Ep 01: Swinging A Bat

The story you're about to hear is inspired by true events nineteen seventy one. Sarah Weddington is a young lawyer in Dallas, Texas, desperately looking for her first job. At the same time, in Saint Paul, Minnesota Circuit Court, judge Harry Blackman is about to receive an offer that will change his life.

Sarah and Harry are on a.

Collision course that will forever alter America. From iHeart Podcasts, This is Supreme The Battle for Rome, starring Maya Hawk and William H.

Macy.

Whenever You're ready, mister Chief Justice and may.

Have played the Court.

Episode one Swinging a bat.

I see you graduated high school at sixteen, college at nineteen, dear, first woman from your college to attend law school.

Yes, sir, I sure was the very first.

Uh huh, missus Weddington. Let's cut to it. What's your goal here?

My goal? I'd like to join your firm, sir. The law is everything to me.

Yes, But you already have a husband, dear, Sorry, was that a question?

Well, at least you wouldn't be hunting for one of the firm. I suppose you'll leave us the moment you have kids.

My husband, and I have no plans to have any.

Sir, for now, while you're in your early twenties.

Quite a gamble for us to take, Missus Weddington, you understand, sir.

I graduated in the top quarter of my class, and that's despite being three years younger than any other student.

Yes, but you see, in the office our lawyers use shall we say.

Colorful language from time to time.

It may offend you.

I assure you, sir, I've heard much worse in college. I was president of the home Beaker's Association of America.

I don't get it.

Was that a joke which ansel will get me the job? Sir?

It's not just sad, Missus Weddington. Only way to train associates is to cuss them.

Out once in a while. Partners never be able to do that.

As someone like.

You cook your husband dinner dear.

Right, the partner's wives may have an issue with an associated with.

Legs like yours.

I see.

We just don't have a spot for you.

Personal Injury Lawyers of Dallas.

How can I jerk your car?

How fast can you?

Ty, sweetie?

Honestly I have no idea.

Well, we're short on clerks, so just do your best. The pay is a dollar ninety five an hour.

I'll take it.

After successfully placing Warren Berger on the Supreme Court, President Nixon has struck out with his next two high profile nominees. Both men became engulfed in scandal and lost difficult confirmation battles, an embarrassing setback for the president. The question is, will mister Nixon managed to find someone who can rise above controversy in these deeply polarized times and in other.

News A jewish by the Chicago Deft.

Guilty of the.

Drake there, buddy, Hello, buddy, boy, looks like you got a lot more cons and pros there? What your list on the cocktail napkin there? Most guys use that to have girls write their phone numbers on them. But here let me see cons loss of contact, my friends and family lonely.

Don't read that.

Okay, what's list four?

I may be offered a job. This is just how I chew things over.

A job in this economy. Whatever it is, buddy, I take it, bart tender.

I'll have whatever my buddy's drinking. Keep them coming. This is the spot you picked, Harry.

You said you wanted low Keywarren or was it under the radar? I was flight in long wait.

I've been here before.

That's right.

I can't believe this dump is still open. You're feeling nostalgic or.

What something like that. It's good to see you, Warren.

You look absolutely green, Harry. When I got the call, I went for a drink too, but not like this. I certainly hope it's not because you're his third choice.

No, I shouldn't have been in his top five hundred, let alone top three.

Consider yourself lucky. His first two nominees got rejected. Now he needs someone uncontroversial exactly, and I got sport Coat's more controversial than you, Harry.

I'm honored to be the most boring man you could think of, Warren.

Look, it would be an interesting got haynes Worth fifty five forty five rejection.

You're perfect, Harry.

I'm thinking of turning him down.

Bartender.

We're gonna switch the devils over here.

I don't want the spotlight. I'm not like you, Warren.

Please, that's your father talking.

I know this is difficult for you to understand that I have no aspirations for fame.

You sit on the eighth circuit, Harry, you're not exactly anonymous.

Excuse me, ma'am. I'm sorry to bother you. Do you know who Harry Blackman is.

Don't think so? Should?

I know?

You absolutely should not. Thank you now, you see I don't want that to change.

Excuse me, ma'am.

Who's Warren Berger, Chief Justice of the United States, the most powerful jurist in the country.

Bring any bows, any at all?

No?

Sorry, thank you very much.

You see anonymous, You'll remain It's America, Harry. Seventy five percent of people can name the Seven Dwarves, but I bet you anything, three out of four can't name a single Supreme Court justice.

How many of the seven Dwarfs had had their lives picked apart by the Senate Judiciary Committee one.

You don't need me to tell you what kind of opportunity this is. This is what puts you in the history books.

Harry. I refuse to let you blow it.

And what happens if we disagree in a case?

