For The People

It's locked.

When the door opens, you can go in first.

- I know you were here first. - Doesn't matter.

If it didn't matter, you wouldn't be here first.

Did it start?

It starts at 8:00.

- It's 8:00. - It's 7:00.

Ahh.

What is that?

Breakfast taco. Austin-style.

- Scrambled eggs, onions... - You're not allowed to eat in here.

- Why not? - Because you're not allowed

to eat in here. There's a sign out front.

I didn't see a sign.

Ignorance is no excuse.

You're a prosecutor, aren't you?

Why don't you eat that over there?

Why? Because I'm a public defender,

or because of the migas?

Do I have to choose?

Why didn't you get me up this morning?

I wanted to come down with you.

I got up at 4:30.

It would literally be impossible for me to thank you enough

for not getting me up.

Where's your boyfriend?

I have no boyfriend today.

And Seth has no girlfriend.

We're keeping this professional.

Uh, hey. She was here first.

Oh. I didn't realize.

Assistant United States Attorneys to the right.

Federal Public Defenders to the left.

You can sit together if you like,

but if I've learned anything after 27 years of doing this,

it's that you don't like to sit together.

This is the swearing in for incoming AUSAs and FPDs.

Please check your ticket.

Make sure you're on the right flight.

My name is Tina Krissman.

I am the clerk of court,

I am on the second floor of this building,

and I am available every day

from 7:50 a.m. to 4:40 p.m.

to ignore your questions.

I smell onions.

I will find you.

Chief Judge Nicholas Byrne.

There are two great courts in America...

the Supreme Court,

and the one you're sitting in right now.

This is the United States District Court

for the Southern District of New York...

the oldest, most prestigious,

highest-profile trial court in America.

This is the court that heard claims

over the sinking of the Titanic.

This is the court that heard the case against the Rosenbergs.

Aaron Burr was a lawyer in this court.

Are you worthy?

You've probably heard that some people call this the "Mother Court."

For as long as you work here, you will call it home.

The cases are hard, the stakes are high,

the lawyers on the other side are better than you,

and the judges are smarter than you.

Some of you...

won't succeed.

Some of you...

are not worthy.

But for those of you who are,

your time here will be the highlight of your career.

"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend

the Constitution of the United States,

that I will bear true faith and allegiance

to the Government of the United States,

that I will maintain the respect due to the Courts of Justice

and the Judicial Officers,

and that I will demean myself as an attorney,

proctor, advocate, and counselor of this Court uprightly,

according to law, so help me God."

Welcome to the Mother Court.

Good morning, everyone. I'm Jill Carlan.

I'm the Federal Public Defender.

Inside these envelopes is your first case,

and let me warn you...

You're not gonna win.

You're up against the United States government,

and the government almost always wins

because they have all the power.

Now, here's the good news.

You don't need to win. You need a win.

Reduce the charge,

get a piece of critical testimony thrown out,

get your client released on bail...

get something.

If you can do that, you've won.

And I know you can do that. Or you wouldn't be here.

My name is Roger Gunn.

I am your boss.

This is your first case.

I expect you to win.

I got a good one. What'd you score?

- Terrorism. - Terrorism.

Sweet.

Nail it.

What's "duty"?

The attorney on duty picks up the new cases that come in.

Do you need someone today?

Yes, but you have to have some experience

- to be on duty, Sandra. - I have experience.

You have experience clerking on the Supreme Court,

which is great experience

for being a Justice on the Supreme Court.

Doesn't have anything to do with this job.

I'll put you on duty when you're ready.

I'm ready.

Okay. You're on duty.

Great.

Thank you.

So, what do I do?

Use your experience.

It's okay. I like a challenge.

You're the only person I've ever met

who goes out of her way to make

an extremely hard job even harder.

Do you at least recognize how weird that is?

I do.

See, I'm happy with my envelope.

- What did you get? - Ah, some trumped-up fraud charge.

I figure I could either read the lies from the AUSA

or talk to my client.

- Mm. - I trust my client.

You two know each other from law school?

Yeah, first day. Torts. Front row.

Ah. Too close for torts, but that's cool.

- Where you living in the city? - Upper East Side.

Ah. Less cool all of a sudden.

It's her place. I'm just squatting there.

You don't mess around.

I have a bail hearing. Why would I be messing around?

No, I-I just meant... the...

Doesn't matter. Uh, I heard you were a procedural guru.

- Can I ask you a question? - If you have to,

but I don't want to be the help desk

for every man in this office too lazy to look something up for himself.

Were you too lazy to look this up for yourself?

I can look this up myself.

If it's about your terrorism case,

you shouldn't waste your time.

Why not?

Um, because I don't think that's gonna be your case

for very much longer.

Why would I give you his case?

Because a farm animal could win this case,

and that case actually matters,

and if it matters, you should give it to me.

When I was clerking on the Supreme Court,

this kid was writing research memos

for junior partners at a mid-tier law firm.

Is that true?

Leonard doesn't think you're ready for this case.

Well, he's right.

Neither one of us is ready for a case like this,

but I'm at least humble enough to recognize it,

and I'll work that much harder because of it.

Never been a fan of humility.

- He took your case? - Stole it.

- Stole it? - That's what I'm saying.

And then he said I worked at a "mid-tier law firm."

I did not work at a mid-tier law firm.

Okay. That doesn't help.

Don't worry about the case, Seth. Don't.

Do a good job on your new case, and you'll get recognized

because you're good and decent,

and you do things the right way,

which is what matters in the long run, okay?

Okay?

Now, I have to go because I have my first appearance

as an attorney in the Southern District of New York.

So do I.

Well, let's go kick some ass then.

Ms. Krissman.

I'm Sandra Bell from the FPD. I'm on duty today.

So, uh, if any cases come in, I will be right here.

That's not a great place to be,

because when cases come in, I e-mail them to you,

which is what I did 15 minutes ago.

I don't have any service here.

Then you probably don't know that your hearing

starts in eight minutes.

Courtroom 601. Avoid the elevator. Take the stairs.

And be grateful you called me Ms. Krissman.

I'm Sandra Bell. I'm your attorney.

Mohammed Fayed.

What's the charge?

18 USC 2332.

You pick this up on duty?

- Yes. - Tough day to be on duty.

2332 is attempted...

"Attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction