your bad side You hear that Sydney got the stay? Found the judge on the 12th green.
I'll say this for her, she does keep things interesting.
[LAUGHS.]
Hey, you got a blood lab that you trust? George Bell case? Yeah, just wanna run the blood samples again.
- What? - Oh, nothing.
Just so used to you doing big corporate cases.
It's kind of sweet to see you fight this hard for one guy.
This is an innocent guy with a wrongful imprisonment case worth millions.
This isn't about the money.
- He got you.
- Okay, therapy session over.
What's in the sauce? It's cumin.
No, it's cinnamon.
Your Yankee upbringing's showing.
Cinnamon is never found in your better barbeque sauces.
It's never found in any barbeque sauce.
No, it's never found in your run-of-the-mill mediocre sauces.
Those are fighting words, Jacob.
Wars have been fought over less.
Look, I know what you're saying, Tony.
You're from here.
You think you know everything.
But sometimes you have to think different.
That's what Steve Jobs says.
Now you're comparing yourself to Steve Jobs? No, I'm far better dressed than Steve Jobs.
[LAUGHING.]
So, you boys ready? Oh.
Come This week's secret ingredient is - Cumin.
- Pay up.
- This this is a conspiracy.
- Pay up, get the wallet.
This is a conspiracy to make me look like some kind of Yankee fool.
Charlie, is everything okay? You're a lawyer, right, Anthony? Yeah, we're both lawyers, Charlie.
People say you're the guy who saved Shelby Park? I am that man.
Good, 'cause I need you.
Butchie's making moves.
Thinks he can start some franchise using my recipe.
- Excuse me? - I wanna sue my brother for stealing my secret barbeque sauce.
[BLUESY MUSIC CONTINUES IN BACKGROUND.]
He's your man.
Oh, I would have no luck at all Jesus, Bri.
What have I told you about breaking into my house? Something about how I shouldn't do it? Yeah, boundaries.
What is this? What are we doing? It's been two days since you found out you had a half-brother and haven't talked about it, so we're going out and talking about it.
[CHATTER, MUSIC.]
I been away from you, baby My mom's dead and my dad and I aren't speaking because he has a secret love child who now works at our office.
My life is a blues song, Bri, and it's not even a good one.
You didn't know, did you? I suspected, but I didn't dig 'cause I figured if Elijah was keeping it a secret, he had a good reason.
And since the big reveal, what have we learned? Della knew, but no one else at the firm.
My dad doesn't have a whole secret second family, does he? Please.
In fact, I don't think he's been aware of Emerson for all that long.
So Dad found out while he and I weren't speaking.
- That a comfort? - [GRUNTS.]
That could be one.
No.
Come on, he's so pretty.
- Mm-mm.
- Hi.
All right, fine.
If that's what you think - is gonna make you feel better.
- Thank you.
Get your ass right back here.
[LAUGHTER.]
You're a mess.
I know.
[LAUGHTER.]
Honestly, I don't even know what's bothering me.
I mean yes, of course I'm mad at Dad, but I'm not exactly all that surprised.
I don't know.
There's just there's something just like eating away at me, and I can't I can't I can't put my finger on it.
There's a tragedy unfolding across the country.
Small farmers like Emma Sutton are falling victim to a corporate trap from which there's no escape.
What is this trap? First Terennial makes a genetically modified seed and patents it.
A farmer then plants this seed, and when that crop matures, those seeds do what all seeds do They take to the wind and blow into the fields of neighboring farms.
Then one day, Terennial knocks on those farmers' doors and says, "Guess what? You've got our patented seed in your field, so technically part of your harvest is ours, so kindly pay up.
" Now it doesn't matter if you didn't want their seed.
It doesn't even matter if, like Emma Sutton, you took measures to keep it off your property.
Terennial demands their cash, and if you say no, they take you to court for stealing their product.
And that's where the real tragedy happens.
They win.
This madness has to stop.
Farmers can't stop the wind.
They can't fight Mother Nature.
They are not stealing.
If anything, Terennial is trespassing.
And as such, we ask that Emma Sutton's ruling be set aside as defective.
Thank you.
The court finds Ms.
Strait's arguments persuasive.
However, this matter has already become settled law.