Christ Harry, I hope we do. How will it look if you side with me on everything? They're gonna find out you were best man at my wedding and brought a date to my senior prom Hell, your mom's cooked me more pot roast than my own. Plus we're both Nixon met it'll be good for public perception.

On the rare.

Occasions we disagree.

You just know they're gonna print your mom's nickname for us as soon as you're seated.

The Minnesota Twins. It did occur to me. It'll be an answer in some poor kid's history exams.

Can you imagine if somebody had told us when we were that age that one day we'd be sitting on the Supreme Court together? Harry, we were going to climb mountains.

This is how we do that.

Oh, I feel like the roof is caved in on me.

Next.

Hi, Sorry, I'm in a big hurry. I'm just on my lunch break. I need to open a credit card. Please, here are my forms. Let's have a look.

Way there, Sarah Calvin, Hello, I haven't seen you since graduation? How you doing, Darling? What from you end up at?

Oh, a smaller one.

I'm at Whitfield Taft, Brad Peter and I'll land it up there.

Actually, Oh, okay, all right, missus Weddington. Everything's in order. We'll just need your husband's signature and you're all set.

Excuse me.

Oh, if he's not here, take it home, bring it back anytime next.

No, see, I need it today. I don't have time to come back.

She's telling the truth, ma'am. She's an attorney. They run us associate's ragged.

Says on your application. You work in a clerical office, Missus Weddington.

I just need the credit card, please, ma'am your husband.

I'm the one who makes the money in the family. Such as it is, this is my credit.

Card, ma'am. I can vouch for the little lady, smartest girl lawyer. I know she ran circles around us.

Boys at ut I'm sorry, Missus Weddington. Bank policy a man's signature is required. I'm sure your husband won't mind.

I'm putting my husband through law school on my clerical salary, whether he minds or.

Puts yourself in our place, Missus Weddington. If women were allowed to open up credit cards on a whim, a lot of them would just go on to shopping spree.

Maybe your friend here could sign no, that's not necessary, thank you.

See you around then, Sarah, you.

Look nervous, Harry, nonsense, Dottie. This is what I look like when I grill.

Uh huh. You flipped that burger fourteen times. I believe it's ready.

I just want this to go.

Well it will.

I'm not worried about one of them any other.

Well.

Remember, she's just a person like you or me.

She is not like you or me.

Oh boy, oh, here we go. Deep breath, my love, we'll face them together. Yeah out here, girls, Lord give us strength.

Ooh, it smells great.

So did you hear they had to cancel his birthday?

Who's birthday? Oh, Susie, don't start.

They practically had to barricade the White House.

Mom.

I don't think protesters have the ability to cancel the president's birthday, Susan, as much as you wish they could.

Oh my god, she's just being dramatic. Dad as always, Hi.

John Jay, Clarence Darrow, Hi Atticus, don't ignore Harmon kill a brew and Billy Martin.

Girls, I was just about to say, hello, mom, all right, if Doctor Doolittle hour is over, Sally, Susan, your mother and I.

Need to speak with you.

What's going on? Dad?

Would you like a burger?

What's wrong?

Daddy?

Are you sick?

Nothing's wrong? Calm down, Susie.

Well that's a matter of opinion. Uncle Warren wants me to join him on the bench.

Wait the bench? Are you serious? Can Uncle Warren do that?

Isn't it up to The President has apparently agreed, my chief qualification being I'm uncontroversial. It's rather like being picked to play shortstop at the Twins because I'm the same shoe size as the previous fellow.

Also that you're a prominent member of a group passing off cranky, outdated, closed minded, bigoted, paranoid opinions in response to positive changes taking place in this country as if they were genuine ideas, otherwise known as a Republican feel good.

To get that off your chest, Susie, Dad's a judge. His political party has no bearing hole Sally.

Actually, your father hasn't decided if he's taking the job yet.

Really, why not?

I despise DC Sally.

Okay, so allergies are our biggest concern here.

No, not the weather anyway, this is a family decision.

You and your sisters will be affected, and your poor mother, she'll have to leave the dress shop in Rochester.

None of us gets out of this unharmed.

Unharmed. That's a little dramatic. Harry, even for you. I'm quite certain there are dress shops in DC, Susie. I think we all know where you stand. Sally. You haven't expressed an opinion yet.

She's obviously for it. Mom, she's dad in a dress.

Shut up.

I don't know, Okay, Well.

No one knows. I'm asking what you think.

And I'm saying I don't know.

I mean, I think it's sort of rich that they want you to tell the whole country what to do on every conceivable issue, when you can't even tell your own daughter what to do when she needs it.

Young lady, what on earth is that supposed to mean?

I don't know.

I'm sorry. I'm proud of you, Daddy, I really am.

