Right to Counsel

"Right to Counsel"
←	L&O, Episode 3.12	→
Production number: 68019 First aired: 13 January 1993
	{{{nNthProducedInSeries}}}th of 456 produced in L&O
←	{{{nNthReleasedInSeries}}}th of 456 released in L&O	→
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Written By Barry M. Schkolnick & Michael S. Chernuchin Directed By James Frawley

Plot

After a woman is founder murdered in her apartment, her younger lover lies to the police about when he last saw her.

Cast

Main cast

• Jerry Orbach as Detective Lennie Briscoe
• Chris Noth as Detective Mike Logan
• Dann Florek as Captain Donald Cragen
• Michael Moriarty as Executive A.D.A. Benjamin Stone
• Richard Brooks as A.D.A. Paul Robinette
• Steven Hill as D.A. Adam Schiff
• Carolyn McCormick as Dr. Elizabeth Olivet (credit only)

Recurring cast

• Bill Moor as Defense Attorney William "Bill" Patton
• Vince O'Brien as Judge Phillip Franks

Guest cast

• Mary Mara as Defense Attorney Sally Knight
• Richard Cox as Steven Gregg
• Darrell Larson as Attorney Kevin Doyle
• Mady Kaplan as Carole Spiegelman
• Alice Hirson as Jewel
• Carol Eve Rossen as Judge Blanche Gelfant
• Bill Buell as Douglas Pomerantz
• Thomas Hill as John Barham
• Ted Sorel as Burton Charles
• David Green as Jim Regan
• Shareen Mitchell as Jane Alter
• Donna Murphy as Karen Unger
• David Breitbarth as Jim Maynard
• Jerry Jarrett as Manny Cohen
• Anita Keal as Arlene Ross
• William Hill as Milgrim
• Eugene J. Anthony as Murphy
• Lionel Pina as Valdez
• Floyd Vivino as Newman
• Christopher Rubin as Crime Scene Unit Technician Taft
• Jay Harris as Judge Mark Burns
• Chester A. Sims II as Arraignment Court Clerk
• Jack R. Marks as Trial Court Clerk

Quotes

Sally Knight: What do you care? I represent the defendant.

Paul Robinette: And I represent the people. All of them.

“	In law school, I took 'Civil Rights'. Kevin took 'Tax Planning for the Wealthy'.	”
–Attorney

“	Justice is swift, not fair.	”
–Paul Robinette

---

Robinette: The defendant savagely murdered an elderly woman, your honor.

Judge Franks: Wait, wait, wait. It says here Mrs. Spiegelman was 61.

Robinette: That's correct, your honor.

Judge Franks: At my 61st birthday, you were cramming for a torts exam. I'd advise you to choose your adjectives a little more courteously, counselor.

Robinette: The People request bail of 500,000.

Knight: My client can hardly afford cab fare to Brooklyn, your honor. Why not make it a million?

Judge Franks: Why not? [laughs] And they say the elderly lose their sense of humor. [laughs again] Bail is set at 250, cash or bond.

Background information and notes

• In this episode we learn that Captain Donald Cragen doesn't get along with his mother-in-law and avoids answering the phone on Sundays when she calls. He briefly mentions his wife Marge.

Episode scene cards

1	2
Office of Karen Unger 873 3rd Street Friday, January 8	Chemical Bank 122 Hanover Square Monday, January 11

3	4	5
Jewel's Boutique 1934 Carrolton Street Westport, CT 06881 Thursday, January 14	Supreme Court Allocution Hearing Wednesday, January 27	Smythe & Bradley 100 Pine Street Tuesday, February 9

6	7	8
Office of District Attorney Adam Schiff Monday, February 22	Supreme Court Trial Part 57 Wednesday, March 31	Supreme Court Trial Part 57 Friday, April 2

Previous episode: "Extended Family"

"Right to Counsel" Law & Order Season 3

Next episode: "Night and Fog"