The Good Fight (2017) s05e02 Episode Script
Once There Was a Court...
1
Good morning. Reddick/Lockhart.
How may I help you?
- Good morning
- Good Morning. Reddick/Lockhart.
How may I help you?
Good morning. Reddick/Lockhart.
Please hold.
- I'm ready.
- Oh, great, great.
Good morning. Reddick/Lockhart.
Pathetic.
Stand up. Those seats are for clients!
I'm a client.
I am. I'm-I'm a client.
Oh, my mistake.
You look so young,
I thought you were one
of our new associates.
The rest of you
let's go.
This is the executive floor.
You will only come up here if invited.
That's the partners' conference
room, and those
Those are the partners.
This stairway over here,
leads to the offices of STR Laurie,
my offices.
They are off-limits to
associates unless invited,
and you won't be invited.
That's right.
They're letting you
play lawyer, Marissa.
How nice.
Fucking prick.
- This is someone from HR
- Jenny Klay. Hello.
She will take over from here.
Any questions, ask her.
Welcome to Reddick/
Lockhart and Associates.
Why don't we go downstairs,
and we'll get better acquainted.
- That's not an answer.
- Adrian founded this firm.
He is not easily replaced.
No one here is trying to replace him.
But some of us are more
than ready to step up
- to a name partnership
- Well, we're considering every option.
I'd like to understand the new
leadership structure here.
Yes, well, Diane and I are
going to run the firm together,
for now.
Just the two of you?
A Black firm being run by a white woman?
Well, I'm not running it alone. I mean,
I'm-I'm here to assist Liz.
Really? Because she needs assistance?
As we pass this around, I want
everybody to take some,
as much or as little as you want.
Tomorrow, you'll meet
your direct supervisors
here at Reddick & Lockhart.
Also, please be sure to bring
two copies of I.D. with you,
as they will be required
to complete your onboarding paperwork.
You'll have a meeting with HR
It's an icebreaker.
For every square you take,
you have to tell a secret
about yourself.
Good.
Now, we'll go around,
introduce yourself,
and for every square of toilet paper,
you have to say one personal
thing about yourself.
Of course, there's going
to be a discussion.
Is this the discussion?
Because I feel like
it's just the two of you,
telling us what's what.
Okay, we hear you,
and we are going to get
back to you. I promise.
But right now, our priority
is hiring a senior associate.
I'm not convinced we need one.
Well, Lucca was one of our best.
And we need someone with real experience
to take on her caseload.
Unless one of you would like to step up
and take over family law.
Uh-huh. That's what I thought.
Do you know Omar Peters?
I don't.
He's a really good headhunter.
I think I'm gonna get him looking,
- if-if that's okay with you.
- Sounds good.
Look at you two working in lockstep.
What do you need, David?
Which one of you is taking
Boseman's office?
We we hadn't discussed it.
Well, discuss. The corner
office can't just sit empty.
Looks like failure.
Friday.
Tell us by Friday.
And there are new hires
awaiting marching orders.
I have a client meeting. We'll discuss.
Yeah.
Marissa Gold, originally from
Chicago. Chicago-Kent.
I'm first-year law clinic.
And your secrets?
Secret.
I used to be married to a mime,
but it didn't work out, so
Thank you, Marissa.
I usually just make shit up.
Carmen?
Uh, Carmen Moyo.
Victorville, California.
Hmm. And your secrets?
Secret.
I hate games.
Hey. I need to interrupt.
Hello, everybody. You
can keep your seats.
This is Liz Reddick,
one of our two name partners.
Um, so we're all gonna have a chance
to get to know each
other a little bit later,
and, uh, everybody will have a mentor.
Hey. Hi.
All right, but today, we are
fulfilling client maintenance.
We regularly check in with
our most valuable clients.
And so, I'm going to call
their names off on this list,
and if any of you feel
a particular interest,
just let me know.
James Rothberg, Adell Development
I guess we've all
heard of him. All right.
You. Okay?
You're going to go find
Partner Madeline Gilford,
and she will supervise you.
Next, Bobby Lafarge,
CFL headquarters
Okay. You.
I want you to go find
partner John Wilson.
And Oscar Rivi, Menard
Correctional Center.
I guess we've all heard of him.
Menard is maximum security.
You will be very well protected.
Good. Good, good. You're
going to be working
with partner Barry Poe.
Okay? Great. Thank you.
Why was the summons sent to you?
I don't know. Is it bad news?
Oh. No, not necessarily.
I'll-I'll be fighting the same
case in two different courts.
Mm. But this case has only
one plaintiff, so if we win,
it sets a helpful precedent
for the large case.
And if all of the plaintiffs
can't even agree on a venue,
well, that's good for us.
All I did was teach these
people's kids during COVID.
No good deed
Um, this is Phoebe.
She's one of my associates.
- Hello, Ms. Hedger.
- Hi.
She will go with you to court today.
Phoebe, she has an 11:00 a.m.
with Judge Wackner.
- But shouldn't you go, Diane?
- Oh, it's just a formality.
I need to stay here
and work on your brief.
I assure you, you're
in good hands, ma'am.
Oh, and there's Marissa.
Remember? She investigated
your case last year.
Marissa?
We need a continuance
on Toni Hedger's case.
Really, I get to argue a continuance?
No. You get to accompany Phoebe
who will argue a continuance,
and you get to hold the client's hand.
Okay?
Okay.
Carmen, right?
I don't want you to be intimidated.
He can sense fear.
We have a half hour,
but we don't need more than ten minutes.
There'll be a translator in the room.
Rivi will let us know his complaints.
We listen.
We never commit.
- Are you taking notes?
- Yes.
There's basically nothing
we can do for him.
It's more like a venting session.
There's no need for you to talk at all.
- Okay. He's ready.
- Sit, listen, leave.
- But your I.D. expired.
- What?
I can't let you in.
Your license expired, three weeks ago.
I couldn't renew it during the pandemic.
- Can't you just
- No.
I can do this.
Not alone you can't.
Sit. Listen. Leave.
I can do that.
I think we're lost.
Hey, Gage.
Which court is Judge Wackner in?
- Judge which?
- Wackner.
9th Circuit?
Yeah. We have an 11:00 a.m. summons.
There's no Judge Wackner here.
What are you doing?
Asking directions.
Yeah.
The 9th Circuit, Courtroom 305,
11:00 a.m., Judge Wackner.
What?
Look. It's not the 9th Circuit.
It's the nine and
three-quarters circuit.
Oh, come on.
It's a Harry Potter joke.
Yeah, I get that. Funny.
Wild-goose chase. Time to go home.
So, do-do we think this is the
plaintiff just messing with us?
I'm not sure, ma'am.
But we'll call right away.
- Wait.
- What?
What is this, a treasure hunt?
This is not right.
Hey.
Wait. I'm calling Diane.
We have an 11:00 summons.
We're five minutes late.
I'm not going down that alley
to some hidden court.
Okay. I'll check it out and call you.
Now where?
I don't know. What happens
in Harry Potter?
They run their cart at
a barrier or something,
and they pop through.
Okay, so a barrier.
We look for a barrier.
I feel like we should leave
bread crumbs or something.
Nine and three-quarters?
Uh, yes
Through there.
Thanks.
This is not what we agreed on!
We agreed on two minutes.
You had two minutes.
- And that's it. There's no more.
- No, no, no. Hold on.
Stop. Stop. Stop. I just want
one person speaking at a time.
Your Honor, you said I had
two uninterrupted minutes to speak.
And he had two minutes, I timed them.
- 30 more seconds.
- Okay. Stop it. Stop it.
How do we break a tie? Come on.
One, two, three.
Good, rock over scissors.
Closing arguments are done.
Give me about ten minutes.
I'll have a decision.
Take a break. Are you my 11:00?
Uh, I don't know. We have a summons.
Come on in. You're late.
Sorry, but is this a real court?
Yeah. Get ready.
Ready, Your Honor.
Um, Your Honor, defense
counsel asks that
the court grant a continuance
until such time
- as we've been able to
- You're-you're defense counsel?
Why do you refer to yourself
in the third person?
- I'm not actually licensed to practice law
- I'm not actually licensed
to be a judge, so we're
in the same boat.
Mr. Schultz, please
call your first witness.
- Ready, Your Honor.
- Uh, wait. Can I object?
You can. Overruled.
Mr. Schultz, call your witness.
Your Honor, let me call the real lawyer.
I'm not a real lawyer.
What's your name?
Marissa.
Marissa
Do you understand the
issues in this case?
Uh-huh.
Do you believe in your client?
Yeah.
You have a summons?
Yeah. Here.
What else you need? Let's go.
What is this?
I have no idea. What do you want to do?
Well, look, that's one of
the parents suing me.
If we walk out, we lose.
Why are you whispering?
You don't think we can hear you?
Is there another lawyer with you?
I'm Carmen Moyo.