Come here, Judge, come here, Yes, yes you are, study.

Sarah.

I'm grabbing a sandwich next door.

You want, thanks, Pete. I actually brought from home today, trying to cut down on expenses.

Deb want medthing. Oh and I'm gonna be twenty minutes late to the bake sale tomorrow.

Oh, just till the whole office be well.

The idea is to actually sell pastries.

Deb, we could use some customers, mister Sims office. I'm sorry, there's no missus Walter here, this is mister Sims office.

You have the wrong numbe that's for me. Prom Queen allah Hi, I told you not to call on this line. Nope, do not come here. I'll call you back from the payphone across the street. You're in the lobby.

What is going on?

B get over here.

What's happening?

Dev?

Doctor Lorry is in the lobby. He's about to be arrested again. Yes, he's coming up.

Doctor Lorry is coming here.

Paul together, be okay, we only have a second.

He's got two cops on him. He needs time to get bail money together so he doesn't spend county.

Oh my god, Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.

We're gonna go to jail down.

We're not going to Jay.

Can I help?

What?

No?

And stop eavesdropping?

Deb deb deb?

Oh? I really I really need your help.

Doctor Lourie, come here right behind me.

Where should we have him?

The storage closet?

Go?

Where is he?

Hello, officer the doctor?

Where do you go?

Oh?

This is a clerical office, but there's a clinic down the street.

Where are you hiding him?

Who?

Officer?

Lady, don't get cute.

I'm not really sure what you mean? Girls? Have we seen a doctor?

What do I don't know?

We haven't seen anyone.

You you in the Phillip pink? What's your name?

Me?

I'm nobody, I said, what's your name?

She's no one, she doesn't know anything.

I'm Sarah Weddington.

Where did the doctor go?

Missus Weddington?

Lying to a police officer can get you in a lot of trouble.

Dear, I really don't know what you're referring to, Officer. This is a clerical office. I haven't seen any doctor.

Give me your keys.

We're checking every office, closet and utility room in this damn place.

We'll find him, of course, Officer happy to once you show me your warrant.

Don't get cute, sweetie.

I don't need a warrant.

I think.

I mean you don't have a warrant, which makes this an unauthorized search of private property. I can't give you my keys, but I can't see you out.

Like I said, cute, I find my own way out.

I hope I did, all right, Dad?

You see that last night on the Bold Ones or something.

Good news is these have got to be the cleanest returns I've ever seen. You're not a risk taker, Judge black Man. Then used to be what's this houseworth?

Judge?

Why in the market? Agent Johnson?

Judge Blackman, please, why would.

You possibly need to know the value of my house?

Sir?

The more questions you ask, the longer this background check is gonna take. You gotta be transparent. If you're nominated to the Supreme Court, your middle school transcripts will become public record.

I must have missed that part of Article three UM twenty five thousand. Maybe okay, and please, hey, be careful with those papers. They're in a very specific order.

Laddie. Now you're in for it. Agent in here, Susan, what is all this?

This, Susan, is a colonoscopy posing as a background check. Say hello to agent Johnson. If he stays another fifteen minutes, he'll know more about me than your mother does.

It's so said that that's.

True, all due respect, Judge, you're getting off easy. Our vetting process is usually much more invasive. But there seems to be some urgency here.

Yeah, because Nixon blue with.

His first two nominees, Susan, he did dun.

The seat's been vacant a year, so your Susan the youngest. This actually saves me a trip if you have a moment.

Absolutely out of the question, dud, It's okay, my daughters are off limits.

Agent Johnson.

Really not how this works, Judge.

All right, Dad, what do you need to know?

I have here?

You went to work for the Naval Medical Research Institute after college, that's right, but you've since left.

Okay, I see where this is going.

What does this have to do with my nomination?

You and three female colleagues have filed the class action suit.

Yes, we have.

Again, this has nothing to do with how I would rule from the bench.

Judge, I'll due respect. You don't see how this is relevant.

I certainly do not take my word for it, Judge, it is.

If I can just say something, my daughter being a party in a lawsuit has no bearing.

It's who she's suing, Judge.

Who she's suing is im material.

She's suing the United States Navy.

It's about sexual discrimination. They treated us differently, They treated us terribly.

You've also joined anti war protests, sometimes violent ones, on several occasions.

Miss Blackman, Yeah, who has it?

Okay, we're done here.

Miss Your father's being considered for a position that would make him one of the most powerful people in government with a lifetime tenure. If I didn't ask about your apparent distaste for our country, I wouldn't be doing my job.

My distaste for our country.

Out of my house, Agent Johnson, now judge out, Well, that actually went better than I thought it would.

You can do this there. Come on, deep breath, deep breath, life, isn't everything? Get out of the car.

