The Guardian (2001) s01e06 Episode Script

It is hot.
My.
.
my apartment I-I've had to turn on the air conditioning.
I mean, not on late october, right? You know, it's it's like a sauna! Yeah.
How-how about your place? What about it? Is it, huh is it hot? No, not really.
Sounds sounds nice over there.
Hi.
I always sit here over there by the, huh the plant.
The dead one.
I I saw you sitting over here.
Do I know you? Not yet.
I'm Dina.
I'm Nick.
What are you doing? I'm working.
What are you working on? I'm working on a case.
You're a lawyer.
Yeah.
D-do do you have any, huh pets to keep you company? You seem like a dog person.
But I could be wrong about that.
I've never had a dog nor cat.
Really? Well, now isn't that interesting? How two people can work together, and not and not talk about their their pets.
Or-or-or their lack of pets You look lonely.
Do I? Well, I'm not.
Do you wanna go somewhere? With you? That is the idea.
Well Um ok.
Ok.
So, um you wanna maybe go somewhere? I I got an early morning tomorow.
Yeah.
Me to.
Morning.
A couple of kids were abandoned out of the state a few years back.
The foster parents that took them in were adopting both, but the older sister was problematic.
How long is this gonna take? Cause I've got to get back to Fallin & Associates by 10.
They are just gonna adopt the younger one.
(Sigh) How old are they? One is 16, the other is 8.
And we represent both? Yes.
Well isn't that a conflict? No.
You just need to be sensitive to the older sister's adjustment.
Well, you're telling me she needs a social worker, not a lawyer.
All I know is she asked for you.
This is Nick Fallin.
He will be your attorney.
Thank you.
Hi.
I am sentencing you to 1500 hours of community service, using your skills as a corporate attorney to work as a child advocate.
When I told you I was 25, you should've asked to see my ID.
You're, huh In highschool.
What we did it was against the law.
This-this is no coincidence.
I, huh I was here a few days ago with my sister.
I saw you, sitting here.
You followed me? Yeah.
Well, first I asked around about you.
Heard about your probation, and stuff.
Why? The house, our foster parents, are separating us.
We're all the family we've got and they're separating us.
Well, I'm sure they'll let you spend some time with your sister.
You don't understand.
They hate me.
They won't let me.
I used to live with them.
They kicked me out.
What do you want me to do? Stop this from happening.
Well, I can't.
You can try.
I can't.
Maybe I could.
Maybe I could talk to the police about us.
About what we did last night.
About what you did to me.
Older sister What about her? What's the story? Like I said, the girls were abandoned.
When? The file doesn't say.
They lived two years on the street before ending up on a homeless shelter.
Why split them up? Dina Jameson is hard to handle.
The foster parents sent her back to catholic charitys 4 times on the last 12 months.
This only goes back a few years.
Well, that is when we got the case.
Says no record of the biological parents? No.
The agency performed a diligent search.
Published notices to newspapers of the parents last known address.
People do not disappear.
Well, these people did.
All they found was a record of sale of mobile homes five years back in the state of Minnesota.
Names? John and Mary, Jameson.
Hey, Nick.
Nice.
I picked this up on my way in.
Oh, thanks, I forgot.
Ok, wear this tie, and bring the second shirt in case you just sweat through the first.
I don't know why I'm so nervous.
You'll be great.
You've done this for 24 years straight.
You've always gotten the founding.
Yeah, but usually I don't have any competition.
Well, that new clinic doesn't have any track record.
We at the Pittsburgh Children's project have a lofty mission.
We intend to fight for each child in the Allegheny County court system.
To ensure that each and every case gets the through attention of every agency in the city.
To meet the full range of services that meet each child's needs.
Every child.
One at a time.
Making your lives better.
Lights, please.
Thank you, miss Moore.
Now we'll hear from mister Alvin Masterson, from children's legal services.
You guys know me.
I've been doing this for 25 years.
And I'll be And I'll be doing it for 25 more.
And I know idealism when I see it.
Funding for public interest law firms is precariously low.
Less than 20% of the legal needs of children of low income americans are being met.
Publicly funded clinics like mine are really the only way that children What is it, Miss Moore? President ?, I was just wondering what Mr.
Masterson's philosophy is.
Is it the child's wishes or the best interest of the child? Curently we represent the child's wishes.
Do you think children are prepared to make such important decisions for themselves? Some are, some are not.
Most states represent best interest.
That is the cost of your approach, Miss Moore, because you'll have to go out and do the work and find out what the best interests actually are.
But you can do that, can't you, Mr.
Masterson? We could, but not with the funding levels we have now.
So, what is your filosophy, Mr.
Masterson? My philosophy depends on how the size of the county contract.
Give me Arnold files and whatever due diligence you've completed.
Also, run a research on a Her younger sister, Lisa, and the parents John and Mary Jameson.
What am I looking for? Anything you can find.
We are talking about refunds, Mr.
Goetz, not wall reparations.
It is still $ 450,000.
Sorry I'm late.
Look, Allegheny Electric has already refunded $ 17 million.
Will cost us about $ 300,000 to find the people whom the rest of the money is owed to.
If you are not going to distribute the entire amount, we're gonna ask the court to turn over your records.
Well then, we'll see you in court.
Gentlemen.
I'd rather anybody get the money than these guys.
Sons of bitches, bastards So, how was it? How was what? Last night, with the girl.
(Chuckles) Oh, come on.
At least let me live by carelessly here.
No record at all for the parents, and I only found records dating back to 1998 for the girls.
What does it say? The older girl brought a statuary rape charge against a man in his early 40s.
Did it stick? Yeah, the guy served 50 days.
What is his name? Fletcher Sachs.
When will this thing go away? I served my time, my wife left me when I moved to a new apartment signs went up all over the neighborhood saying a registered sex offender just moved in.
I'm sorry to hear that, Mr.
Sachs.
You wanna talk to me about Dina, you should call my attorney.
You don't understand, I'm representing Dina and her sister's adoption case.
Well, then you should talk to my partner, not me.
Your partner? Wayne, um, some lawyer is here to talk to you about Dina, and some Could you just talk to him? Yes? Mr.
Haller.
Yes.
We met briefly.
Children's legal services.
I am Dina's attorney.
Oh, right.
What do you want with Fletcher? You failed to disclose the fact that your business partner was having a relationship with a minor under your care? Look, Mr.
Fallin, I understand Dina's upset about this.
But you don't know Dina.
Maybe if you did, you'd understand where we're coming from.
And why we're prepared to forgive Fletcher.
I spoke with Fletcher Sachs.
You got a habit of doing this.
That It was different with Fletcher, we loved each other.
You loved him so much you turned him into the police.
The Hallers turned him in, not me.
Why is it there ain't any record of either you or your sister prior to 1998? We, um we lived with my parents in a in a mobile home, mainly in state parks.
We sold postcards, uh t-shirts and crap like that.
The didn't even, uh put us in school.
One day, left us at a red stop never came back.
I can't force the Hallers to adopt you.
And I can't stop the state from terminating your parent's rights.
Ok, well what do I do? I can try to emancipate you.
H-how, then how can I get my sister back? You'll have to get a place to live, find a job prove that you don't relly on anyone else for support.
You do that, will increase your chances of getting custody of your sister.
Just keep me with my sister, make the Hallers take me.
No jobs, no training schools.
Just get it done.
We get the children's contract? You know, uh Larry Hickey runs legal aid over at Homestead he's retiring next month.
So the legal aid funds for indigent adults are still You giving children's contract to that girl? The county funding board still has the legal aid contract.
Just take it.
The we'd be representing adults.
You could still work with children's issues.
But we'd be representing adults.
Why don't you want the legal aid contract? Because I did that! Years ago.
When I first got into this side of the business.
I had a case I fought for months for a couple to regain custody of their 7 year old daughter.
A week later they found her dead in the attic.
Look we've all had cases like that, Alvin.
I represent kids! Come on, Wendell, that-that girl has no idea what is really like to do this kind of work.
She just wants to put a happy face on it, throw out happy endings.
But believe me, it's not that simple.
You can't be reckless here! Well, you can always raise your funds privately and compete for the work.
But the children's contract has been awarded to Miss Moore's group.
May I have everyone's attention, please! Excuse me, attention! I've just learned that our, uh county contract has not been renewed.
So, your pay checks, if you deposit them, they will bounce.
So, don't deposit them.
What happened? This doesn't affect your community service, Mr.
Fallin.
I was only concerned.
I lost the county contract to another clinic.
Without it, I can't afford to keep this place open.
How much money do you need? $ 300,000.
Were you aware that Mr.
Haller's business partner had a sexual relationship with Dina Jameson? And was convicted of statutory rape? So? Well, this clearly impacts the Hallers choice to adopt one sister and not the other.
It could.
