A Civil Action Page #6

What, according to

a preponderance of the evidence,

was the earliest time -

again, month and year -

at which substantial contribution

referred to in question two

was caused, if it was,

by the negligent conduct

of the defendants?

It's like English translated into

Japanese back into English again.

I've heard enough.

Your Honour,

no one can answer these.

You're asking for answers

that are unknowable.

I've heard enough.

You're asking for a fiction

that stands for truth, but isn't.

Enough!

Once again, I remind you not

to discuss your views outside,

and excuse you...

Don't worry about it.

Everything's under control.

And excuse you

to your deliberations. Thank you.

I've never done this.

In 45 years of practising,

I've never

waited in a corridor for a jury.

- I always do.

- I can tell.

You're good at it.

You seem so at peace doing it.

What do you think?

ls it good they're out this long?

- For who?

- For me, of course.

You can never tell.

It could mean anything.

It could mean jury duty's more fun

than working at the post office.

- It's bad for both of you.

- You think?

Well, here's my take.

Guilty.

Not guilty.

That's what they're going to say.

Nothing to do with dates

or ground-water measurements

or any of that crap,

which nobody understands anyway.

It's going to come down to people,

like always.

You found someone

who saw him dumping stuff.

You didn't find anyone who saw me.

- What's your take?

- They'll see the truth.

The truth?

We're talking about a court of law.

You've been around

long enough to know

courtrooms aren't

where you look for the truth.

You're lucky to find anything

that even resembles the truth.

You disagree. Well, since when?

Eight kids are dead, Jerry.

Jan, that suit fits you better

than the sentimentality.

That's not how you

made all that money, is it?

It wasn't about dead children from

the minute you filed the complaint.

The minute it entered

the justice system. Oh, yes.

I know you like to gamble.

High-stakes gambler,

that's your profession.

Why not test your faith

in the righteousness of our courts

with a high-stakes gamble?

If that's a settlement offer,

Jerry, it's not enough.

- That's not what I hear.

- Who said that?

The IRS, telling us they have

a lien on any eventual settlement

in order to recover

over 2.5 million in unpaid taxes.

But all right...

What if I would add

six zeros onto that?

That would be - what? - 20 million.

Now, that would put things

in perspective, wouldn't it?

As far as truth, justice

and dead children go?

If you want to talk

about a settlement,

get the decision-makers together

and talk seriously.

The decision-makers are here,

aren't they?

You're looking at Mr Beatrice.

I don't have to call anybody. Do you?

It's just you and me.

We're like kings. We are kings.

Sitting in our castle,

deciding important things.

Deciding the fates of others.

And counting money.

In our counting room!

Tell you what. I'll leave this here,

go back down the hall

to my throne room

and await your decision.

If you really want the truth, Jan,

Iook for it where it is -

at the bottom of a bottomless pit.

Mr Foreman, members of the jury, have

you reached a verdict?

Yes, Your Honour.

With respect to W.R. Grace,

the jury has answered...

"yes" to question one regarding

trichlorethylene contamination,

requiring the case against Grace

to go to a second stage

of this trial.

In regard to Beatrice, the jury

has answered "no" to question one

in all its points

pertaining to contamination

which renders questions two

and three inapplicable,

ending the case against Beatrice.

- Mr Facher, you're excused.

- Thank you, Your Honour.

We are going to take

a break now, until after lunch.

Once again, I remind you

not to talk to anyone

about your deliberations here...

Disappointed?

Not at all. This is a victory.

This sends a message that companies

can no longer get away with this.

- So what now?

- Right now?

I think we should celebrate.

What do you think? Yes?

You'll proceed against Grace,

no matter how long it takes?

We have to

get out of this case fast.

That's our only strategy left.

The good news is

Grace wants to talk.

They want us to see their executive

vice-president, AI Eustis.

So we need to know

what our squeal point is.

8 million. 8 million

will just about get us out of hock.

Gordon knows the numbers.

Jan, every dollar we spend

is a dollar we don't have.

We are floating on credit

without a net.

I don't need a net.

Mortgage my house. I don't care.

I have.

And Kevin's and Bill's and mine.

I've cashed in our retirement plans

and life-insurance. And it's gone.

Let me put it this way,

if we can't appear we've got money

they won't give us 8 million.

They won't give us eight cents.

You know that.

You all know that.

It's our nicest suite.

Living room, dining room,

two bedrooms, a den, a lovely view.

It's 2,400 a night.

For our inner strength.

- On the card.

- Why not?

Farmers' Bank of lowa.

Hey, there!

- Jan Schlichtmann.

- AI Eustis.

How are you?

Sorry I'm late. I got lost.

- Got lost?

- Yes.

How did you manage that?

I've never been here before so...

What kind of Harvard man are you?

The Cornell kind.

Cornell?

I thought you went to Harvard?

I'm sure somebody said that

you went to Harvard! Cornell!

Yes.

Well, listen, Cornell is...

is a damn good school.

Damn good.

So what do you want?

Well, I could take you

through it step by step

or you could take

this with you and study it.

It's a little complicated but...

It's an unspoken rule

of the Harvard Club -

business is never transacted here.

I meant, what do you want to drink?

I wanted to reach across

and strangle him with his tie.

Instead, I sat there for two hours

and listened to him

talk about selling his yacht.

You know, sometimes

I actually prefer the 35-footer.

Because I can crew it myself,

I can be all by myself out there

alone. It's magnificent.

And there's no... Nobody can

call you. Nobody can beep you.

Nobody can fax you.

There's no lawsuits.

You know what I'm talking about.

You sail?

- No.

- You don't sail?

- Finally, we went to his office.

- Let's sit down.

Come on. It's more comfortable.

Have a seat.

He comes around the desk,

he sits down.

Go ahead, sit down.

He puts his feet up

on this French antique thing

and he tells me to put my feet up.

Put your feet up. Come on.

- No, thank you.

- No, go ahead.

- Go ahead.

- No, really, I'm fine.

Nothing's going to break.

Put them up.

It was weird - all this talk about

putting my feet on this table.

It's all right - I mean it.

Try it. Come on.

Put your feet up.

There. Now, I can afford to pay you

almost anything you ask.

It's not the money.

But a settlement that high

says we're guilty.

That says to every two-bit

personal injury lawyer in Boston,

Iet's sign up everyone in Woburn.

Creates a shark effect,

and that I can't afford.

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