The #1 Lawyer by James Patterson

Author:James Patterson [Patterson, James and Allen, Nancy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Published: 2024-03-18T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 52

I HAD to admit that Jenny was right about one thing: As soon as I walked into the courtroom, everything came back to me. It felt good.

I couldn’t say, though, that it was just like it used to be. I’d broken some of my trial traditions. I didn’t walk to the courthouse toting my big briefcase. Didn’t wear the old conservative suit and tie either. Instead, I wore a rumpled—but clean—tan and white seersucker suit and flip-flops. It was an unconventional ensemble, but comfortable? Hell yeah.

Also, I wasn’t trying the types of cases I’d handled prior to the Caro verdict. I didn’t have the luxury of cherry-picking cases. I had to take any client I could get. And I could no longer demand a retainer up front. If I didn’t win, I wouldn’t make a dime for my time and effort.

On this particular day, I’d set a civil case for money damages—a tort action for battery, alleging offensive physical contact inflicted by a supervisor on an employee.

My client, Alicia Holmes, a checker at the Dixie Belle grocery store, had been the target of unwelcome sexual overtures from the store manager. Over a period of months, he’d groped her and propositioned her, and when she resisted, he’d threatened consequences related to her employment.

After Alicia confided the harassment to her older sister, Rue, a second-year law student in Gulfport, she stepped in on her little sister’s behalf. I wasn’t the first attorney Rue called, but I was the one who agreed to take it on.

So we had a solid case of quid pro quo sexual harassment against the employer. And under federal law, we were in a position to sue the corporation. I’d explained to Alicia that we wanted to hold Dixie Belle responsible because the business controlled the workplace. And—not an insignificant consideration—the business had money, the deep pockets to pay the judgment.

We had proceeded against Dixie Belle Inc., alleging employment discrimination and sexual harassment in violation of Title VII. The employer was hanging tough, though. To date, the corporation had refused to make a settlement offer. In our last conversation, I’d accused the corporate attorney of being unreasonable on account of my client’s race. She was Black; the store manager was white. It’s an old story in Mississippi.

Since they wouldn’t take us seriously, I sued the supervisor in state court for battery. The dude didn’t have any money, but bringing the battery case against the manager was a strategic move to force the corporation’s hand.

So we proceeded to trial. I was trying the lawsuit before Judge Eckhardt, who’d presided over the disastrous case of my homeless client in State v. Della Calhoun. I was determined to make a more solid appearance this time around.

The civil battery action was simple and straightforward. It was a bench trial, meaning there was no jury; the judge would decide the case. My client testified first. Under questioning on direct, she described her boss’s unwelcome attentions, the improper sexual suggestions, the offensive physical contact he’d inflicted.

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