Come on, nothing from your friend at the Dallas Morning News be I mean, how can they not want to report about doctors being persecuted like this?

I stopped ask him when he said he'd need to write about our referral network. I don't particularly want to go to jail.

Deb Well, something's got to give.

Well, that's the whole point of filing suit. But no Texas court will agree to hear.

Us, which is why we ought to go federal.

How can that to pay for that deb We're sitting in your damn driveway. Even if the carrot cake, If this bake sale is any good, we'd had three customers all day.

I don't know.

More bake sales, garage sales, whatever it takes. My sister works at County and last night, she admitted a woman who nearly killed herself trying to use chopsticks. Women are drinking castor oil? Do you hear what I'm saying? I do not have time to wait?

Hello?

Am I interrupting prom queen.

It's Sarah? Actually Sarah Weddington.

What are you doing here?

Yesterday at the office? I overheard you're having a big sale. You have a sweet tooth, sweetie, take your pick.

We could use the money.

And you're trying to file a federal lawsuit.

This is a closed meeting. Actually, be nice.

Deb Sarah's not a cop. She works ten feet from you.

A lawsuit over the Texas abortion laws. Right.

I sort of figured the cop who came into the office yesterday chasing that doctor.

It was about a referral.

Service, right, Pregnant women call, We let them know where they can find a doctor.

Who will help me.

You don't know who.

Princess will go squealing.

To help them and their pregnancy.

No, help them get their nail polish removed? Is this chick for real?

Are you in the movement?

Sarah? Look at her bee.

A ten pound cat would disappear in that hairdoo. She's obviously not do.

You quiet, deb Sarah, She's right, I'm not in the movement.

No kidding, and she obviously doesn't have any experience with abortion, right.

Look, I don't think that's who you should be looking for or what you need. And we may be able to help each other.

Yeah, I don't think so help each other.

How, Sarah, Well, I'm not really a typist.

Ooh, let me guess avon, lady, No, president of the PTA, I'm a lawyer.

Really?

Oh please? You went to law school.

Graduating near the top of my class.

Mm hmm. You ever worked on a case?

Just a couple of wills and an adoption from my uncle.

You've been to court? Then court? Oh? No, god?

No, Okay, Look, beauty, queen, you seem sweet, and that's a very pretty pastel dress you have on. But we don't need some twenty nine year old coming in here and telling.

Us twenty five actually, wow, there.

You go, now, if you'll expa wait.

A second, you're talking about challenging a two hundred year old law on the grounds of women's rights in a state where it's still technically illegal for a girl to adjust her stockings in public. It's not long since I played high school basketball, and we weren't allowed to take more than two dribbles before passing off for fear that the exertion would damage our reproductive capacities.

What you're trying to do is impossible.

And I promise you your opposition isn't sitting around a bake sale right now. Your opposition is the sovereign state of Texas, presumably District Attorney Henry Wade, who's been on the job thirty five years and send as many men to death row.

So you think it's hopeless, Sarah.

I know it's hopeless, Bee, so do you. But that doesn't matter it does it. A lawsuit will make some noise, and noise is what's required right now. Noise is what wakes people up.

Well said.

Now, I'm not in the movement. I don't know a ton about women's live That's not my passion. You know what My passion is the law. Ever since I was a little girl, there's nothing else I wanted to do. It sounds like you all have no money to hire a lawyer, and even if you did, no respectable attorney would take you on. I'm not used to a certain myself like this, So forgive me if I'm doing it wrong. But I came here today to say I think maybe we're a match.

What's in it for you, Sarah? We can't pay you.

I interviewed at every firm in Texas that would meet with me after my graduation. It was always too delicate, too pretty, too bad. I just need a shot, I need a case.

Flowery speech is aside. We need a real lawyer. We don't want to be laughed at.

You're probably right, dev A federal lawsuit is huge. You need a law firm's resources, and we've tried.

A dozen firms have turned us down.

I know the feeling, and it's a shame because a federal lawsuit is incredibly complex and time intensive. Putting it in my hands would be like asking some guy you found swinging a bat in your driveway.

If you wanted to play for the Texas Rangers.

Well, thank you for understanding by now.

But the thing is, we're standing in your driveway and I don't see anyone else swinging it back.

Supreme The Battle Farah from iHeart Podcasts created and written by Aaron Tracy, directed by Rachel Winter, starring Maya Hawk, William H. Macy, and Abigail Breslan also featuring Laura Bonanti as b Andrea Savage as deb, William Fickner as Warren, Felicity Huffman as Dottie, Garrett Hedlund as Ron, Sophia Macy as Sally, Veronica Slowakowska as Susie, and Katie Kuric as

This is a production of Unbelievable Entertainment in partnership with iHeartRadio.