Farmers across the country have litigated the issue all the way to the Supreme Court, and each time, it's been found legal.
Therefore the court affirms the district court's ruling against Ms.
Sutton.
She will pay the judgment against her or she will forfeit her farm as previously ordered.
All rise.
Court is adjourned.
[COURTROOM MURMURS.]
Nothing this wrong is every entirely legal.
Our system's not perfect, but somewhere in it there is a way to make this wrong right.
And we'll find it.
Okay, Della will be the judge.
Jake and Anthony, you be our jury.
I'll argue possible strategies for our side.
Sydney, since you used to work for these kinds of companies, uh, you be Terennial.
We'll start and we'll just keep on going until we have an approach that we think has a snowball's chance of saving these farms.
Hey, when's the big barbeque meeting? - Tomorrow.
- Sound good? - Yes.
- Yep.
- Good.
- Okay, uh We attack them with science.
Call their specialists.
Get them to talk about how these seeds are engineered to spread like wildfire.
First of all, that's protected work product, so no way you're getting that in court.
She's right.
Second, it's also settled law, like the court said yesterday.
Fine.
How about Antitrust? Terennial's got a near monopoly with the percentage Antitrust is a matter for Congress.
Any secret Congressmen here? Public Health.
We can argue the dangers of every crop being genetically related Yes, please come after us for doubling productivity and keeping the world from starvation.
- Deceptive practices.
- Dead in the water.
- Patent limitations.
- Even deader in the water.
Fine, then our best bet is to go back to the science - and the spread of the seed - Yes, by all means, let's hammer them for the indiscriminate spread of their seed.
Okay, I think it's time for a nice get-your-act-together recess.
- Am I right? - Mmhmm.
[QUIET MUSIC.]
Well, I'd say we have Terennial right where we want them.
[LAUGHING.]
Move over.
I know it doesn't seem like it now, but it will be a relief not to have to keep that secret anymore for both of us.
I saw Carolyn the other night.
- What'd she say? - Well, she teased me mostly.
[LAUGHING.]
Well, that sounds like Carolyn.
You don't think me seeing something like that - is so strange? - No.
When I was 14, my sister died, and I saw her for an entire year.
Any time I wanted to see her, I would just close my eyes And when I opened them, there she was.
Should I, uh, quit? Like, seriously, should I? I feel like this is all my fault.
I asked you to wait to tell people, and now it's like crazy town out here, so I Emerson.
First of all, none of this is your fault.
Sydney and I we've got a lot of history and, um, she has every right to be mad at me, just like you have every right to be here.
But more than that, you're wanted here.
By me and the rest of the firm.
I'm sorry but, uh, things are gonna be a little bumpy for awhile but, uh I love you, son.
And knowing Sydney the way I do, in time she will, too.
Please trust that.
So, I see you found my spot.
- Your spot? - Mm-hmm.
First time I worked here this was practically my office.
Can we share it then? Thank you.
Shared a dog with a boyfriend once.
That ended poorly.
For him or the dog? I'm sorry for how I acted downstairs.
- I should've - Don't be.
You were pissed.
I get it.
I mean, nobody actually tells me what goes on in there, but from the little I do know I do, in fact, get it.
And I also get that it's not long since you lost an amazing mother.
I liked Carolyn.
She had a way of seeing the best in people.
Thank you.
Of course.
You know, Jake, I think I may have misjudged you.
No we should go back inside.
You come across as this macho, fast-car-driving guy.
Your dad probably wants to talk to us, so But you're actually a nice person.
- Hi, Jake.
- Hey, handsome.
- [GIGGLING.]
Hey.
- Hey.
Hi, Jake.
[LAUGHTER.]
- Huh.
- Yeah.
- That's why you sit out here.
- Of course not.
- Mm.
- But if you need me, I will be here Tuesdays at 4:00.
and Fridays at 6:00.
Is that your ex-husband? Why is he here? [EDGY MUSIC.]
Why didn't you tell me? I didn't want to worry you if it was nothing.
Plate traces back to Pelham Security Services out of Atlanta.
There's no red flags, there's no link to Terennial.
However, I did just notice a car idling up the block just now.
Took off as soon as I rolled up, - which makes me think that - Terennial's having us watched.
Yep.