Well, absolutely done once the court finds out You're not gonna think to stop this adoption? They were entrusted with a teenage girl who had a sexual relationship with a 45 year old man while in their care.
There is an 8 year old girl who has a chance to live in a good home! All at the cost of her sister.
If you are looking for a job I'm not.
But if you are, Amanda needs a legal assistant.
Amanda.
.
? That redhead? Yeah.
You should take it.
We could train you to be a corporate para-legal.
Think about it.
Right.
The mission of children's legal services is simple.
We provide quality legal representation for children who are abused, neglected or otherwise remiss.
We hope that we will protect these kids from future harm or for doing future harm to others by finding them a safe and permanent home.
Sounds like an important work, Mr.
Masterson.
Well, we recently lost our county contract.
How much do you need? Need $ 300,000.
Thank you.
Now you might want to talk to Bernice Edelstein over at the Maonogahela fund.
She is usually interested in guys like you.
She does a big annual bachelor auction.
Maybe she could put you into that.
Bachelor auction? You know, local celebrities, professional atletes.
Women bid on them for diner dates and money goes to charity.
Bernice, it's Jane.
I got a wonderful guy for you.
Oh, me? No, no He is ready to be auctioned.
We have the affidavit that said the Alligheny Electric has been fudging claims and sending checks to fictitious addresses.
Sorry.
Well, we can weather this, believe me.
The money is still owed, Mr.
Fallin.
By law, your client's company cannot keep it.
So, we can go around and around like this for months or we can come up with another solution.
Cy-près doctrine.
Excuse me? The cy-près doctrine.
Ask the court to distribute the funds to a charitable organization in Pittsburgh.
Who? Well, I've been working to a children's legal services.
What? I didn't realise you were raising a liberal, Mr.
Fallin.
Good for you.
Nice place.
Isn't it? Real nice place.
So, uh what is it like? What? Have a seat.
Working here.
It's all right.
You hate it.
Kind of.
(Chuckles) You like Nick? What do you mean? Working with him? He's arrogant, he is rude.
Do you know what happened to him? I know that he was arrested for drugs.
I know he plea bargained down to a misdemeanor in exchange for community service and probation.
Never partied with him? No.
But there are stories.
Incredible stories.
Do you think he is an addict? I don't know him.
Yeah, but his personality, all buttoned up and tense.
Won't smile.
I don't know him.
I just work here.
But you'd like to.
So do you want the job? Ah, Mr.
Fallin.
I have a class action suit.
Utilities company.
Didn't cut the reds for the indigent.
So? There are half a million left over.
And? The court can allocate undistributed funds from a class action to another class that might benefit.
CLS could qualify.
I suggested that they listen to your, uh pitch.
You did? Yes, I did.
You should come in.
OK.
Good.
What? Don't push too hard.
Don't demand it, just be humble.
The Hallers are here.
We need to discuss what transpired between Dina and your business partner Fletcher Sachs.
An unfortunate situation.
You can't blame a teenage girl for what happened.
No, I blame my partner.
Ah.
Tell us what happened.
We didn't know anything about it at all.
One day at dinner she just blurted it out.
She said "Fletcher and I are having an affair, I'm taking Lisa and we're going to live with him.
" So we confronted Fletcher and he confessed.
Who filed charges? We did.
One of the hardest things we've ever had to do.
And yet you remained in business with this man.
He is human.
He slipt.
Dina can be, uh Let's just say he is not the only one responsible for this happening.
But you decided to punish her for something that he did.
No.
No, we're not adopting her because she is impossible to control.
Besides, she is so protective of her sister, she makes it impossible for us to do our jobs.
How so? Well, every time we tell Lisa to behave, or to follow the rules Dina tells us to back off, and she only listens to her sister so we're losing control of our own household.
Uh, would you mind if I went and spoke to Lisa? Hi, Lisa.
Hi.
I know you've talked to a lot of people about what you remember of your past.
I guess.
Can you tell me anything about your parents? You like dolls? Yeah.
Do you remember anything? At all? We lived in an old school bus.
We parked it under the bridge.
A Bus? Yeah.
Not a mobile home? No, a school bus.
School bus under a bridge.
Yeah.
OK.
Hi! Nick, this is Kevin.
My boyfriend.
Kevin, this is Nick.
He is my lawyer.
Hey.
Yup.
So I guess we have some legal stuff to talk about, don't we, Nick? Yeah.
I left my bag in my locker.
I'll be right back.
You two been going out long? Seven weeks.
She is my first real girlfriend.
How is it going? Good.
Good.