Is there another lawyer to represent
Mr. Rivi, I'm here to make
sure the prison is providing
everything you're entitled to.
How is the prison staff treating you?
¿Cómo lo está tratando
el personal de la prisión?
The Wi-Fi is bad.
He doesn't like the food.
It upsets his stomach.
Uh
Hey.
He asked if
This is not for you to say, miss.
The prison has ordered that I translate.
The prison will hear of this.
Carmen Moyo.
¿Que necesita?
Hey, you look great, Caleb.
California sunshine.
- How's the weather there?
- Warm and balmy.
Oh, here's Liz now.
I didn't tell her you became available.
- So, she'll be surprised.
- Yeah, she will.
Liz, look who the headhunter dragged in.
Yeah. Hey, Caleb.
Uh, how are you?
Good, Liz. How are you?
Good. Yeah
Um, where are you?
Santa Barbara.
I've been out here for the pandemic.
- My family's here.
- Oh.
Oh, and are they good?
Mm-hmm. Yeah, healthy. Good.
- Thank you.
- Good.
You look good.
Thank you. So do you.
- I was surprised to get the call
- I Yeah, it's just
It's Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead.
- No. No. You.
- No, no, no, no, no. You were saying
- something about you were surprised?
- Yeah.
I was surprised to get the call
about this position opening.
Oh, yes. Uh
I think our headhunter is
just looking for people
that we are familiar with.
Okay.
Well, I would love to
be given a hearing.
And we'd love to give it to you.
Uh, how do you do with family law?
Uh-oh. I better take this.
Um, you two talk.
Uh, look. I-I understand
if this is a bad idea.
When I got the call,
I thought it was you reaching out.
Oh. I-I should've reached out.
I just
- You know, things ended so
- Weird?
- Abruptly.
- Um, you're in the room alone, right?
Uh
- Yes.
- Look, can we, um
Can-can we just act like we
never slept with each other?
Can you?
I'm the employee. Of course I can.
Well, uh, do you really
Do you really want the job?
I do. I liked the firm.
I liked what the firm stood for.
Okay.
Okay. Well, we will, um
Let us talk about it.
Good.
And, Liz, if it doesn't work out,
I get it. No hard feelings.
Oh, okay. Start again.
What?
There's a court behind the court
that's adjudicating Hedger's case.
I don't understand.
Is it a mediation court?
- No, it's a court someone invented.
- Well, then I
Why are we there?
- Because the plaintiff is there with an attorney.
- But wait.
If it has no power, and
it has no jurisdiction,
what does it have?
A judge in a robe.
I'm suing
because she said she
would educate our kids
during the pandemic,
but it didn't turn out like we expected.
You contacted
the defendant, Toni Hedger,
when the public schools closed down?
Yes. We heard she was
a private school teacher
who had started this
company, Poducation.
It was going to be a small
group of kids, all COVID-safe,
so that they wouldn't fall behind.
So, what was the problem?
We didn't know she'd
be teaching socialism.
- Oh, please.
- You'll get your turn.
Could you elaborate?
Suddenly, my daughter
came home judging us.
She calls me a Karen.
She said that we were
useless rich people
who reinforce white supremacy.
She said we were like the
family from Parasite,
who don't even see people suffering
right under their noses.
So, all you're asking,
is that your $60,000 for
the year be refunded?
- Exactly.
- Sounds reasonable.
Objection.
On what grounds?
The judge can decide for
himself what is reasonable.
He doesn't need you to decide for him.
- Come on.
- Actually, that's a good point.
I don't need your color
commentary, Counselor.
Sustained. Any other questions?
No, Your Honor, but just so you know,
- I wasn't trying to influence
- Don't dig yourself deeper.
Just sit down. Okay, you. Go.
Your Honor, my chief
counsel is in transit.
If you could give us 20 minutes.
No, but I can rule right now
- if you're not ready to go.
- Nope. We're ready.
So
Ma'am.
Good morning.
Hello.
You claim that you
what again?
That-that my client
- is teaching socialism?
- Yes.
And I didn't sign up for that.
Your Honor, this is a
sorry state of affairs.
Mr.
Schlepp?
Schultz.
Schultz, right.
He says he hopes you find justice.
Well, I think that's what
we're all looking for, and
as George Clooney so eloquently put it,
after the tragic death
of Princess Diana,
"Who should we see about that?"
Ms. Hedger? Is she the
proper focus of our ire?
Kid, look, I hate speeches,
unless I'm giving them.
And even then, I'm just trying to stall.
So
And if you have nothing
to ask the witness, uh,
sit the hell down. This
is not the kind of court
where you can just run out the clock.
Ms. Fulton
When did you realize that my
client was teaching socialism?
When my daughter went on about Parasite.
I see. And she got that
from my client's school?
From her pod, yes.
That's why I want my $60,000 back
- So your daughter loved that movie, Parasite?
- She did.
- But you didn't?
- It was all right.
- The ending was a bit violent.
- Yeah.
- It upset me.
- All that knifing on the lawn.
- Awful.
- So you and your daughter
must've had different reactions
when it won the Academy
Award for Best Picture?
We did.
She was dancing around,
rubbing my nose in it.
Aha!
The Academy Awards were
held in February of 2020,
a month before schools shut down.
If your daughter thinks you're
like the people in Parasite,
she couldn't have gotten
that from Ms. Hedger
because the teaching
pod didn't yet exist.
Objection. Counselor is putting words
in my client's mouth.
Do you have better
words for your client?
Okay, Dean. Put it on the board.
One-zero.
Your Honor, I move for a brief recess.
Thank you.
- That was longer than I thought.
- He had a lot to say.
- About what?
- Uh, Wi-Fi.
- A half hour about Wi-Fi?
- And-and food.
- He doesn't like the food.
- And what did you say?
I said I would bring his
concerns to the prison.
That's it?
I sat.
I listened.
I left.
What else?
I don't understand. What is this?
- I have no idea.
- Then why are you arguing here?
Why are you arguing at
all? You're not a lawyer.
- If I didn't argue, we were gonna lose.
- Lose what?
This is not a court. We're
in the back of a Copy Coop.
And what is William Schultz doing here?
- He's representing the plaintiff.
- Okay. I'm losing my mind.
Look, this is not legal.
We have got to get out of here.
No. I don't want to.
Toni, whatever happens
here, it's irrelevant.
It doesn't matter if we win or lose.
Look.
Those are some of the
other parents suing me.
They're seeing how this case goes.
Which is why we don't want to lose here.
So let's not.
Look, I like this judge.
Who lives in a pineapple
under the sea? ♪
He's better than the
judges in real court.
That's the point, it's not real.
Diane, what is real?
I have spent the last eight months
going from one deposition to another,
and nothing ever happens.
It just keeps getting
delayed and pushed,
and I can't get on with my life.
This is reality to me.
I want you to win the case here.
William.
What are you doing here?
I'm wondering whether to eat this.
Or was that an existential question?
No. I meant, you're a real lawyer.
What are you doing here?
I'm getting paid.
Business is down, except
for everything in bankruptcy
and court dockets are
backlogged into next year.
If clients want to pay to
resolve their differences
in crazy-court, what's the downside?
You're treating this like arbitration?
If we agree to be bound by Judge Wacko,
this is arbitration.
I don't understand anything anymore.
Sure you do.
That's why this is throwing you.
Welcome to 2021.
I was grateful for
the teaching job during COVID.
I've got to put food on the table,
but I also have my principles.
You didn't feel like you could
live by your principles
while working for Poducation?
Well, look, Toni doesn't tolerate anyone
to the right of Noam Chomsky.
One Ayn Rand assignment, and I was out.
He quit and left me in the lurch.
Other than firing you,
how else did Toni show
her political leanings?
One of the other teachers,
Janice, said that
another teacher, Stuart, heard Toni say,
"You got to brainwash
these rich brats"
Objection. Hearsay.
- Oh, I don't care. Go on.
- Sir?
Your Honor.
Your Honor, the hearsay
rule prevents gossip
from being used as evidence.
How can you weigh the
truth of a statement,
- unless it's made under oath?
- The same way I do in life.
The same way you do.
You use your brains.
So, did you say,
- "You got to brainwash these rich brats"?
- No.
Yes, you did.
No, I didn't, and you didn't
even hear it yourself.
You said someone heard
it from someone
Well, they were both
teachers that I trusted.
You tried to get more pay,
and when I tried to hold you
to your contract, you quit.
I quit because of your
new political emphasis.
There was no political emphasis!
You said that you couldn't trust
anybody who voted Republican.
- No. That-that wasn't what I said.
- What did you say?
- Your Honor, may I have a moment to confer?
- No.
I like the truth that is found
in sudden utterances.
What did you say?
We were talking about the Conways,
and I said,
I couldn't fall in love with
anyone who voted for Trump.
That's all.
Go ahead, Dean.
- One for the P's.
- Your Honor,
that has nothing to do with this case.