Not surprising based on the reports we get.
Pretty much any time a farmer makes a stink, Terennial sends guys.
They intimidate, follow I've tried to get people to file complaints but It's all downside if they do.
Appreciate you taking the time.
Really great seeing you, Robbie.
You too.
Robbie, Dad? Really? He's the chief of detectives, and he cares about you.
That's exactly who I'm calling when someone's following my daughter.
Well, thanks for the head's up.
You know, you can't give people the silent treatment and then get angry if you're out of the loop.
One thing has nothing to do with the other.
Okay, fine.
Noted.
But you're here now and, uh, we're talking.
So besides me apologizing for the way that you found out about Emerson, how's about we clear the air? I don't want any more walls between us, Sydney.
No more secrets.
Well, that's not gonna leave us with much.
What do you want to know? Ask me any question.
I'll answer it.
[BEEP.]
Mr.
Strait? Sorry to disturb you, but I have Sheriff Lord calling.
He's says it's about Emma Sutton.
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER.]
Was he on her land? 3 feet from the property line.
Did he say why he was just parked way out here like this? He claims he heard the farm was gonna be foreclosed soon and he was thinking about buying it.
Elijah, he's not pressing charges, but if she does it again Appreciate you calling.
So, farmer has a problem, she takes a tire iron to it, huh? - You're damn right she does.
- Emma, I know that you're What, you want me to play nice? They're bullies.
There's only one way you deal with bullies.
They punch you, you punch harder.
Emma, this isn't a street fight.
- We need to do this in court.
- Well, someone should tell them that, because as far as I'm concerned, they're no better than gangsters.
They sue me, but they're the ones that should be in handcuffs.
Dad? [LIGHTLY EDGY MUSIC.]
No better than gangsters.
Okay, now what? Now the new lab will compare your blood and DNA with that found at the crime scene, and when it doesn't match, I will demand that the DA either free you or give you a new trial How's that sound? Pretty damn good, I'd say.
How you doing, George? You need anything? Apple sauce? [LAUGHING.]
You know, it's funny.
You'd think it'd be easier, knowing I actually got a chance of getting out of here.
But in a way, it almost feels harder.
Well, just Just hang in there a little longer, okay? Guard.
All right.
And I will call you as soon as I hear anything about the DNA from the lab, okay? Bye, George.
Hey, Jake.
What's it like out there? I'm gonna let you find that out for yourself, George.
[SOFT MUSIC.]
[DOOR CLICKS SHUT.]
Your Honor, this is insane.
They wanna use the Civil RICO statutes Laws designed to go after drug cartels and the Mafia To prosecute a case against Terennial just because their client lost her appeal.
They move into new territory, like a gang.
They force their product on you, like a gang.
And if you don't say yes, they resort to tactics like intimidation and threats to your way of life.
So you're saying all corporations are criminal? - No, just yours.
- Insane as it may sound, Mr.
Wells, I agree with Mr.
Strait that this is a matter for a jury.
Ms.
Sutton's lawsuit against Terennial may go forward.
Now, I believe we can come to an amicable solution.
Counselor, I'd like for you to explain to my client I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm late.
Mr.
Cooper, we met before.
Jake Reilly, second chair.
I'm just, uh, here to learn from the legend.
Mr.
Reynolds was about to explain his client's position.
My client believes, being brothers, they shared in the creation of this business.
And now that my client wants to leave, he's entitled to take the recipes they created They? Who's they, Butchie? Were you in the kitchen sweating day and night? I don't think so, 'cause there's no way I would've missed seeing your fat ass.
I was out front, running the whole show.
Ordering ingredients, greeting the customers, doing the marketing.
Fixing tables with my bare hands when they broke.
Broke because you sat on them.
Insults are the tools of small minds, like Tony Robbins says.
Well, this Coop is ready to fly the coop to greener pastures.
Gentlemen, I think we all agree on the basics.
Now your client's leaving with the hopes of starting a franchise of his own.
My client's saying that he can't take the sauce.
Now, given that your client has admitted that he was nowhere near the kitchen - when the recipes were being created - Don't matter.
We have a contract.
Says everything's 50/50.
- Contract? - Didn't I mention that? Contract? My name is Tucker Goodman, and I am the CEO of Terennial.
