...And Justice For All (film) - Plot

Plot

Arthur Kirkland (Al Pacino) is a hotheaded but idealistic young defense attorney in Baltimore. As the film opens, he is in jail on a charge of contempt of court for having thrown a punch at judge Henry T. Fleming (John Forsythe) while arguing the case of an innocent defendant, Jeff McCullaugh (Thomas G. Waites).

McCullaugh was stopped for a minor traffic offense, but then mistaken for a killer of the same name and convicted. He has already endured year and a half in jail, as Kirkland continues his efforts to have the case reviewed against Fleming's resistance. Though there is strong new evidence that the convicted man was innocent, Judge Fleming refused Kirkland's appeal due to a minor technicality and leaves McCullaugh in prison.

Kirkland takes another case, that of meek, gentle transgender Ralph Agee (Robert Christian), who is guilty of a small crime and becomes a victim of the legal system. Kirkland also pays regular nursing home visits to his beloved Grandfather Sam (Lee Strasberg), who is becoming senile. It is revealed that Arthur was abandoned by his parents at a young age and it was Sam who raised him and put him through law school. Arthur also begins a romance with a legal ethics committee member, Gail Packer (Christine Lahti).

One day, Kirkland is shocked to find himself requested to defend Judge Fleming, who to everyone's surprise has been accused of rape. The two loathe each other, but Fleming feels everyone will believe he is innocent if the person publicly known to hate him also argues his innocence. Fleming uses blackmail, telling Kirkland an old violation of lawyer-client confidentiality will be reviewed by the ethics committee and Arthur likely will be disbarred if he refuses to represent Fleming. Gail confirms this off the record.

An eccentric judge named Rayford (Jack Warden), who has a friendly relationship with Kirkland, takes him for a hair-raising ride in his personal Bell 47 helicopter over the harbor and Fort McHenry, laughing as he tests how far they can possibly go without running out of fuel, while Arthur, his terrified passenger, begs him to land the helicopter immediately. Rayford, a veteran of the Korean War, is possibly suicidal, and keeps a rifle in his chambers at the courthouse, a 1911 pistol in his shoulder holster at all times and eats his lunch out on the ledge outside his window, four stories up.

Kirkland's friend and partner, Jay Porter (Jeffrey Tambor), is also unstable. He feels guilt from gaining acquittals for defendants who were truly guilty of violent crimes and goes berserk when one commits another murder. After a breakdown at the courthouse, Jay is taken to a hospital accompanied by Kirkland. Before leaving in the ambulance, a distracted Arthur calls on another lawyer friend, Warren Fresnell (Larry Bryggman), to handle Ralph's court hearing in his absence. Arthur gives Warren a corrected version of Ralph's probation report, and stresses the fact that Warren must show the corrections to the judge so that Ralph will get probation rather than being sent to jail. Unfortunately, Warren forgets to appear on time, fails to show the judge the corrected report, and Ralph is sentenced to jail where he commits suicide through hanging off-screen.

Kirkland is livid, and attacks Warren's car with his briefcase in retaliation and to get his attention. Warren argues that Ralph's trial was nothing but "nickels and dimes" and beneath him, before Kirkland sternly reminds him "they're people" and then informing of Ralph's suicide (causing Warren to feel remorse later). His other client, McCullaugh, abused by fellow prisoners (including multiple rape), snaps one day and takes two hostages. Arthur pleads with him to surrender, promising to get him out, but the police shoot and kill McCullaugh after he stands up, providing a shot for a police sharpshooter, as Arthur looks on in horror.

A clearly disturbed Kirkland takes on Judge Fleming's case, which Judge Rayford and a jury will hear in court. Arthur acquires evidence from another client, Carl, incriminating photographs that show Fleming in BDSM acts with a prostitute. Gail warns him not to betray a client. He shows the pictures to Fleming, who then freely admits that he is guilty of the rape.

Disgusted with his situation, Kirkland goes to trial. Fleming makes a sleazy remark to Kirkland about wanting to rape the victim again, which finally pushes Kirkland to the breaking point. In his opening statement, Arthur begins by mocking the case of the prosecuting attorney (Craig T. Nelson) while speaking of the ultimate objective of the American legal system. He appears to be making a strong case to exonerate Fleming. But unexpectedly, he bursts out and says that prosecution is not going to get Fleming, because he is going to get him. Kirkland tells the jury, "My client, The Honorable Henry T. Fleming, should go right to fucking jail! The son of a bitch is guilty!"

The courtroom erupts and the presiding judge Rayford, the prosecution, and the others in the court room are enraged and flabbergasted at the turn of events, including Gail. The judge calls Kirkland "out of order," bangs his gavel to bring the court to order. Arthur replies, "You're out of order! You're out of order! The whole trial's out of order!" Arthur is dragged away, continuing to shout his rage all the way out the door and to criticize Fleming for his and the legal system's abuse of law and order that cost the lives of his two clients and let true criminals like Fleming go free to commit more crimes. As the courtroom spectators cheer for Arthur, Fleming sits down in defeat, and a fed-up Rayford walks out of his stand.

In the end, Kirkland sits on the court's steps, all by himself, weary from his breakdown but satisfied, knowing his antics probably cost him his practice and career in law, but will presumably finally put Fleming in jail. His partner Jay, just released from the mental hospital, climbs up the long steps, tipping his toupee like a hat and greets him with a friendly "Hi, Arthur" and walks away and inside the court building.