calling case ba 09395, richard cole versus virginia cole. how're we doing this morning, counsel?
and you, mr. reid?
i take it you're seeking to substitute in as counsel?
fine , fine. and for the record, the reason is?
i take it you don't share the same ethical objections, mr. reid?
i see. well, if mrs. cole wants the substitution of counsel, i'll allow it. is that what you want, mrs. cole? virginia looks to the judge, then to fletcher, whose unorthodox syle seemed so brilliant earlier.
fine.
i'll have to hear good cause, counselor. what's the problem?
motion for a continuance denied. is there any chance of a settlement in this case?
there appears to have been a change in strategy. let's go to my chambers and negotiate. he bangs the gavel.
sounds pretty damning, mr. reid.
two four seems like a pretty fair offer, mr. reid.
what are you suggesting, mr. rei d? that ms. appleton's willingness to proffer such an offer betrays a lack of faith in her position?
strong corroborating evidence?
you're pretty confident how this trial is going to come out, eh, mr. reid?
you are some negotiator, mr. reid. if your client has half a brain, she'll jump at the offer.
well , mr. reid. do we have a settlement? fletcher looks pleadingly at his client, but she is firm. he shakes his head unhappily. the judge is irritated.
th ere' s no settlement. trial to start at one-thirty sharp. he bangs the gavel. fletcher emits an involuntary whimper.
counselors, are we ready to begin?
you may proceed, mr. reid. . everyone turns to fletcher in anticipation. in a voice quaking with fear.
ms. appleton, you may begin.
and why is that, mr. reid?
overruled.  as dana pops the tape into a player, fletcher anxiously
no questions? .
all right, mr. reid. you may proceed.
it can't wait?
who did this?
-what did he look like?
bailiff, have the deputies search the building. a hubbub rises. he bangs the gavel.
under the circumstances, i have no choice but to recess this case until tomorrow morning at nine. fletcher smiles serenly -- until --
-- unless, of course, you think you can still proceed? fletcher covers his mouth in a desperate attempt to avoid answering, but he can't repress the truth.
can you?
splendid. i admire your courage, mr. reid. i'll give you a few minutes to compose yourself, and then we'll get started. fletcher looks as if he has just been sentenced to death.
it's hig witness!
call your next witness.
you have no further witnesses?!
mr. reid?
mr. reid, we're not getting any younger.  fletcher quickly looks at the blowup of virginia's prenup and her passport.
mr. reid you have presented virtually nothing in the way of evidence and as such i have no choice but to rule in favor of --
mr. reid, does this have a point?
(banging his
in light of this new evidence, the court must rule in favor o f the defense. mrs. cole is hereby awarded half of the marital assets -or thirtyrseven million three hundred and ninety-five thousand dollars. the courtroom erupts. fletcher's won! dana, mr. cole are devastated. '
o r d e r ! order!! now i understand both parties have agreed to joint custody. is that correct?
m r. reid? do we have an agreement on custody or not? fletcher takes a distressed look at the children.
in that case, there will be a custody hearing tomorrow mor ning at nine. court is adj ourned! he bangs the gavel. everyone gets up, but fletcher's attention is drawn to a commotion between virginia and her kids.
we',re adjourned, mr. reid.
mr. reid, you are out of order!
that's enough, mr. reid --
that's it, mr. reid. i find you in contempt!
bailiff! remove mr. reid from the courtroom!
	51:
my dad? he's . . . a liar.
oh! i see-- you mean he's a lawyer.
as you stand over his crumpled, though potentially still-dangerous form, your he art goes out to him. you want to help. first, you gather up the many bills he dropped, to stop them from bl owi ng away. second, in an effort to get the name and number of someone to notify, you take his wallet. finally, you leap into the man's lexus to head for assistance, when suddenly a police car speeds up. you breathe a sigh of relief: "someone to look -after the injured man! oh joy!" but do the police applaud your initiative? do they hail your heroism? no-- they arrest you and throw you in the slammer! he walks along the jury box:
keep vector 4 away from me. unless you want vector 4 chopped off.
shut up!!
why don't you tell her yourself? as miranda approaches, fletcher switches gears in an
i'll get right on it. fletcher turns -- and pretends to be surprised.
will you marry me? she's shocked.
i proposed, i . . . look, i know this boston thing is a great opportunity, good job, mo ney .  . everything. but i started to think about being three thousand miles away from you and max. and i didn't like it. i-- look, i know it's a lot to ask, to move and everything, but i . . . . i love
t here they are now. . they pull up in front of fletcher's building where fletcher and max are waiting. fletcher's still reviewing a file. as audrey gets out of jerry's car, max runs over.
it was fun.
captain fuzzy is my name, making children happy is my game, with a shake and a juggle, and a big belt buckle, you'll all be glad i came. ' he flops down on his back causing something in his pants to honk. audrey and jerry watch.
well, you're still young. it'll happen more and more. in the meantime, what do you say we get. down to business? first, mr. reid, i see that your client was previously represented by mr. rand of your office.
yes?
commendable, mr. reid, but i'm still waiting for the good caus e. now, do you have it or . not?
not.
settle! settle! settle! dana and mr. cole look at fletcher with surprise.
do n't panic. you can beat this -- it's all a matter of willpower. he dives for his desk and rifles through it.
oh, that's easy for you to say?!
tell her i'm a thoughtless son who'd rather spend ten hours clogging the wheels of justice than five minutes talking to her-- but only if she asks. you.might also add that she deserves better, though i hope to god you don't.
ohh! i'm such a shit!! he reacts, particularly stunned by this truth.
but things keep coming up at the last minute.
be gentle.
why, you -- you liar! do you know what i ' m going to do about this?
all right.  only if i tell max you're coming and you don't show up and i have to see that look on max's face -- that heartbreaking look-- it's boston, fletcher.
yes.
well, i think it's time for fingerpainting.
max, recess 'is over, come on in.
you're telling me that you can't lie.
forget it. let's not do this.
 . . tiffany's?
he's a pedantic, pontificating, pretentious bastard, a belligerent old fart, a worthless, steaming pile of cow dung.
how delightful! she swings open a door, ushering fletcher into --
petitioner rests.
all right, but get back in here immediately so .we can finish this. fletcher beams. then necessity compels him to race out.
a madman, your honor.  a desperate fool at the end of his pitiful.rope.
well, they never want to play baseball with me, but i told them i was gonna play tonight with my dad, so now they want to play with us. is it okay?
no. i mean, yes. i think.
no further questions.
your honor, i call virginia cole to the stand. stunned, virginia nervously makes her way up,
brown.
wrong! i didn't lie to make myself younger. i made myself older. i was born in 1965!"
nothing further, your honor!
 so's the hand dryer in the men's room!! do you ever stop to ask yourself, why do people hate us? could it be because what we did here today sucks?! we don't care about the truth! we don't want to find the t r u th ! we want to win! we want to win at all costs. and you know what the worst thing about wanting to win so badly i s ? winning! winning and finding out you're left with nothing!
i hate dad! i hate him!
i can't talk now, fletcher. we have to pack.
pack?! did you say pack?!
-nothing's coming!! the woman raises her eyebrows and looks anyway. and fletcher bolts through the exit!
greta? is that you? he looks up and is surprised to see audrey and jerry waiting for him just outside the door. max is sitting at the bottom of the stairs, still angry. he sees his dad, then quickly turns away.
fletcher.  you're gonna lose a limb--