L.A. Law (TV Series)

Bound for Glory (1990)

Michele Greene: Abby Perkins

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Quotes 

• Abby Perkins : 2 grams. Simple procession. I could probably plead him out and get 6 months minimum security. Of course, if we go to trial and lose, we're talking a year easy.

  Arnie Becker : State prison?

  Abby Perkins : I doubt it, but it's their defense. It's possible.

  Abe Lassen : Take the plea.

  Abby Perkins : No. Just a minute. Don't forget the motion to dismiss. We have a real shot at getting it kicked.

  Arnie Becker : Right.

  Abe Lassen : In which case he just walks?

  Abby Perkins : Exactly.

  Abe Lassen : Take the plea. Let him do the 6 months.

  Abby Perkins : Excuse me?

  Abe Lassen : My son is a drug problem, Ms Perkins. Nothing we tried has ever worked - programs, clinics. This is the third time he's been arrested. Every time, he goes free. Every time, he goes back to drugs. Maybe jail is just the thing he needs.

  Abby Perkins : That may be, Mr. Lassen, but Joel is the client, at least technically. And it would have to be his decision.

  Abe Lassen : If Joel were capable of making tough decision, we wouldn't be standing here right now, would we? This... this is me son - my only son. If something drastic doesn't him shake him out of this, I'm gonna lose him.

  Abby Perkins : You're asking a defense attorney to deliberately put her client in jail when there's a chance of getting him off.

  Abe Lassen : That's the way you see it. The way I see it is I'm asking you to help me save his life.

  [Arnie will find out and Abby will do her best] 

• [It's raining, the traffic of downtown Los Angeles] 

  Joel Lassen : I can't have 6 months in jail.

  Abby Perkins : It might be get a good way to get drugs out of your system.

  Joel Lassen : What about this motion to dismissed? You said we can win that.

  Abby Perkins : And then what? You're back on the streets. You're getting high.

  Joel Lassen : You're suppose to be my lawyer here, not my social worker.

  Abby Perkins : I am your lawyer. And I'm also trying to thinking of what's best for you.

  Joel Lassen : This is coming from my father, isn't it? This what he wants, right?

  Abby Perkins : Your father is scared, Joel. He's scared that drugs are gonna ended up killing you.

  Joel Lassen : I can't spend 6 months in jail, Abby. I can't.

  Abby Perkins : Look, I've always been straight with you, okay? And I'm being straight with you now when I say that I think your father is right.

  Joel Lassen : And be straight with me, and one more thing, this motion to dismiss. You think you can win it?

  Abby Perkins : Yes.

  Joel Lassen : Then that's what I want you to do.

• Abby Perkins : He's the client. Not Abe. If he doesn't want to plead guilty - I can't be...

  Douglas Brackman, Jr. : Come on. Abby, he's a drug addict.

  Abby Perkins : He wasn't on drugs when he was here, Douglas, I have no reason to question his capacity to make this decisions.

  Arnie Becker : OK, Abby, technically, you're right. Joel is the client, you're... you're supposed to do what he says. Look if we do get this thing kicked, that kid go straight back to drugs. Hey, are you gonna feel good about that just because technically you're ethically correct? Let me tell you something else. If we get the case dismissed, we'll lose Abe Lassen as our client.

  Abby Perkins : I can't let that be a factor.

  Arnie Becker : Look, Abby, I'm gonna be perfectly honest with you here.

  [Arnie closed the door and have private at Douglas' office] 

  Arnie Becker : If I lose Abe Lassen as a client, I lose a big chunk of my clout. The balance of power tilts even more heavily in Rosalind Shays' favor. She already has to be as client bases, she already been made Senior Partner. Losing Abe Lassen is going puts her one step closer to having unfettered control to do whatever the hell she wants.

  Abby Perkins : Why don't you take me off the case? Cut the plea yourself.

  Douglas Brackman, Jr. : If we did that, Joel would smell a rat, and get a new lawyer, and the results for here will be the same.

