207 The Innocent

Following the tragic death of eight-year-old Brendan Caffey, foster parents Tom and Joyce Burke want to revoke the parental rights of his drug-addicted, severely diabetic father, Lou. As Nick starts laying the groundwork for termination, he learns that his death from a dog mauling may not have been Brendan s fault and suggests suing the owner might provide the Burkes with money to help raise the dead boy s sisters, Andrea and Kristin. But because their father is legally entitled to the award, Nick asks Jake to represent Lou, while he serves as the children s attorney in their effort to eventually secure any settlement. Meanwhile, Lulu is assigned to represent a man who, after serving over twenty years in prison for a crime he didn t commit, is fighting his wife s efforts to get a divorce. But after convincing a judge to allow Albert Gregg to return to his old job at the courthouse, Lulu is stunned when he s is arrested for attacking a co-worker.

Although Jake quickly realizes there s little money in suing over Brendan s death, Nick persuades him to continue with the case and, with Andrea s help, they arrive at a bar to find Lou riding out a heroin high. Told that he may be entitled to some money, Lou agrees to pursue the case as a way to provide something for his kids. However, once Nick negotiates a settlement with the insurance company, Lou decides to keep it for himself. Meanwhile, after managing to keep Albert from serving any jail time, a discussion with her client s wife prompts Lulu to ask that he give up trying to stop the divorce.

Although Nick has moved to freeze Lou s assets in an effort to salvage the settlement money for his kids, the Burke s aren t up for the fight and ask that he simply terminate his parental rights. While Andrea doesn t want to give up, even she can see that the case is hopeless. But when Lou is found dead as a result of his diabetes, Nick and Jake see to it that the kids and their foster parents get the money after all. Finally, even though Lulu persuades him to sign the divorce papers, Albert is still convinced that, given time, his wife will come back.