We we, you know, we like go to the Dallar Center o-over the Moon Township.
She likes to bring her sister.
What else? I don't know.
We like to watch trains.
Down by the Ohio River.
Does she like to bring her sister along when you two watch trains? OK, Nick, I'm ready.
Bye sweetie, I'll see you tomorrow.
Jealous? You shouldn't be, he does not know the tricks that you know.
So, is it a mobile home or a school bus? What are you talking about? Your sister seems to belive you lived in a school bus, under a bridge.
She's too young to know the difference, she doesn't remember anything.
Your name it's not your name.
Yeah, it is.
Who are you? Just girl you slept with the other night, Mr.
Fallin.
I've checked the records.
All over the country.
I've checked the records.
There is nothing, really.
Nothing.
So, if your make belief parents rights terminate next week you have no chance to stay with your sister.
But if you just help me try and find your real parents, then we can stop the adoption proceedings long enough to see if they wanna get involved.
My parents names are John and Margaret Cunningham.
They live in Nincoln, Nebraska.
OK.
Why didn't you tell me that in the first place? Because! They were sick, OK.
Both of them.
They were drug addicts and drunks.
When Lisa was born, we didn't have a thing.
They just neglected her.
So I took her.
Kept it a secret? No one ever believed me, because they've never abused us.
So But you know what? Now that we're talking about it, maybe, who knows, maybe they can they can get better.
We can go back home.
Yeah, well, lets just find them.
I finished your diligence for the Arnold case.
You just got a ring on the contracts.
Great.
Run a check on Joan and Margaret Cunnigham from Lincoln, Nebraska.
We have our fundraiser tomorrow.
It's a big deal, the eligible bachelor auction? Yes, I know.
You're single, right? Yes I'll make you a deal.
Participate in the auction and I will give you all the proceeds you generate.
I need $ 300,000.
Well, Mr.
Masterson, for that you'd have to be some kind of date now, wouldn't you.
No married couples by those names currently reside in Nebraska.
There is no record at all? Nothing.
Could you have a second? Yeah.
I love your stereo.
I checked your story, uh There is no record of the Cunninghams.
If you want me to help you, you gotta tell me the truth.
It is the truth.
OK, we're done.
You're on your own.
Don't like me, Mr.
Fallin? Because you liked me a lot a few nights ago when we met bar, late at night.
People saw us there, didn't they? They saw us leave together.
And I know an awful lot about where you live.
Your apartment.
Your car.
Your underwear.
(Chuckles) You didn't have a problem with me when you thought I was 25, now, did you? Can you get prints? Nick, these things take time.
It costs money.
I will pay.
Can't just raise your bill for dusting and recovering prints.
You'll do it, right? You'll do it? Yeah.
Good.
Here he is, ladies.
Straight from the football field to your table: John Morton.
He gained the 1000 yards last year, so we'll start the bid at $ 1,000.
Do I hear another bid? Going once, going twice, sold to miss Hanway of Shadyside! Have fun, Amy.
Oh, ladies, we got plenty more where that came from.
This is Alvin Mast Alvin? Alvin? Come on, Alvin, don't be shy.
It's for a good cause.
Ladies, this is Alvin Masterson! Now, he is not, uh he is not young.
OK, I admit that.
But he's got a sweet face, and he works hard for children.
He's here to benefit legal aid.
Children' legal services.
Children's legal services, yes.
Alvin Do I hear a bid? Anyone? Anyone.
.
? A hundred dollars? One hundred dollars? Come on.
Anyone? 1000 Dollars! Do I hear another bid? Going once, going twice, sold! The, uh the mission of children's legal services is simple.
We provide quality legal representation for children who are abused, neglected or otherwise at risk.
Do you have parties? Parties? You know, fundraisers, like, uh well, we could do a dinner dance or a cruise down the river, or maybe a show with the band We don't spend our resources in that sort of thing Oh, but you really should.
You'd meet some great people if you had a party.
Oh, well You you do like paties, don't you? I mean, they can raise so much money on those parties.
Why, uh why don't we discuss this at your place? Ah, I got to get going.
To the clinic.
To work.
I'll send you a check.
You ready for this? Yeah.
What? Lose the jacket.
What's wrong with the jacket? The, uh the mission of children's legal services is, uh quite simple.
Really, we provide quality legal representation and advocacy assistance to children who are abused, neglected or, uh otherw You've already made your minds up, haven't you? You're not giving this money to me.
OK, then.
I, uh I thank you for your time.