It is a private belief
held by my client.
A belief that is shared
by most of the country
And do you share it?
I'm not the question.
The question is whether
a school administrator's
- private belief determines the value of her
- Hold it. Stop.
It's-it's one to one.
You haven't lost anything.
I think, for your own benefit,
you should let your
cocounsel argue for you.
My cocounsel?
Marissa.
Your Honor,
Marissa is not a lawyer.
Well, I'm not a judge.
Time to close up shop for the day.
You got a validation,
uh, stamp right here.
Uh, have a nice, uh, you know
Find out what this judge is about.
Okay.
About ten more minutes,
I'm-a go and lock up.
So how long has this been going on?
- Two months.
- You're kidding.
- It's insane.
- It's crazy, right?
How did you get involved?
Mm.
So, I was working at the
courts when COVID hit,
then I was out of a job.
And Wackner hired you?
Yeah, man. Same salary.
- Same number of hours.
- Mm.
Why's he doing it?
- What? This court?
- Mm-hmm.
You ever seen Watts Towers?
No. What's that?
I got some relatives
that live near there, man.
It's just these towers
this guy built in Watts.
In his spare time.
Got it in his head to build
something beautiful.
And it is.
- I think that's what Wackner's doing.
- Mm.
Building something in his spare time,
because he thinks he can do it better.
And people don't trust the system
since it costs a lot to win
and even more to lose.
Man, what is that?
- Grateful Dead.
- Aw
Yeah, he sings it all the time, man.
You and me bound to spend
some time wondering ♪
What to choose. ♪
- Mm. Mm-mm. Mm-mm.
- Oh!
Hey, he knows what to choose.
Carmen Moyo.
I'm not your lawyer
so this whole session is
subject to surveillance.
That's why that chirping you hear.
Then get the fuck out of here.
I'm Oscar Rivi's lawyer.
What does he need?
My client has been prosecuted
for a murder he did not commit.
- Is that really what he said?
- I need you to let me speak.
Rivi knows you're looking
at 30 years for murder one.
And he knows you have information
- that could exonerate him.
- Are you fucking
That testimony
would make your time go
much easier at Statesville.
He knows how time goes hard,
and it goes easier when you
have a clean conscience.
Who are you?
I told you.
I'm Oscar Rivi's attorney.
- And how old are you?
- 28.
So you're telling me
I'm not telling you anything.
I'm just making the obvious clear.
There are people in the
Statesville Christian community
that can help you if you want
to come clean with God.
You're just a little girl.
I am.
But I know how God works.
Okay.
- Tell Rivi
- No.
I'm not telling him anything.
I'm leaving now.
Thank you for listening.
Hello?
Is this the great Elizabeth Reddick?
Well, I don't know about great, but yes.
This is Charles Lester.
Ah, Mr. Lester. Yes.
You are a lawyer representing, um
Uh, I'm sorry. Who again?
Ah, how quickly they forget.
I represent Mr. Rivi.
Not his lawyer. His business manager.
Yes. Yes, yes, yes.
I believe we just had
our biannual meeting
with Mr. Rivi.
You did, and that is
the point of my call.
Mr. Rivi only wants to meet,
from this moment on,
with the lawyer Carmen Moyo.
I don't understand.
He doesn't like the, uh,
partner who was sent.
Barry something. He doesn't want
to see him anymore.
And he wants all his business holdings
transferred through Ms. Moyo.
But she's, uh
Mr. Lester, uh
Carmen Moyo is a first-year associate.
She's only been with us two days.
Is there some problem
with my client's request?
No.
No. No. No. It's just
that she's very young.
Very young. She's just
out of law school.
He wants her as his only lawyer.
Is there any problem with that?
Mr. Lester, let me speak to my team.
We-we like to offer our
top clients more services
- than one lawyer can provide
- Liz.
I've been working with my
client for five years now.
He knows what he wants.
He knows his mind.
So, uh, make it happen,
or you and I'll be having a
more unpleasant conversation.
Mr. Lester, where are you?
- Can I call you back?
- I am at the
only pay phone in Chicago.
I'll call you back.
If my words did glow ♪
With the gold of sunshine ♪
Hey.
Hey
Were played ♪
Expanding your tastes?
It's for work.
Hear my voice ♪
Come through ♪
Kurt?
Do you think I should give
up my name partnership
- at the firm?
- What?
I'm getting pressure to give
up my top opinion at the firm.
Your opinion?
What?
You said your "top opinion".
No, my-my top position.
I'm white.
The firm is supposed to be Black.
And with Adrian gone,
the optics
Optics.
Are you the best lawyer there?
I'm no.
Well, okay. I'm one of the best.
But that's not what this is about.
It's a bad look having a Black
law firm with a white leader.
- And I want to do what's right.
- Diane
You and I disagree on so much.
You obviously ask my opinion
because you know
that I will argue something
you know you won't.
Which is?
Identity politics is destroying America.
You knew I'd argue that.
It's making everything about race.
Because it has to be about race
until it's about equality.
Equality doesn't come through
more obsession with race.
It comes from elevating
talent over mediocrity.
Oh, come on, Kurt. You and I both know
that white mediocrity
is the default position.
Every manager hires who he knows.
Well, then you're right.
Step aside. You shouldn't
be leading that firm.
Really?
I'm taking a shower.
You wanted to see me?
Carmen, yes. Come in.
Go ahead, take a seat.
So, how is life at Reddick/Lockhart?
Did I do something wrong?
No. No. No, no.
I just want to see how,
how things are going.
Uh, I like it here.
There's nothing to compare
it to except law school,
but it's great to be
out of the legal clinics.
At a certain point, simulation
feels like a waste of time.
I'd rather be in the thick of it.
And now you are.
I know you're working with
Barry on the Rivi maintenance.
Yes. It's a-a wonderful opportunity.
Uh, Rivi's manager
has requested that, uh,
- you take on a larger role.
- Really?
Yeah. Rivi wants you
to be his only lawyer.
I don't know what to say. That's, um
surprising.
See, Rivi has an unbelievable
amount of, uh,
charisma.
But in my experience, it's-it's better
to maintain a professional distance.
I'm very professional.
Oh, I-I don't doubt it.
But you yourself said
Is the firm dissatisfied with my work?
No.
It's my intention
to treat all my clients like humans.
Even the ones who might be murderers
or are definitely murderers.
And I think Mr. Rivi might
be responding to that
because it's something
that he hasn't received
- at this firm previously
- Okay. Let me be very clear, Carmen.
We are talking about your
own personal safety here.
Yes, and I thank you.
I
If you want me not to be
involved with his case,
I will completely understand.
Mm.
Well, I will admit, I was
surprised when I got the call.
It's just so great to see you, Julius.
Yeah. How long has it been?
Well, for Diane, it was
when I was being handcuffed
and taken away to prison.
It feels like forever, but
that's probably just 2020.
Thank you for looking past my troubles.
I want you to know I don't
take that for granted.
Last year was terrible.
Diane, you stood by my side,
and I can't ever thank you enough.
Of course, Julius.
Come on, you're family.
And the one deserving recipient
of a Trump pardon.
Uh, yeah.
And I didn't even have to pay for it.
It's a good thing, I
couldn't afford one.
Um, speaking of pay,
we cannot pay you what you made before.
I need a job.
And this place is home.
I'd be happy to be of counsel.
Ugh.
This is so awkward.
Let's just reframe the issue.
It's not that I'm accepting
a lower position,
it's that, uh, you're getting a deal.
Yeah.
God, I hate this process.
So, Caleb?
Let me think about it.
You want Julius?
I want time to think about it.
It all happened so quick.
The second schools closed, I
knew parents would need help.
So, I rented some space,
and I put together a plan.
- Very entrepreneurial of you.
- Thank you.
I hired teachers, which wasn't hard.
There were so many layoffs.
And I walked the parents
through the hours,
the classes, the fees,
and the COVID protocols.
Sorry.
Curriculum.
And what about the curriculum?
Did you agree to a teaching
philosophy, anything like that?
It was at my discretion.
That was the agreement.
And was that agreement in the contract?
Excuse me, Your Honor.
Can I finish my questions?
Was any agreement about the
curriculum in the contract?
It was part of the handshake
deal, Your Honor.
They paid me on Venmo, and
I took care of the rest.
But during COVID, how could
they have a handshake agreement,
if there was no shaking hands?
Mr. Schultz knows full
well "handshake deal"
are acceptable words in business.
If there was no contract,
my client should definitely
get her money back.
- There was no deal.
- A handshake deal
is still a binding contract,
even in real
Uh, even in "usual" courts.
Hmm.
Dean?
What one, Your Honor?
- Plaintiff.
- Your Honor,
the plaintiff can't just
pull out of an agreement
whenever she wants.
Who is it who said,
"She should have watched
each card played
- and played it slow".
- Excuse me?
Every time we make a deal,
we're wondering what to choose.
We watch each card, wanting not to lose.