I flew out here personally because that's how seriously all of us at Terennial take these outrageous charges.
I started as a farmer.
I came up in a farming family.
Multi-millionaire farmers.
Terennial has, and always will be, a company where farmers matter.
Criminals don't come with a sign on them that says "criminal.
" And nowadays, it seems like anyone can be one Bankers, doctors, lawyers.
What you're going to hear from us during the course of this trial is that sometimes companies can be criminals, too.
Could you tell me what happened? I was broke.
I have a wife, three kids I was under a mountain of debt.
[EDGY MUSIC.]
And that is when the Terennial sales rep offered you a cash incentive that just happened to be the exact amount that you owed if you would be the first farmer in the county to try his product? Yes.
So what'd they do after they showed you proof that their seed had mixed with yours? They were nice at first.
Said if I switched over, they'd give me a discount.
- And did you switch over? - No.
We're an organic farm, non GMO.
Terennial's GMO.
And so then what happened when you told them no? They they sued.
And then while I was waiting for the trial, that's when the other things started to happen.
Other things? What other things, sir? They slashed my tires.
They started following me around everywhere.
I'd wake up and find smashed equipment.
I'd even see them when I picked my kids up at school.
How'd that make you feel? I was scared.
I was scared.
I was terrified.
So what did you do? Carla and I talked about it.
And we held our ground.
We decided not to take their product.
And are you still farming now? No.
The bank took the farm after we lost the court fight.
Nothing further.
Uh, if I may, Your Honor? Mr.
Miller, how long has this farm been in your family, sir? 110 years.
And what do you do for work now? I work the graveyard shift at the Stop & Shop.
Carla drives Uber.
[SOMBER MUSIC.]
Thank you.
Nothing further.
Court will adjourn for the day.
Why didn't you ask those last two questions like we planned? I made a judgment call.
This case is about community.
This group of farmers All the years that they've done this.
I decided that it would be stronger to end on the bank foreclosing.
That decision wasn't solely yours to make, and you did it without consulting.
You don't want to talk about Emerson, that's one thing.
You don't want to talk about the case, maybe take some time off.
- What? - I can handle you being mad.
I understand sad, but what I will not tolerate is letting our stuff impact you as a lawyer.
That's unfair to our clients.
You wanna know what question's eating at me? The one thing that I just I can't get out of my head no matter how hard I t? - Yes.
- Did Mom know? [QUIET MUSIC.]
She did.
That's what I thought.
[KNOCKING.]
Yes? Hey.
Hi.
Should I quit? I asked Elijah, but I realized the person I should ask is you.
I don't wanna make you miserable.
I don't want to be the reason that you stop working here.
You're important.
What you guys do here That's it's important.
But, you know, if every time you you see me, you see his mistake, I just think it makes more sense for me to go than you.
Don't don't leave, Emerson.
I I don't know how to say much more than that right now, but, um don't I don't I don't think you should leave.
Right.
Okay.
Sorry, do you mean, like, don't leave the firm or don't leave your office right now? - I mean the firm.
- Right, okay.
[BLUES GUITAR CHORDS.]
[VOICES CHATTERING, APPROACHING.]
[LAUGHTER.]
Yeah.
Yep.
Okay, bye.
Goodbye.
[SIGHS.]
See ya.
[HEAVY MUSIC.]
I grew up in South Memphis.
Gonna take more than some corporate lackey in an idling car to scare me.
She's attractive and smart, your daughter.
Must be proud.
[BOTH GRUNTING.]
Anyone say one more word about my daughter give her one more look Dead man.
[GRUNTS.]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Do you recognize Plaintiff's Exhibit A? t's the contract Charlie and I made when we first started.
- And who's it signed by? - Me and Charlie.
Really? Where's your name? Next to his, right here.
I signed it, "Coop.
" Objection, Your Honor.
Counsel is trying to use a technicality to deem this contract void.
Coop is clearly my client's nickname.
Doesn't matter.
Nicknames without a DBA or a side-letter do not meet the standards of a contract, which means the court must refer to the business license to assign ownership, and that license is in my client's name alone.
Your Honor, may I approach? What's happening? Means you're getting everything and your brother's getting the shaft.
[LAUGHING.]