  Arnie Becker : You know the kid is better off doing the 6 months, Abby, you know it. All we're asking you to do is steer him in the direction would best help him give up drugs. Yes, I'm asking you to do it for Abe, yes, I'm asking you to do it for me, but I'm asking you to do it for Joel. Maybe his only chance, for God's sake.

  Abby Perkins : OK, I'll see if I can convince him.

  Arnie Becker : Thank you.

  Douglas Brackman, Jr. : Thank you.

  [Abby will give it a shot and a try to help save her client Joel Lassen] 

• Abe Lassen : Let's just see what the District Attorney offers. If it's reasonable...

  Joel Lassen : Let's cut the crap, dad, you want me to do times, so let's not pretend...

  Abe Lassen : I want you off drugs, Joel.

  Abby Perkins : Look, I don't even know what our options are yet. If we can get an offer for 6 months, Joel, we should probably...

  Joel Lassen : No! You're my lawyer, not his. You're supposed to be...

  Abe Lassen : We're all on the same sides.

  Joel Lassen : We are not on the same sides! You want me...

  [Abe grabbed and holding his son Joel] 

  Abe Lassen : Will you listen to me?

  [Joel is arguing and refuses to listen to his father Abe] 

  Abe Lassen : Will you listen to me? For God's sake, Joel, I'm your father, you're my son, I love you. But we got a problem here, we can't get seem to get by.

  Joel Lassen : Well, prison's not gonna do it, dad. Don't make me do this.

  Abe Lassen : It's the only thing left to try. 6 months is a good deal, probably the best we can do, ask your lawyer.

  Abby Perkins : Come on we better get in there.

• Abby Perkins : It's not like you're going to San Quentin, Joel.

  Joel Lassen : Jail is jail, they stick you in the cell.

  Abe Lassen : Listen to your lawyer. You don't plea, and you lose, and you could get 2 years in state prison. You want that?

  Joel Lassen : No, what I want is to be free.

  Abby Perkins : Look, I don't even know what our options are yet, okay? I've got to talk to the D.A. When the case is called, step up with me.

  Clerk : People vs. Steve Dollof. Disturbing the peace.

  Abby Perkins : [Abby Perkins heads to talk to the D.A. Jim Aoli]  Jim, I got Joel Lassen.

  D.A. Jim Aoli : Yeah, that's me. Are we dealing?

  Abby Perkins : I'm looking for next to nothing. He got a rookie cop searching in the trunk on a moving violation. There's no way...

  D.A. Jim Aoli : Yeah, yeah. What was it? 2 grams?

  Abby Perkins : No intent. You want a guilty plea? Let him go with probation.

  D.A. Jim Aoli : Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

  Abby Perkins : What?

  D.A. Jim Aoli : Well, we do it today. We roll the dice for a dismissal motion and I'm going for jail time.

  Abby Perkins : Okay.

  D.A. Jim Aoli : 6 months?

  Abby Perkins : Done.

• [the first day of a new incoming Senior Partner as the first woman to be in charge in the law offices meeting is Rosalind Shays since she was elected last week] 

  Stuart Markowitz : Ann.

  Rosalind Shays : Douglas, I think everybody's here. Why don't you get started?

  [And every people seated. Douglas bring his coffee and opened his time on his pocket watch, beginning the meeting of today in the morning] 

  Douglas Brackman, Jr. : Okay. People vs. Lassen.

  Abby Perkins : Joel Lassen's been busted for possession again. Arraignments tomorrow.

  Rosalind Shays : Why are we in this?

  Arnie Becker : Because he's Abe Lassen's son.

  Rosalind Shays : Say no more.

  Douglas Brackman, Jr. : Breecher vs Wynn.

  Jonathan Rollins : That's mine. Our client packages county fairs. The main event of one of them is a frog-jumping contest. There was prize money involved, and one enterprising entrant, got himself something called an African Goliath frog.

  Douglas Brackman, Jr. : An African Goliath frog.