And so you play it slow.
Don't let the deal go down.
What are you talking about?
"Since it costs a lot to win,
and even more to lose,
you and me bound to spend some time,
wondering what to choose".
I'm sorry, is this a song?
Grateful Dead.
Dean, I was wrong. Erase.
Your Honor, a song is not evidence.
Sure it is.
Cicero used to use Homer
as much as the Roman code.
Art is evidence.
Okay, then, your client started
"counting her money when she
was sittin' at the table".
What is that?
Kenny Rogers?
That's right.
No.
No, no, no.
Dean.
A demerit.
Your Honor, this is so unfair.
Any other questions, Counselor?
Yes, we do, Your Honor. Thank you.
Proceed, Marissa.
No.
These are from the
courthouse vending machines.
- They've already been inspected.
- I don't give a shit.
Let's talk to your superior.
See if he gives a shit.
- Now they're inspected.
- Thank you.
Gracias.
De nada.
Are you Carmen?
I am.
Are you Mr. Vanegas's lawyer?
And business manager.
Charles Lester.
And this is this.
All stand.
The Honorable Wick Stilton presiding.
We have a motion today.
Uh, hello?
Yes, Your Honor.
Uh, I'm sorry. I'm new to this.
- My first time in court.
- Welcome, Counselor.
Everybody remembers their first time.
Although, yours does seem to
be decidedly more interesting.
- We've seen you in here before, Mr. Rivi.
- Oh, yeah.
Your Honor, uh, this is
a habeas corpus motion.
In meeting last time, with my client,
I realized he might be innocent
of the charges he was accused of
- That would be murder, Your Honor.
- Really, innocent?
How novel.
Three weeks ago, a Mr.
Vanegas was arrested
and pled to three manslaughter charges
of competing gang members.
It occurred to me,
these killings had many
of the same characteristics
as the murder my client was accused of.
A jury decided this, Your Honor.
Yes, but they did not have
the facts we have now.
This is the lawyer
representing Mr. Vanegas.
And he has something for us.
- Charles Lester, Your Honor.
- Yes, I recognize you, too.
- Hi.
- Hey.
My client had a guilty conscience,
and he wanted to come clean
before he served his time.
Oh, dear God.
Can I speak here without
being interrupted?
Yes.
My client swears that he is responsible
for the crime that
Mr. Rivi is accused of.
In fact, he has given sworn testimony
as to the whereabouts of the weapon.
The-the gun the police never found.
The one they accused my client of using.
This is all very convenient.
Your Honor, the only
thing that's convenient
is that I'm new to the law and
believed my client's innocence.
- So I investigated. That is all.
- Your Honor,
clearly this lawyer
acted as a go-between
for two murderous criminals,
allowing Vanegas to acquire
the facts he needed
- to help his boss, Rivi
- Your Honor.
- We're not that sophisticated.
- Here are prison records,
showing that Ms. Moyo
visited Vanegas in his cell
24 hours after her visit with Rivi.
Yes, and if you have any
doubt of what was said,
review the prison tapes.
I was not Mr. Vanegas's lawyer,
so my communication with
him was not privileged.
You'll see, I said
nothing incriminating.
I was just there to support my client.
- That's all.
- Okay.
Thank you. I will review
all these materials.
But I need Ms. Moyo to
approach the bench, please.
I thought I should be
here, too, for this.
Uh-huh. Uh
You, um, you haven't
been at this very long.
- Have you, miss?
- No, Your Honor.
Everyone's entitled to
legal representation,
and I'm sure you never
intend to do anything illegal
- or unethical
- Of course not, Your Honor.
You know, these are some rough
customers you're dealing with.
Don't let them take advantage
of your inexperience.
I'll help her where I can, Your Honor.
That is small comfort, Mr. Lester.
Ms. Moyo
there are a lot of bad actors
taking advantage of the system.
Don't make yourself vulnerable to them.
- Well, I'm not sure
- I need you to shut the hell up.
Huh?
Thank you, Your Honor.
I will keep that in mind.
Good.
While I recognize
that you just had a victory in court,
the long-term reputation of this firm
matters a whole lot more
to me than short-term wins.
That makes sense.
I'm not going to ask you any questions
about what you may or may not have done.
You're a capable lawyer. Clearly.
That's why you were hired.
This is just a reminder that
you are to conduct yourself
in a matter, at all times,
that does not put this firm at risk.
This is the only reminder
you're going to get.
Do you have any questions?
I'm just listening.
Wow. You, you really don't give a shit
what people think about you, do you?
I'm here to do a good
job for my clients.
I think I did that for Mr. Rivi.
And since he wants me to be
the only one to represent him,
I'll
I'll focus on that.
Okay.
We're done.
Thank you.
By the way, I'm your mentor.
I'll need you here Friday to discuss.
Thank you, Ms. Reddick.
I respected your father.
Your Honor, the defense
calls Isabel Pressley.
What the hell is she doing here?
You didn't give us
any notice of this witness.
I'm sorry. Do we have to?
I thought truth was always
found in sudden utterances.
You just got yourself
half a bell for quoting me.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
- Thank you.
Ms. Pressley, you were the first parent
to withdraw your child
from Poducation, correct?
Yes, but I didn't ask for my money back.
Because Toni did nothing wrong.
So, if you had no problem
with the teaching,
- why did you pull out?
- Because the other parents
Hi, guys. They were going to
get us all killed with COVID.
- Especially her.
- This is ridiculous.
That is quite a charge.
What do you mean?
She kept inviting the other
kids over to her house
for slumber parties, no masks,
totally against the rules.
- So that explains it.
- How do you know?
She put pictures on Facebook.
You get that made up next door?
Yes, Your Honor, at Copy Coop.
A good deal.
Don't suck up too much.
It's, uh, good product
placement, very good.
She doesn't give a shit about
what anybody teaches Miranda.
The pod shut down because
Nell was a super-spreader.
You're just jealous because your
stupid kid was never invited.
Your Honor, we believe this
proves that the plaintiff's
claim of socialist teaching
was an excuse to cover up
her own irresponsibility and
deny hardworking educators
the money that they had earned.
One second.
Dean. Defense.
Your Honor, we haven't
had closing arguments.
Yeah, I'm not in the mood.
I'm ready to rule.
Everybody sit down. Relax.
So, this side broke the COVID rules.
That's not good.
Then again, let's be honest, who hasn't?
Still, she paid. So she has a right
to complain about the service she got.
On the other hand, this
lady was doing her best
to challenge her students
to think critically
about the world they came from.
Even if she used Parasite,
a movie I thought had moments.
Wasn't as good as Hell or High Water.
And in the end,
the parents chose to outsource
the education of their kids
when most people had
to teach them at home.
You could have done that, you didn't.
You can't ask for your money back after.
I'm siding with you.
Just lighten up on the
lefty stuff next time.
Oh, and you have to pay for her lawyer
because this was bullshit.
Done.
See? I knew we'd do better here.
I have to say, his ruling
was reasonable.
Wait a minute. Hold it.
I'm brain-dead. I almost forgot.
I have found that the thing
we most crave, win or lose,
is respect and acknowledgment.
So, I want everyone to shake hands.
You mean literally?
Two sides, two lines. Go down the line,
shake hands, look each
other in the eye and say,
"I respect and I love you".
Because the law means nothing
if people don't feel respect for it,
and each other.
Come on. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go.
Let's go. We don't have all day.
I got a line around the block.
Come on.
I respect and I love you.
I think you could have each
done better, but let's go.
- I respect and I love you.
- There you go. Smiling face.
I respect and I love you.
Smile, baby. There you go.
I respect and I love you.
Do you have a card?
N-No. Do I need one?
Write down your number.
I need a lawyer here.
"I respect you and I love you".
Ha. No.
Oh, my God.
It's too bad he's not a lawyer.
We could hire him.
We could do worse.
Oh, so, speaking of.
I say it's Julius.
Julius?
Convicted of bribery,
pardoned by Trump, Julius.
Yes. Yes.
Yes, I've I've thought
about it, and we know him.
We trust him.
I like Julius.
Yeah. I like him, too.
Yeah, and he's right,
it is a good deal for us.
You slept with Caleb, didn't you?
I'm going to go call Julius.
Great.
Oh, and one more thing
This is an African American firm,
and it deserves a Black
partner in the corner office.
- You take it.
- Diane.
I insist.
Part of me feels like
I should thank you,
and another part of me doesn't.
So
Thank you.
And one more thing.
I thought that was the last thing.
I've thought about this.
I believe I contribute to this firm.
And I worry I'm going
to be pushed aside.
So
I think we need another
African American partner,
and we should discuss whom.
But I want a commitment from you that
I will retain a name-partner position.
No matter what.
Diane
as long as I have any
power over the decision,
you will retain your
name-partner position.
Thank you.
And let's discuss a third partner, huh?
Okay.
How was your first week?
Okay.
You?
Good.