I knew you was the man, Anthony.
From now on, your money's no good at my place.
There's something I wanna show you.
Keep an open mind.
No.
What's this pot roast doing here? Oh, you come here to gloat? I don't got nothing to say to you.
You think Cooper Brothers is the best barbeque in Memphis? You're standing in front of the best barbeque this city ever saw.
I'd tell you the name of the place, but [SIGHS.]
you never heard of it 'cause the family that owned it turned on each other.
This is all that remains.
My wife and I, we had our first date at your restaurant.
Families wait all week to go out, have their Saturday night dinner together at your place.
In a city that's trying to be better, you two built something this whole community loves, and you think this fight is about you? 'Cause ask yourselves how many other people will pay If you tear each other apart? I know I bust your balls, but, uh you're one hell of a lawyer.
Double or nothing on tomorrow's sauce.
Now you're talking.
How are we gonna win this trial, Sydney? I think we're doing good.
The jury wants to rule for us, so Yeah, but we need more than anonymous bad guys.
We need a face, an insider Proof that this company might as well be a gang.
Begs the question, uh what's justice in this case, hmm? Terennial pays big and Emma gets back her farm.
Yeah, what about the next wave of farmers downwind? And the one after that? Okay, well, real justice would be these people in handcuffs, but we're not the law, Dad.
We're just trying to do what's right.
Your mother she knew about Emerson.
She found out 18 months ago, when I did.
She also knew that she had a husband who was desperate to reconnect with his daughter and, uh and a daughter who might just call it a day when she found out.
And she knew that she was the thing that was keeping us together because you and I, we we might be too damn proud to work it out ourselves.
She knew a lot of things, your mother.
What she didn't know was that she wasn't gonna have the time to guide us through this.
To get us safely to shore.
I've done things, Sydney.
You can be mad at me all you want.
Don't please don't be mad at her.
She loved you and me.
And, I I think that makes us the two luckiest people I've ever known.
[SNIFFLES.]
[SOFT EMOTIONAL MUSIC.]
Well, you weren't yelling, so that probably means I'm interrupting a nice moment, which you'll forgive me for when you see this.
Okay.
Meet Cameron Rook.
Resident of Charlotte, North Carolina and coordinator of all of Terennial's intimidation tactics.
- How'd you find him? - Okay, so every time I ran a plate on one of those mystery cars, I'd get a different company 'cause they were being careful.
However, when I cross-referenced all the plates looking for common names in insurance, maintenance led me to him.
We need to call Judge Frye and get a subpoena for Rook.
Gotta do it quiet, though, 'cause if Terennial hears, this Rook He'll be in the wind.
You think you gonna have a problem heading over to Charlotte, bringing this guy back? I'm gonna pretend you didn't ask me that.
What, I know that look.
What is it? I'm thinking putting in a call to State Attorney General Edwards.
Back-up plan.
Just in case someone else is looking for Rook.
Emma, what do you love about farming? It's honest work.
It's hard, but it's satisfying.
You see the payoff after every harvest.
And you know that you're feeding people, and it feels good.
Would you tell the jury, what does it mean to leave a field fallow? It means you don't plant it.
Costs you money, but it allows your soil time to regenerate.
And in the last ten years, you've left larger portions of your fields fallow than ever before, costing you thousands of extra dollars.
Why? To try to protect my land from contamination with Terennial seed.
Did it work? I wouldn't be here if it did.
Nothing further.
[WHISPERS.]
Look at this before you say anything.
Your Honor, we have no questions for Miss Sutton.
We thank her for her courage and her candor.
The witness is thanked for her time and excused.
Court is adjourned until 10:00 a.
m.
tomorrow morning.
[TAPS GAVEL.]
- What the hell was that? - A performance.
Terennial always will be a company where farmers matter.
Unfortunately, some very serious illegal activity has been brought to our attention recently.
So I launched an internal investigation.
As of an hour ago, Terennial has filed suit against Cameron Rook, an independent subcontractor who we believe did try to intimidate innocent farmers in order to boost sales for his own benefit.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
Cameron Brook is gone.
Terennial must've found out we were coming and warned him.
Yeah, we know.
He's gone.
What I heard this past week, shocked and upset me.
- Isn't this good for us? - No.
