Law & Order (TV Series)

The Wheel (2002)

Fred Thompson: DA Arthur Branch

Quotes 

• Serena Southerlyn : So the law is the law unless enforcing it causes some collateral damage?

  Arthur Branch : That lady outside with the blindfold, she's got a scale in her left hand, Serena.

  Serena Southerlyn : Yeah, and it's the scale of justice, not pragmatism.

  Arthur Branch : Well, sometimes you can't have one without the other. Especially when Pennington Cleese is across the aisle.

  Jack McCoy : Your old firm.

  Arthur Branch : Representing my old client.

  Serena Southerlyn : The whole country of China was your client?

  Arthur Branch : Up to 10 million a year in billings.

  Jack McCoy : So will there be some kind of conflict here?

  Arthur Branch : Chen wasn't even in this country when I represented them. But...

  Jack McCoy : Don't even think about it, Arthur.

  Serena Southerlyn : What?

  Jack McCoy : Arthur was about to suggest we transfer this case to another jurisdiction.

  Arthur Branch : Well, it would prevent a hell of a migraine.

  Jack McCoy : Take an aspirin.

  Arthur Branch : I was referring to YOUR head.

• Arthur Branch : Enter one alibi.

  Jack McCoy : Which was contradicted by the call girl, but who knows?

  Arthur Branch : Did I ever tell you about Howard Pincham? He was my right-hand man at Pennington. My guess, he's going to be opposing counsel in this affair.

  Jack McCoy : We can't afford even the appearance of conflict here, Arthur.

  Arthur Branch : Where do the canons say a couple of pals can't shoot the breeze? So, back in the days when I got paid for working, the Chinese government invited me, as their counsel, to visit their beautiful country. The only problem is I'm what the kids today call a homeboy. I like to stay home.

  Jack McCoy : So you sent Howard Pincham?

  Arthur Branch : Best perk he ever got. He spent the last six months of '99 touring the country in style. Yup, except for a wicked case of Mao's Revenge, old Howie had a wonderful time.

• Arthur Branch : Howard! I didn't think they let Harvard men in here unescorted.

  Howard Pincham : I'm meeting O'Keefe for dinner.

  Arthur Branch : [Holding newspaper]  Did you see this? Second Circuit reversed Barsky.

  Howard Pincham : I could have you disbarred for this, Arthur.

  Arthur Branch : For having a drink?

  Howard Pincham : You told McCoy I visited Tianjin. Just because you left the firm doesn't mean you can disclose confidential information about my dealings with clients.

  Arthur Branch : If you recall, I skipped your home movies of that trip.

  Howard Pincham : Splitting hairs doesn't become you, Arthur. We'll just have to see what the Ethics Committee thinks. Unless of course...

  Arthur Branch : Are you trying to extort a deal out of me, Howard?

  Howard Pincham : A proposal, that's all. Suppose I turn my back on this Bar Association thing, and you agree to send Mr. Chen back to China.

  Arthur Branch : So he can be tried for murder by his own people.

  Howard Pincham : Exactly - by a culture that understands him.

  Arthur Branch : Sounds good.

  Howard Pincham : Ah, I knew you'd be reasonable.

  Arthur Branch : Reasonable, but not stupid. Back home, Chen might receive a medal of honor for murdering Helen Quan.

  Howard Pincham : You love this, don't you? Squeezing me into a corner.

  Arthur Branch : Just doin' my job.

  Howard Pincham : Only Chen didn't kill that girl and you don't have any evidence to prove he did.

  Arthur Branch : And he doesn't have an alibi. We know he wasn't feeling particularly frisky that night.

  Howard Pincham : If you're talking about the call girls, that's not Chen's thing.

  Arthur Branch : What is?

  Howard Pincham : A dry vodka martini from the Beekman Hotel around the corner.