So
I guess it begins.
Good morning. Reddick/Lockhart.
How may I help you?
- Good morning
- Good Morning. Reddick/Lockhart.
How may I help you?
Good morning. Reddick/Lockhart.
Please hold.
- I'm ready.
- Oh, great, great.
Good morning. Reddick/Lockhart.
Pathetic.
Stand up. Those seats are for clients!
I'm a client.
I am. I'm-I'm a client.
Oh, my mistake.
You look so young,
I thought you were one
of our new associates.
The rest of you
let's go.
This is the executive floor.
You will only come up here if invited.
That's the partners' conference
room, and those
Those are the partners.
This stairway over here,
leads to the offices of STR Laurie,
my offices.
They are off-limits to
associates unless invited,
and you won't be invited.
That's right.
They're letting you
play lawyer, Marissa.
How nice.
Fucking prick.
- This is someone from HR
- Jenny Klay. Hello.
She will take over from here.
Any questions, ask her.
Welcome to Reddick/
Lockhart and Associates.
Why don't we go downstairs,
and we'll get better acquainted.
- That's not an answer.
- Adrian founded this firm.
He is not easily replaced.
No one here is trying to replace him.
But some of us are more
than ready to step up
- to a name partnership
- Well, we're considering every option.
I'd like to understand the new
leadership structure here.
Yes, well, Diane and I are
going to run the firm together,
for now.
Just the two of you?
A Black firm being run by a white woman?
Well, I'm not running it alone. I mean,
I'm-I'm here to assist Liz.
Really? Because she needs assistance?
As we pass this around, I want
everybody to take some,
as much or as little as you want.
Tomorrow, you'll meet
your direct supervisors
here at Reddick & Lockhart.
Also, please be sure to bring
two copies of I.D. with you,
as they will be required
to complete your onboarding paperwork.
You'll have a meeting with HR
It's an icebreaker.
For every square you take,
you have to tell a secret
about yourself.
Good.
Now, we'll go around,
introduce yourself,
and for every square of toilet paper,
you have to say one personal
thing about yourself.
Of course, there's going
to be a discussion.
Is this the discussion?
Because I feel like
it's just the two of you,
telling us what's what.
Okay, we hear you,
and we are going to get
back to you. I promise.
But right now, our priority
is hiring a senior associate.
I'm not convinced we need one.
Well, Lucca was one of our best.
And we need someone with real experience
to take on her caseload.
Unless one of you would like to step up
and take over family law.
Uh-huh. That's what I thought.
Do you know Omar Peters?
I don't.
He's a really good headhunter.
I think I'm gonna get him looking,
- if-if that's okay with you.
- Sounds good.
Look at you two working in lockstep.
What do you need, David?
Which one of you is taking
Boseman's office?
We we hadn't discussed it.
Well, discuss. The corner
office can't just sit empty.
Looks like failure.
Friday.
Tell us by Friday.
And there are new hires
awaiting marching orders.
I have a client meeting. We'll discuss.
Yeah.
Marissa Gold, originally from
Chicago. Chicago-Kent.
I'm first-year law clinic.
And your secrets?
Secret.
I used to be married to a mime,
but it didn't work out, so
Thank you, Marissa.
I usually just make shit up.
Carmen?
Uh, Carmen Moyo.
Victorville, California.
Hmm. And your secrets?
Secret.
I hate games.
Hey. I need to interrupt.
Hello, everybody. You
can keep your seats.
This is Liz Reddick,
one of our two name partners.
Um, so we're all gonna have a chance
to get to know each
other a little bit later,
and, uh, everybody will have a mentor.
Hey. Hi.
All right, but today, we are
fulfilling client maintenance.
We regularly check in with
our most valuable clients.
And so, I'm going to call
their names off on this list,
and if any of you feel
a particular interest,
just let me know.
James Rothberg, Adell Development
I guess we've all
heard of him. All right.
You. Okay?
You're going to go find
Partner Madeline Gilford,
and she will supervise you.
Next, Bobby Lafarge,
CFL headquarters
Okay. You.
I want you to go find
partner John Wilson.
And Oscar Rivi, Menard
Correctional Center.
I guess we've all heard of him.
Menard is maximum security.
You will be very well protected.
Good. Good, good. You're
going to be working
with partner Barry Poe.
Okay? Great. Thank you.
Why was the summons sent to you?
I don't know. Is it bad news?
Oh. No, not necessarily.
I'll-I'll be fighting the same
case in two different courts.
Mm. But this case has only
one plaintiff, so if we win,
it sets a helpful precedent
for the large case.
And if all of the plaintiffs
can't even agree on a venue,
well, that's good for us.
All I did was teach these
people's kids during COVID.
No good deed
Um, this is Phoebe.
She's one of my associates.
- Hello, Ms. Hedger.
- Hi.
She will go with you to court today.
Phoebe, she has an 11:00 a.m.
with Judge Wackner.
- But shouldn't you go, Diane?
- Oh, it's just a formality.
I need to stay here
and work on your brief.
I assure you, you're
in good hands, ma'am.
Oh, and there's Marissa.
Remember? She investigated
your case last year.
Marissa?
We need a continuance
on Toni Hedger's case.
Really, I get to argue a continuance?
No. You get to accompany Phoebe
who will argue a continuance,
and you get to hold the client's hand.
Okay?
Okay.
Carmen, right?
I don't want you to be intimidated.
He can sense fear.
We have a half hour,
but we don't need more than ten minutes.
There'll be a translator in the room.
Rivi will let us know his complaints.
We listen.
We never commit.
- Are you taking notes?
- Yes.
There's basically nothing
we can do for him.
It's more like a venting session.
There's no need for you to talk at all.
- Okay. He's ready.
- Sit, listen, leave.
- But your I.D. expired.
- What?
I can't let you in.
Your license expired, three weeks ago.
I couldn't renew it during the pandemic.
- Can't you just
- No.
I can do this.
Not alone you can't.
Sit. Listen. Leave.
I can do that.
I think we're lost.
Hey, Gage.
Which court is Judge Wackner in?
- Judge which?
- Wackner.
9th Circuit?
Yeah. We have an 11:00 a.m. summons.
There's no Judge Wackner here.
What are you doing?
Asking directions.
Yeah.
The 9th Circuit, Courtroom 305,
11:00 a.m., Judge Wackner.
What?
Look. It's not the 9th Circuit.
It's the nine and
three-quarters circuit.
Oh, come on.
It's a Harry Potter joke.
Yeah, I get that. Funny.
Wild-goose chase. Time to go home.
So, do-do we think this is the
plaintiff just messing with us?
I'm not sure, ma'am.
But we'll call right away.
- Wait.
- What?
What is this, a treasure hunt?
This is not right.
Hey.
Wait. I'm calling Diane.
We have an 11:00 summons.
We're five minutes late.
I'm not going down that alley
to some hidden court.
Okay. I'll check it out and call you.
Now where?
I don't know. What happens
in Harry Potter?
They run their cart at
a barrier or something,
and they pop through.
Okay, so a barrier.
We look for a barrier.
I feel like we should leave
bread crumbs or something.
Nine and three-quarters?
Uh, yes
Through there.
Thanks.
This is not what we agreed on!
We agreed on two minutes.
You had two minutes.
- And that's it. There's no more.
- No, no, no. Hold on.
Stop. Stop. Stop. I just want
one person speaking at a time.
Your Honor, you said I had
two uninterrupted minutes to speak.
And he had two minutes, I timed them.
- 30 more seconds.
- Okay. Stop it. Stop it.
How do we break a tie? Come on.
One, two, three.
Good, rock over scissors.
Closing arguments are done.
Give me about ten minutes.
I'll have a decision.
Take a break. Are you my 11:00?
Uh, I don't know. We have a summons.
Come on in. You're late.
Sorry, but is this a real court?
Yeah. Get ready.
Ready, Your Honor.
Um, Your Honor, defense
counsel asks that
the court grant a continuance
until such time
- as we've been able to
- You're-you're defense counsel?
Why do you refer to yourself
in the third person?
- I'm not actually licensed to practice law
- I'm not actually licensed
to be a judge, so we're
in the same boat.
Mr. Schultz, please
call your first witness.
- Ready, Your Honor.
- Uh, wait. Can I object?
You can. Overruled.
Mr. Schultz, call your witness.
Your Honor, let me call the real lawyer.
I'm not a real lawyer.
What's your name?
Marissa.
Marissa
Do you understand the
issues in this case?
Uh-huh.
Do you believe in your client?
Yeah.
You have a summons?
Yeah. Here.
What else you need? Let's go.
What is this?
I have no idea. What do you want to do?
Well, look, that's one of
the parents suing me.
If we walk out, we lose.
Why are you whispering?
You don't think we can hear you?
Is there another lawyer with you?
I'm Carmen Moyo.
Is there another lawyer to represent
Mr. Rivi, I'm here to make
sure the prison is providing
everything you're entitled to.