  Jonathan Rollins : Yeah. It was ruled ineligible hence the suit.

  Rosalind Shays : I understand that there's appeal in things novel and strange. I also understand that as an attorneys, we need to amuse ourselves. But quite frankly, what I can't countenance are the sort of indulgences that hurt us.

  Victor Sifuentes : How does this hurt us?

  Rosalind Shays : It costs us. It makes us look foolish. What I'm saying, Jonathan, is that I think you're to have to be more selective of the kinds of cases he take on.

  Leland McKenzie : Actually, he didn't take on the case, Rosalind. I did.

• Clerk : People vs. Joel Lassen.

  [Abby wants Joel to come to the Judge's bench] 

  D.A. Jim Aoli : Jim Aoli for the People.

  [Joel Lassen is coming] 

  D.A. Jim Aoli : Straight possession, Your Honor, I think we can make this thing going away right now.

  Judge Richard Bartke : How delightful.

  D.A. Jim Aoli : Defendant agrees to plead guilty, Joint recommendation for 6 months probation.

  Judge Richard Bartke : Defense he'll agrees?

  Abby Perkins : We do.

  Judge Richard Bartke : You got it. Guilty. 6 months probation. Mr. Lassen, check with probation officer, please. Next case.

  Clerk : People vs. Robert Brown.

  Joel Lassen : Probation. That's it, I can go?

  Abby Perkins : Yeah.

  Abe Lassen : Way the go, Counselor.

  Abby Perkins : Look, Mr. Lassen, I did what the D.A. was going to...

  Abe Lassen : I don't talk to you anymore. I talk to your boss. Come on, Joel.

  [Abe takes his son Joel and left the courtroom. And Abby will be leaving, too] 

• Abby Perkins : What was I suppose to do? The DA went for. I suppose to say...

  Abe Lassen : Because you pushed for it.

  Arnie Becker : Listen, Abe, this was a difficult call...

  Abe Lassen : Where the hell were you? You're supposed to be taking care of me.

  Arnie Becker : I thought Abby would.

  Abby Perkins : Thanks, Arnie.

  Arnie Becker : I - I agree with Abe. Jail time is what Joel needs.

  Rosalind Shays : [Opening the door]  Sorry I'm late.

  Abe Lassen : Who the hell are you?

  Rosalind Shays : I'm Rosalind Shays, Mr. Lassen, I'm the new Senior Partner here. Douglas has explained to me what's happened.

  Abe Lassen : Good. Explain to me what you got to do about it.

  Rosalind Shays : Well, under the circumstances...

  Abe Lassen : I don't want any circumstances. I want her fired today.

  Rosalind Shays : Now, why would I do that?

  Abe Lassen : Why? Because she ignored my instructions, that's why.

  Rosalind Shays : Ms. Perkins was bound by an attorney's code of ethics, and she behaved appropriately. This firm stands behind her.

  Abe Lassen : [Pointing the finger at Mr. Becker and Mr. Brackman]  These two don't seem to stand behind her.

  Rosalind Shays : As I said I'm the Senior Partner.

  Abe Lassen : I'll have somebody here to pick up my files. You just lost yourself a client, Senior Partner.

  [Abe Lassen walks out of that door, exit, and leave Arnie's office] 

• Joel Lassen : [Opening the door is Joel Lassen]  Thanks a lot. Listen, I just had to come in and tell you, you're the greatest. And I thank you. And you won't regret it. I mean, I know you. The old man's upset, but everything's going to work out okay. Don't you worry. It'll all work out great.

  Abby Perkins : Are you on cocaine right now, Joel?

  Joel Lassen : No! I'm just up.

  Abby Perkins : You're lying.

  Joel Lassen : Listen, I'm gonna stop. I'm gonna stop my way.

  Abby Perkins : It's only one way to stop, and you need help to do it.

  Joel Lassen : No, I don't. I'm young, and I'm smart, and I'm too loose to break. What I'm trying to say, Abby, is that this boy comes out on top.

  [Joel bids good-bye]