L.A. Law1986

Arnie Becker:
Well, so far, this alleged daughter hasn't filed yet, you're probably threatened to go public to force a settlement.

Ann Kelsey:
That's blackmail.

Arnie Becker:
Well absolutely. Look, this Gorman is a bottom feeder. I wouldn't be surprised if he manipulated this girl into filing suit. He may even try to get appointed a guardian.

Ann Kelsey:
So we're looking at fraud here?

Arnie Becker:
Probably. But they've done some homework. Stuart, you did know this woman Karen Alder?

Stuart Markowitz:
Yep, I - I dated her for like, uh, 3 months.

Arnie Becker:
And you did go to bed with her?

Stuart Markowitz:
Yeah, yeah, it was a casual thing. Well I wasn't among...

Ann Kelsey:
I never said you were.

Arnie Becker:
Okay, the good news is the girl is 16, the most you can ask for is 2 year support until she reaches her majority.

Stuart Markowitz:
What's the bad news?

Arnie Becker:
California child support guidelines state that a child must be supported in a fashion commensurate with father's wealth.

Ann Kelsey:
Oh, God.

Arnie Becker:
Giving you net annual salary, uh, I could see her going to what? 6,000 a month for 2 years? You're looking at a $150,000 hit here.

Stuart Markowitz:
If this really were my daughter, why didn't the mother contact me for support?

Ann Kelsey:
Exactly.

Arnie Becker:
Relax. There will looked one thing.

Stuart Markowitz:
What?

Arnie Becker:
Your sperm count is so low can be measured infractions, their case is real shaky.

Stuart Markowitz:
Great. That makes me feel really wonderful.

Ann Kelsey:
So what do we do?

Arnie Becker:
The easiest way to get rid of this, DNA tests. They'll probably won't come to that, but Gorman is a K-Mart lawyer, if I go at him, it worked in and I don't let up, I might intimidate him right back into the woodwork.

Ann Kelsey:
Good. Because if he thinks we're gonna roll over for this kind of extortion, he is dead wrong.