How is the prison staff treating you?
¿Cómo lo está tratando
el personal de la prisión?
The Wi-Fi is bad.
He doesn't like the food.
It upsets his stomach.
Uh
Hey.
He asked if
This is not for you to say, miss.
The prison has ordered that I translate.
The prison will hear of this.
Carmen Moyo.
¿Que necesita?
Hey, you look great, Caleb.
California sunshine.
- How's the weather there?
- Warm and balmy.
Oh, here's Liz now.
I didn't tell her you became available.
- So, she'll be surprised.
- Yeah, she will.
Liz, look who the headhunter dragged in.
Yeah. Hey, Caleb.
Uh, how are you?
Good, Liz. How are you?
Good. Yeah
Um, where are you?
Santa Barbara.
I've been out here for the pandemic.
- My family's here.
- Oh.
Oh, and are they good?
Mm-hmm. Yeah, healthy. Good.
- Thank you.
- Good.
You look good.
Thank you. So do you.
- I was surprised to get the call
- I Yeah, it's just
It's Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead.
- No. No. You.
- No, no, no, no, no. You were saying
- something about you were surprised?
- Yeah.
I was surprised to get the call
about this position opening.
Oh, yes. Uh
I think our headhunter is
just looking for people
that we are familiar with.
Okay.
Well, I would love to
be given a hearing.
And we'd love to give it to you.
Uh, how do you do with family law?
Uh-oh. I better take this.
Um, you two talk.
Uh, look. I-I understand
if this is a bad idea.
When I got the call,
I thought it was you reaching out.
Oh. I-I should've reached out.
I just
- You know, things ended so
- Weird?
- Abruptly.
- Um, you're in the room alone, right?
Uh
- Yes.
- Look, can we, um
Can-can we just act like we
never slept with each other?
Can you?
I'm the employee. Of course I can.
Well, uh, do you really
Do you really want the job?
I do. I liked the firm.
I liked what the firm stood for.
Okay.
Okay. Well, we will, um
Let us talk about it.
Good.
And, Liz, if it doesn't work out,
I get it. No hard feelings.
Oh, okay. Start again.
What?
There's a court behind the court
that's adjudicating Hedger's case.
I don't understand.
Is it a mediation court?
- No, it's a court someone invented.
- Well, then I
Why are we there?
- Because the plaintiff is there with an attorney.
- But wait.
If it has no power, and
it has no jurisdiction,
what does it have?
A judge in a robe.
I'm suing
because she said she
would educate our kids
during the pandemic,
but it didn't turn out like we expected.
You contacted
the defendant, Toni Hedger,
when the public schools closed down?
Yes. We heard she was
a private school teacher
who had started this
company, Poducation.
It was going to be a small
group of kids, all COVID-safe,
so that they wouldn't fall behind.
So, what was the problem?
We didn't know she'd
be teaching socialism.
- Oh, please.
- You'll get your turn.
Could you elaborate?
Suddenly, my daughter
came home judging us.
She calls me a Karen.
She said that we were
useless rich people
who reinforce white supremacy.
She said we were like the
family from Parasite,
who don't even see people suffering
right under their noses.
So, all you're asking,
is that your $60,000 for
the year be refunded?
- Exactly.
- Sounds reasonable.
Objection.
On what grounds?
The judge can decide for
himself what is reasonable.
He doesn't need you to decide for him.
- Come on.
- Actually, that's a good point.
I don't need your color
commentary, Counselor.
Sustained. Any other questions?
No, Your Honor, but just so you know,
- I wasn't trying to influence
- Don't dig yourself deeper.
Just sit down. Okay, you. Go.
Your Honor, my chief
counsel is in transit.
If you could give us 20 minutes.
No, but I can rule right now
- if you're not ready to go.
- Nope. We're ready.
So
Ma'am.
Good morning.
Hello.
You claim that you
what again?
That-that my client
- is teaching socialism?
- Yes.
And I didn't sign up for that.
Your Honor, this is a
sorry state of affairs.
Mr.
Schlepp?
Schultz.
Schultz, right.
He says he hopes you find justice.
Well, I think that's what
we're all looking for, and
as George Clooney so eloquently put it,
after the tragic death
of Princess Diana,
"Who should we see about that?"
Ms. Hedger? Is she the
proper focus of our ire?
Kid, look, I hate speeches,
unless I'm giving them.
And even then, I'm just trying to stall.
So
And if you have nothing
to ask the witness, uh,
sit the hell down. This
is not the kind of court
where you can just run out the clock.
Ms. Fulton
When did you realize that my
client was teaching socialism?
When my daughter went on about Parasite.
I see. And she got that
from my client's school?
From her pod, yes.
That's why I want my $60,000 back
- So your daughter loved that movie, Parasite?
- She did.
- But you didn't?
- It was all right.
- The ending was a bit violent.
- Yeah.
- It upset me.
- All that knifing on the lawn.
- Awful.
- So you and your daughter
must've had different reactions
when it won the Academy
Award for Best Picture?
We did.
She was dancing around,
rubbing my nose in it.
Aha!
The Academy Awards were
held in February of 2020,
a month before schools shut down.
If your daughter thinks you're
like the people in Parasite,
she couldn't have gotten
that from Ms. Hedger
because the teaching
pod didn't yet exist.
Objection. Counselor is putting words
in my client's mouth.
Do you have better
words for your client?
Okay, Dean. Put it on the board.
One-zero.
Your Honor, I move for a brief recess.
Thank you.
- That was longer than I thought.
- He had a lot to say.
- About what?
- Uh, Wi-Fi.
- A half hour about Wi-Fi?
- And-and food.
- He doesn't like the food.
- And what did you say?
I said I would bring his
concerns to the prison.
That's it?
I sat.
I listened.
I left.
What else?
I don't understand. What is this?
- I have no idea.
- Then why are you arguing here?
Why are you arguing at
all? You're not a lawyer.
- If I didn't argue, we were gonna lose.
- Lose what?
This is not a court. We're
in the back of a Copy Coop.
And what is William Schultz doing here?
- He's representing the plaintiff.
- Okay. I'm losing my mind.
Look, this is not legal.
We have got to get out of here.
No. I don't want to.
Toni, whatever happens
here, it's irrelevant.
It doesn't matter if we win or lose.
Look.
Those are some of the
other parents suing me.
They're seeing how this case goes.
Which is why we don't want to lose here.
So let's not.
Look, I like this judge.
Who lives in a pineapple
under the sea? ♪
He's better than the
judges in real court.
That's the point, it's not real.
Diane, what is real?
I have spent the last eight months
going from one deposition to another,
and nothing ever happens.
It just keeps getting
delayed and pushed,
and I can't get on with my life.
This is reality to me.
I want you to win the case here.
William.
What are you doing here?
I'm wondering whether to eat this.
Or was that an existential question?
No. I meant, you're a real lawyer.
What are you doing here?
I'm getting paid.
Business is down, except
for everything in bankruptcy
and court dockets are
backlogged into next year.
If clients want to pay to
resolve their differences
in crazy-court, what's the downside?
You're treating this like arbitration?
If we agree to be bound by Judge Wacko,
this is arbitration.
I don't understand anything anymore.
Sure you do.
That's why this is throwing you.
Welcome to 2021.
I was grateful for
the teaching job during COVID.
I've got to put food on the table,
but I also have my principles.
You didn't feel like you could
live by your principles
while working for Poducation?
Well, look, Toni doesn't tolerate anyone
to the right of Noam Chomsky.
One Ayn Rand assignment, and I was out.
He quit and left me in the lurch.
Other than firing you,
how else did Toni show
her political leanings?
One of the other teachers,
Janice, said that
another teacher, Stuart, heard Toni say,
"You got to brainwash
these rich brats"
Objection. Hearsay.
- Oh, I don't care. Go on.
- Sir?
Your Honor.
Your Honor, the hearsay
rule prevents gossip
from being used as evidence.
How can you weigh the
truth of a statement,
- unless it's made under oath?
- The same way I do in life.
The same way you do.
You use your brains.
So, did you say,
- "You got to brainwash these rich brats"?
- No.
Yes, you did.
No, I didn't, and you didn't
even hear it yourself.
You said someone heard
it from someone
Well, they were both
teachers that I trusted.
You tried to get more pay,
and when I tried to hold you
to your contract, you quit.
I quit because of your
new political emphasis.
There was no political emphasis!
You said that you couldn't trust
anybody who voted Republican.
- No. That-that wasn't what I said.
- What did you say?
- Your Honor, may I have a moment to confer?
- No.
I like the truth that is found
in sudden utterances.
What did you say?
We were talking about the Conways,
and I said,
I couldn't fall in love with
anyone who voted for Trump.
That's all.
Go ahead, Dean.
- One for the P's.
- Your Honor,
that has nothing to do with this case.
It is a private belief
held by my client.
A belief that is shared
by most of the country
And do you share it?