Yeah? Prints came back connected to a homeless teenager in Erie.
She was arrested? No.
She was involved on a rape case.
When? About six years ago.
Six years ago? She-she was she was ten.
It's a sick world.
OK, you got a name? Avis Donaldson.
Parents names are Charles and Edwina Donaldson.
They're about 90 miles north of here.
In Erie.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Donaldson, uh thank you for taking the time to come down.
Please take a seat.
Only an hour and a half.
The reason I called you is, uh I found your daughters.
You've found Avis? Yes.
Where is she? She's living in a group home in the city.
Oh good.
I was afraid she might be dead.
No.
Last we heard, she was in Maryland.
Pittsburgh, huh? So close.
Yeah.
You must've been searching for them for a long time.
For Avis, we usually know where she is.
Really? She's just been going around using different identities.
Getting welfare.
She talks a good game.
She left here when she was ended up in an institution.
She ran away from there.
All these years lost, you see? Just lost.
Y-you never went after her? Try to bring her back home? We had a sorry bunch of kids none of them turned out so great.
But if you see Avis, tell her I said: God bless her.
And tell her God bless her daughter, too.
Her daughter.
.
? H-how old is Avis? Avis Donaldson.
Come on, you had to know that was gonna come out.
Who is the father of your daughter? (Sigh) How the hell should I know? Why did you lie? I'd always lived on the street.
The state would have just taken her away.
And you just began to make a habit of it.
We lived together in, uh lots of foster homes, and whenever they get close to figuring us out, you know, we'd run.
And we got to Pittsburgh.
Things got kind of good, you know? (Chuckles) I, uh enroled in high school.
The people were so nice.
We got placed with the Hallers.
And then that thing happened with his partner.
Next thing you knew: just kick me out and send me to some catholic charities.
I just wanted a chance to do what everybody else did.
Finish highschool, go to college be a teenager.
I never got to be one, you know? So I just I became one.
(Sigh) I didn't think I would hurt anybody.
You understand that a man went to jail for statutory rape because of your deception.
He he thought I was 15.
Yeah.
You're 28 years old.
But he thought it was-it was in his mind.
Don't don't you see? It's it's in everyone's mind.
It's just a like a line, a number.
If people think I'm really 16, then maybe I really am.
What are you gonna do? He raped me.
He had sex with me! He at his apartment! I drove in his BMW! He had sex with me two times! He had sex with me! Did you? Mr.
Fallin, she was a client.
You know the legal ramifications of this? The clinic'll be shut down.
You'll be in direct violation of your probation, a-and we'll spend years It happened before I knew she was a client.
Can you prove that? Yes.
It was late.
You ever have one of those nights when you're just weak? No, Mr.
Fallin.
I assume you can prove she is 28.
Yeah.
So you consider working with her part of your community services? The D.
A.
's office is filing charges.
You may also get civil suit.
You know, uh when you get out of jail and have a job you can pick parenting classes maybe you can Please.
Mr.
Fallin, please.
Don't tell Lisa.
She always thought She doesn't even know I'm her mother.
She's, uh never known.
When we were together, the other night, you liked me, didn't you? You liked me? Yeah.
Uh, here, uh I'm sorry, y-you didn't get the money.
I know.
They decided to build a A homeless shelter, I know.
I heard.
What are you gonna do? We gonna take the state grant for legal aid in representing adults? You're a good lawyer.
You run a fair clinic.
Take the grant they're offering you and do the work you do.
That, uh that kid last week? A, uh 10 year old boy whose mom died in an apartment fire.
We found his dad living in Oregon.
His dad says to me he don't want the kid back because his new family would be upset.
"They'd be upset".
At least we found that kid a foster home close enough he can stay at his old school.
At least we thought to do that.
Take the legal aid contract and wait to see what happens.
I got the job.
So I heard.
You're gonna take it, right? I'm, uh still waiting to see what happens here.
Here are those reports you requested for the hearing.
Thank you.
What are you gonna tell Lisa? Well, nothing right now.
We we'll wait till she gets a bit older before we let her know the truth.
Can I have everybody's attention, please! I, uh I just accepted the state contract.
So, the money is back in the bank, you can cash your checks.
We will, however, be changing our mission.
Effective immediately.
Children's legal services will become Legal Services of Pittsburgh.
So There you have it.
Thank you.
Pleasure.
Bye, Lisa.
Bye.
Children's legal servi-Legal Services of Pittsburgh.
Barbara Ludzinski speaking.
Please hold.
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