No, by getting out in front, he's painting himself as the hero and he's inoculating Terennial from guilt.
They're not a bad company, just had one bad apple acting on his own.
It's the ultimate defense for a RICO case.
I'd also like to thank Elijah Strait.
While I think this proves his lawsuit is frivolous, he did help bring Mr.
Rook's infractions to our attention.
He also gave our company the chance to show, again, farmers matter.
Looks like we've got one more witness to call.
Plaintiff calls Tucker Goodman.
Your Honor, Mr.
Goodman is not on the witness list.
Well, that's because we had no idea that he would inject himself into this case by launching investigations, thanking me publicly.
Mr.
Goodman, you've been CEO of Terennial for 14 years now.
Would you say the company has thrived under your leadership? - It's a team effort.
- There's no need to be modest here, sir.
Under your stewardship, the stock price has gone up 600%.
And you produce almost 80% of all of the seed that is sold in this country.
- Is there a question here? - Has Terennial thrived by making farmers an offer they can't refuse? Your Honor, Counsel is wording his question in a veiled attempt to invoke thoughts of organized crime.
There's nothing veiled about it.
It's the point of this trial.
We make attractive offers.
We also make a superior product.
But farmers can and do refuse offers.
And at one point do you sue them? On rare occasions.
[CHUCKLES.]
Oh, no.
114 times Terennial has sued farmers in the last two years.
Of those 114 farmers, some of them who are here today, do you know how many of them still own their farms? I do not.
Would you be surprised to know that that number is zero? Are you surprised that no one who refuses a Terennial offer continues to exist? - Your Honor - Take your product or they are out of business.
Isn't that an offer you can't refuse? Mr.
Strait, your question has been asked and answered.
We should just cut to the chase here.
Mr.
Goodman, you think this whole court case is frivolous, don't you? - I do.
- Why? Because while we may be a tough competitor in a fierce market, nothing we do is illegal.
- Having farmers followed? - I don't do that.
Having women and children intimidated? - I don't do that either.
- Witness tampering? I'm sorry, did you answer that? It's a simple yes or no question.
Have you, as head of the Terennial family, ever been involved in witness tampering? Objection.
I'll allow it.
Hypothetically, would it surprise you to learn, Mr.
Goodman, that the North Carolina attorney general was already investigating Cameron Rook, the man you identified as a "rogue contractor"? - Objection, Your Honor.
- Your Honor, Mr.
Goodman opened the door to this line of questioning when he decided to hold a press conference on the steps of our courthouse.
Continue.
Hypothetically, would it surprise you to hear that you were recorded telling Mr.
Rook to flee before I could subpoena him? Your Honor, Counsel is testifying and not allowing the witness to speak.
Hypothetically, would you be worried, sir, that there's an arrest warrant for your behavior? For your criminal behavior? Can you answer that? No, I would not be worried because we don't do things like that, Mr.
Strait.
At Terennial, farmers matter.
Indeed they do.
He scored points in there.
He looked like a desperate man on a fishing expedition.
Well, tomorrow when you question me, I want to make sure you put any lingering doubts to bed.
Then I want you to file a complaint with the Tennessee Bar Association.
Tucker Goodman, I have a warrant for your arrest on the charge of witness tampering.
Let me see that warrant.
[REPORTERS CHATTERING.]
Turns out, the attorney general really did tap that phone.
I've got a car waiting around the side, but I know you like pictures, so we can take you out front.
Don't say a word.
We'll go out the side.
[OVERLAPPING CHATTER.]
You were right.
Farmers matter.
George, hey.
Um [CLEARS THROAT.]
Test results came back.
They rule you out completely.
They prove you're innocent.
[LAUGHS.]
So, officially settlement talks will start tomorrow, but with Terennial's CEO indicted and the company under RICO investigation, I'd say we got pretty good leverage to start I've got my farm.
[SCOFFS.]
The money, when it comes, it'll be nice.
But I got my farm and the freedom to work it as I see fit.
So do a lot of other people around here.
All thanks to you.
You did good, kiddo.
You done real good.
But now this thing with your dad work it out, even if he's wrong.
No, especially if he's wrong, work it out, because life is short.
[SOFT, STIRRING MUSIC.]