I'm not the question.
The question is whether
a school administrator's
- private belief determines the value of her
- Hold it. Stop.
It's-it's one to one.
You haven't lost anything.
I think, for your own benefit,
you should let your
cocounsel argue for you.
My cocounsel?
Marissa.
Your Honor,
Marissa is not a lawyer.
Well, I'm not a judge.
Time to close up shop for the day.
You got a validation,
uh, stamp right here.
Uh, have a nice, uh, you know
Find out what this judge is about.
Okay.
About ten more minutes,
I'm-a go and lock up.
So how long has this been going on?
- Two months.
- You're kidding.
- It's insane.
- It's crazy, right?
How did you get involved?
Mm.
So, I was working at the
courts when COVID hit,
then I was out of a job.
And Wackner hired you?
Yeah, man. Same salary.
- Same number of hours.
- Mm.
Why's he doing it?
- What? This court?
- Mm-hmm.
You ever seen Watts Towers?
No. What's that?
I got some relatives
that live near there, man.
It's just these towers
this guy built in Watts.
In his spare time.
Got it in his head to build
something beautiful.
And it is.
- I think that's what Wackner's doing.
- Mm.
Building something in his spare time,
because he thinks he can do it better.
And people don't trust the system
since it costs a lot to win
and even more to lose.
Man, what is that?
- Grateful Dead.
- Aw
Yeah, he sings it all the time, man.
You and me bound to spend
some time wondering ♪
What to choose. ♪
- Mm. Mm-mm. Mm-mm.
- Oh!
Hey, he knows what to choose.
Carmen Moyo.
I'm not your lawyer
so this whole session is
subject to surveillance.
That's why that chirping you hear.
Then get the fuck out of here.
I'm Oscar Rivi's lawyer.
What does he need?
My client has been prosecuted
for a murder he did not commit.
- Is that really what he said?
- I need you to let me speak.
Rivi knows you're looking
at 30 years for murder one.
And he knows you have information
- that could exonerate him.
- Are you fucking
That testimony
would make your time go
much easier at Statesville.
He knows how time goes hard,
and it goes easier when you
have a clean conscience.
Who are you?
I told you.
I'm Oscar Rivi's attorney.
- And how old are you?
- 28.
So you're telling me
I'm not telling you anything.
I'm just making the obvious clear.
There are people in the
Statesville Christian community
that can help you if you want
to come clean with God.
You're just a little girl.
I am.
But I know how God works.
Okay.
- Tell Rivi
- No.
I'm not telling him anything.
I'm leaving now.
Thank you for listening.
Hello?
Is this the great Elizabeth Reddick?
Well, I don't know about great, but yes.
This is Charles Lester.
Ah, Mr. Lester. Yes.
You are a lawyer representing, um
Uh, I'm sorry. Who again?
Ah, how quickly they forget.
I represent Mr. Rivi.
Not his lawyer. His business manager.
Yes. Yes, yes, yes.
I believe we just had
our biannual meeting
with Mr. Rivi.
You did, and that is
the point of my call.
Mr. Rivi only wants to meet,
from this moment on,
with the lawyer Carmen Moyo.
I don't understand.
He doesn't like the, uh,
partner who was sent.
Barry something. He doesn't want
to see him anymore.
And he wants all his business holdings
transferred through Ms. Moyo.
But she's, uh
Mr. Lester, uh
Carmen Moyo is a first-year associate.
She's only been with us two days.
Is there some problem
with my client's request?
No.
No. No. No. It's just
that she's very young.
Very young. She's just
out of law school.
He wants her as his only lawyer.
Is there any problem with that?
Mr. Lester, let me speak to my team.
We-we like to offer our
top clients more services
- than one lawyer can provide
- Liz.
I've been working with my
client for five years now.
He knows what he wants.
He knows his mind.
So, uh, make it happen,
or you and I'll be having a
more unpleasant conversation.
Mr. Lester, where are you?
- Can I call you back?
- I am at the
only pay phone in Chicago.
I'll call you back.
If my words did glow ♪
With the gold of sunshine ♪
Hey.
Hey
Were played ♪
Expanding your tastes?
It's for work.
Hear my voice ♪
Come through ♪
Kurt?
Do you think I should give
up my name partnership
- at the firm?
- What?
I'm getting pressure to give
up my top opinion at the firm.
Your opinion?
What?
You said your "top opinion".
No, my-my top position.
I'm white.
The firm is supposed to be Black.
And with Adrian gone,
the optics
Optics.
Are you the best lawyer there?
I'm no.
Well, okay. I'm one of the best.
But that's not what this is about.
It's a bad look having a Black
law firm with a white leader.
- And I want to do what's right.
- Diane
You and I disagree on so much.
You obviously ask my opinion
because you know
that I will argue something
you know you won't.
Which is?
Identity politics is destroying America.
You knew I'd argue that.
It's making everything about race.
Because it has to be about race
until it's about equality.
Equality doesn't come through
more obsession with race.
It comes from elevating
talent over mediocrity.
Oh, come on, Kurt. You and I both know
that white mediocrity
is the default position.
Every manager hires who he knows.
Well, then you're right.
Step aside. You shouldn't
be leading that firm.
Really?
I'm taking a shower.
You wanted to see me?
Carmen, yes. Come in.
Go ahead, take a seat.
So, how is life at Reddick/Lockhart?
Did I do something wrong?
No. No. No, no.
I just want to see how,
how things are going.
Uh, I like it here.
There's nothing to compare
it to except law school,
but it's great to be
out of the legal clinics.
At a certain point, simulation
feels like a waste of time.
I'd rather be in the thick of it.
And now you are.
I know you're working with
Barry on the Rivi maintenance.
Yes. It's a-a wonderful opportunity.
Uh, Rivi's manager
has requested that, uh,
- you take on a larger role.
- Really?
Yeah. Rivi wants you
to be his only lawyer.
I don't know what to say. That's, um
surprising.
See, Rivi has an unbelievable
amount of, uh,
charisma.
But in my experience, it's-it's better
to maintain a professional distance.
I'm very professional.
Oh, I-I don't doubt it.
But you yourself said
Is the firm dissatisfied with my work?
No.
It's my intention
to treat all my clients like humans.
Even the ones who might be murderers
or are definitely murderers.
And I think Mr. Rivi might
be responding to that
because it's something
that he hasn't received
- at this firm previously
- Okay. Let me be very clear, Carmen.
We are talking about your
own personal safety here.
Yes, and I thank you.
I
If you want me not to be
involved with his case,
I will completely understand.
Mm.
Well, I will admit, I was
surprised when I got the call.
It's just so great to see you, Julius.
Yeah. How long has it been?
Well, for Diane, it was
when I was being handcuffed
and taken away to prison.
It feels like forever, but
that's probably just 2020.
Thank you for looking past my troubles.
I want you to know I don't
take that for granted.
Last year was terrible.
Diane, you stood by my side,
and I can't ever thank you enough.
Of course, Julius.
Come on, you're family.
And the one deserving recipient
of a Trump pardon.
Uh, yeah.
And I didn't even have to pay for it.
It's a good thing, I
couldn't afford one.
Um, speaking of pay,
we cannot pay you what you made before.
I need a job.
And this place is home.
I'd be happy to be of counsel.
Ugh.
This is so awkward.
Let's just reframe the issue.
It's not that I'm accepting
a lower position,
it's that, uh, you're getting a deal.
Yeah.
God, I hate this process.
So, Caleb?
Let me think about it.
You want Julius?
I want time to think about it.
It all happened so quick.
The second schools closed, I
knew parents would need help.
So, I rented some space,
and I put together a plan.
- Very entrepreneurial of you.
- Thank you.
I hired teachers, which wasn't hard.
There were so many layoffs.
And I walked the parents
through the hours,
the classes, the fees,
and the COVID protocols.
Sorry.
Curriculum.
And what about the curriculum?
Did you agree to a teaching
philosophy, anything like that?
It was at my discretion.
That was the agreement.
And was that agreement in the contract?
Excuse me, Your Honor.
Can I finish my questions?
Was any agreement about the
curriculum in the contract?
It was part of the handshake
deal, Your Honor.
They paid me on Venmo, and
I took care of the rest.
But during COVID, how could
they have a handshake agreement,
if there was no shaking hands?
Mr. Schultz knows full
well "handshake deal"
are acceptable words in business.
If there was no contract,
my client should definitely
get her money back.
- There was no deal.
- A handshake deal
is still a binding contract,
even in real
Uh, even in "usual" courts.
Hmm.
Dean?
What one, Your Honor?
- Plaintiff.
- Your Honor,
the plaintiff can't just
pull out of an agreement
whenever she wants.
Who is it who said,
"She should have watched
each card played
- and played it slow".
- Excuse me?
Every time we make a deal,
we're wondering what to choose.
We watch each card, wanting not to lose.
And so you play it slow.
Don't let the deal go down.
What are you talking about?
"Since it costs a lot to win,
and even more to lose,
you and me bound to spend some time,
wondering what to choose".
I'm sorry, is this a song?
Grateful Dead.
Dean, I was wrong. Erase.
Your Honor, a song is not evidence.
Sure it is.
Cicero used to use Homer
as much as the Roman code.
Art is evidence.
Okay, then, your client started
"counting her money when she
was sittin' at the table".
What is that?
Kenny Rogers?
That's right.
No.
No, no, no.
Dean.
A demerit.
Your Honor, this is so unfair.
Any other questions, Counselor?
Yes, we do, Your Honor. Thank you.
Proceed, Marissa.
No.
These are from the
courthouse vending machines.
- They've already been inspected.
- I don't give a shit.
Let's talk to your superior.
See if he gives a shit.
- Now they're inspected.
- Thank you.
Gracias.
De nada.
Are you Carmen?
I am.
Are you Mr. Vanegas's lawyer?
And business manager.
Charles Lester.
And this is this.
All stand.
The Honorable Wick Stilton presiding.
We have a motion today.
Uh, hello?
Yes, Your Honor.
Uh, I'm sorry. I'm new to this.
- My first time in court.
- Welcome, Counselor.
Everybody remembers their first time.
Although, yours does seem to
be decidedly more interesting.
- We've seen you in here before, Mr. Rivi.
- Oh, yeah.
Your Honor, uh, this is
a habeas corpus motion.
In meeting last time, with my client,
I realized he might be innocent
of the charges he was accused of
- That would be murder, Your Honor.
- Really, innocent?
How novel.
Three weeks ago, a Mr.
Vanegas was arrested
and pled to three manslaughter charges
of competing gang members.
It occurred to me,
these killings had many
of the same characteristics
as the murder my client was accused of.
A jury decided this, Your Honor.
Yes, but they did not have
the facts we have now.
This is the lawyer
representing Mr. Vanegas.
And he has something for us.
- Charles Lester, Your Honor.
- Yes, I recognize you, too.
- Hi.
- Hey.
My client had a guilty conscience,
and he wanted to come clean
before he served his time.
Oh, dear God.
Can I speak here without
being interrupted?
Yes.
My client swears that he is responsible
for the crime that
Mr. Rivi is accused of.
In fact, he has given sworn testimony
as to the whereabouts of the weapon.
The-the gun the police never found.
The one they accused my client of using.
This is all very convenient.
Your Honor, the only
thing that's convenient
is that I'm new to the law and
believed my client's innocence.
- So I investigated. That is all.
- Your Honor,
clearly this lawyer
acted as a go-between
for two murderous criminals,
allowing Vanegas to acquire
the facts he needed
- to help his boss, Rivi
- Your Honor.
- We're not that sophisticated.
- Here are prison records,
showing that Ms. Moyo
visited Vanegas in his cell
24 hours after her visit with Rivi.
Yes, and if you have any
doubt of what was said,
review the prison tapes.
I was not Mr. Vanegas's lawyer,
so my communication with
him was not privileged.
You'll see, I said
nothing incriminating.
I was just there to support my client.
- That's all.
- Okay.
Thank you. I will review
all these materials.
But I need Ms. Moyo to
approach the bench, please.
I thought I should be
here, too, for this.
Uh-huh. Uh
You, um, you haven't
been at this very long.
- Have you, miss?
- No, Your Honor.
Everyone's entitled to
legal representation,
and I'm sure you never
intend to do anything illegal
- or unethical
- Of course not, Your Honor.
You know, these are some rough
customers you're dealing with.
Don't let them take advantage
of your inexperience.
I'll help her where I can, Your Honor.
That is small comfort, Mr. Lester.
Ms. Moyo
there are a lot of bad actors
taking advantage of the system.
Don't make yourself vulnerable to them.
- Well, I'm not sure
- I need you to shut the hell up.
Huh?
Thank you, Your Honor.
I will keep that in mind.
Good.
While I recognize
that you just had a victory in court,
the long-term reputation of this firm
matters a whole lot more
to me than short-term wins.
That makes sense.
I'm not going to ask you any questions
about what you may or may not have done.
You're a capable lawyer. Clearly.
That's why you were hired.
This is just a reminder that
you are to conduct yourself
in a matter, at all times,
that does not put this firm at risk.
This is the only reminder
you're going to get.
Do you have any questions?
I'm just listening.
Wow. You, you really don't give a shit
what people think about you, do you?
I'm here to do a good
job for my clients.
I think I did that for Mr. Rivi.
And since he wants me to be
the only one to represent him,
I'll
I'll focus on that.
Okay.
We're done.
Thank you.
By the way, I'm your mentor.
I'll need you here Friday to discuss.
Thank you, Ms. Reddick.
I respected your father.
Your Honor, the defense
calls Isabel Pressley.
What the hell is she doing here?
You didn't give us
any notice of this witness.
I'm sorry. Do we have to?
I thought truth was always
found in sudden utterances.
You just got yourself
half a bell for quoting me.
- Thank you, Your Honor.
- Thank you.
Ms. Pressley, you were the first parent
to withdraw your child
from Poducation, correct?
Yes, but I didn't ask for my money back.
Because Toni did nothing wrong.
So, if you had no problem
with the teaching,
- why did you pull out?
- Because the other parents
Hi, guys. They were going to
get us all killed with COVID.
- Especially her.
- This is ridiculous.
That is quite a charge.
What do you mean?
She kept inviting the other
kids over to her house
for slumber parties, no masks,
totally against the rules.
- So that explains it.
- How do you know?
She put pictures on Facebook.
You get that made up next door?
Yes, Your Honor, at Copy Coop.
A good deal.
Don't suck up too much.
It's, uh, good product
placement, very good.
She doesn't give a shit about
what anybody teaches Miranda.
The pod shut down because
Nell was a super-spreader.
You're just jealous because your
stupid kid was never invited.
Your Honor, we believe this
proves that the plaintiff's
claim of socialist teaching
was an excuse to cover up
her own irresponsibility and
deny hardworking educators
the money that they had earned.
One second.
Dean. Defense.
Your Honor, we haven't
had closing arguments.
Yeah, I'm not in the mood.
I'm ready to rule.
Everybody sit down. Relax.
So, this side broke the COVID rules.
That's not good.
Then again, let's be honest, who hasn't?
Still, she paid. So she has a right
to complain about the service she got.
On the other hand, this
lady was doing her best
to challenge her students
to think critically
about the world they came from.
Even if she used Parasite,
a movie I thought had moments.
Wasn't as good as Hell or High Water.
And in the end,
the parents chose to outsource
the education of their kids
when most people had
to teach them at home.
You could have done that, you didn't.
You can't ask for your money back after.
I'm siding with you.
Just lighten up on the
lefty stuff next time.
Oh, and you have to pay for her lawyer
because this was bullshit.
Done.
See? I knew we'd do better here.
I have to say, his ruling
was reasonable.
Wait a minute. Hold it.
I'm brain-dead. I almost forgot.
I have found that the thing
we most crave, win or lose,
is respect and acknowledgment.
So, I want everyone to shake hands.
You mean literally?
Two sides, two lines. Go down the line,
shake hands, look each
other in the eye and say,
"I respect and I love you".
Because the law means nothing
if people don't feel respect for it,
and each other.
Come on. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go.
Let's go. We don't have all day.
I got a line around the block.
Come on.
I respect and I love you.
I think you could have each
done better, but let's go.
- I respect and I love you.
- There you go. Smiling face.
I respect and I love you.
Smile, baby. There you go.
I respect and I love you.
Do you have a card?
N-No. Do I need one?
Write down your number.
I need a lawyer here.
"I respect you and I love you".
Ha. No.
Oh, my God.
It's too bad he's not a lawyer.
We could hire him.
We could do worse.
Oh, so, speaking of.
I say it's Julius.
Julius?
Convicted of bribery,
pardoned by Trump, Julius.
Yes. Yes.
Yes, I've I've thought
about it, and we know him.
We trust him.
I like Julius.
Yeah. I like him, too.
Yeah, and he's right,
it is a good deal for us.
You slept with Caleb, didn't you?
I'm going to go call Julius.
Great.
Oh, and one more thing
This is an African American firm,
and it deserves a Black
partner in the corner office.
- You take it.
- Diane.
I insist.
Part of me feels like
I should thank you,
and another part of me doesn't.
So
Thank you.
And one more thing.
I thought that was the last thing.
I've thought about this.
I believe I contribute to this firm.
And I worry I'm going
to be pushed aside.
So
I think we need another
African American partner,
and we should discuss whom.
But I want a commitment from you that
I will retain a name-partner position.
No matter what.
Diane
as long as I have any
power over the decision,
you will retain your
name-partner position.
Thank you.
And let's discuss a third partner, huh?
Okay.
How was your first week?
Okay.
You?
Good.
So
I guess it begins.