One Big Happy Family

Sandra asks Kate to look into Judge Fitzpatrick.

**One Big Happy Family** is the fifth episode of the second season and the 15th overall episode of **For the People**.

## Short Summary

Sandra urges Kate to take on a case against a very powerful and well-respected judge who is accused of wrongfully sentencing young children for profit. When Judge Bryne is asked to testify in the case, he questions his role in the rigid justice system and must make a very difficult decision. Elsewhere, Seth temporarily moves in with Jay until a leak in his apartment is fixed.

## Cast

* Jill Carlan
* Roger Gunn
* AllisonAdams
* Ted
* Kate Littlejohn
* Jay Simmons
* Leonard Knox
* Seth Oliver
* Sandra Bell
* Tina Krissman
* Nicholas Byrne
* Mr. Collins
* Sam Simmons
* Vera Simmons
* Joanne Green
* Grant Fitzpatrick
* Donald Newman
* Judge Lucy Drexen
* Cassandra Collins
* Joanna Walcott
* Andrew Moss
* Laura Romanesko
* Pamela Kupfer
* Ed O'Bannon
* Jury Foreperson
* Serena Nazari
* Emma Collins
* Alex Kimball
* Mario
* Patrick Reims
* Aaron
* Juana
* Petra
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### Main Cast

* Hope Davis as Jill Carlan
* Ben Shenkman as Roger Gunn
* Jasmin Savoy Brown as Allison Adams
* Charles Michael Davis as Ted
* Susannah Flood as Kate Littlejohn
* Wesam Keesh as Jay Simmons
* Regé-Jean Page as Leonard Knox
* Ben Rappaport as Seth Oliver
* Britt Robertson as Sandra Bell
* Anna Deavere Smith as Tina Krissman
* Vondie Curtis Hall as Judge Nicholas Byrne

### Guest Stars

* Brad Beyer as Mr. Collins
* Arthur Darbinyan as Sam Simmons
* Anna Khaja as Vera Simmons
* René Ashton as Joanne Green
* Robert Curtis Brown as Judge Grant Fitzpatrick
* Dabney Coleman as Donald Newman

### Co-Starring

* Deborah Geffner as Judge Drexen
* Kikéy Castillo as Cassandra Collins
* Bee-be Smith as Joanna Walcott
* Stephen Smith Collins as Andrew Moss
* Kelly Wolf as Laura Romanesko
* Jessica Young as Pamela Kupfer
* Eric Deskin as Ed O'Bannon
* Ali Hill as Jury Foreperson
* Nida Khurshid as Serena Nazari
* Alison Fernandez as Emma Collins
* Nathan Arenas as Alex Kimball
* Jovan Armand as Mario
* Aaron Bledsoe as Patrick Reims
* Aaron Guest as Aaron
* Megan Troung as Juana
* Georgia T. Willow as Petra

## Music

 "Nah, Nah, Please"
* Seth and Jay throw a party. Jay's parents attend.
* Allison checks on Sandra and Kate.
* The lawyers and Ted play cards.

## Notes and Trivia

* This episode scored 3.07 million viewers.
* Title Drop: Roger says it when lawyers from both sides run into each other at the US Attorney's Office.
* This episode contains a direct reference to the infamous kids for cash judicial kickbacks scandal that occurred in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania in 2008.
* This is the first episode where Seth and Tina as well as Allison and Leonard have a scene together. They were together in the courtroom scene in the pilot but didn't have direct conversations with each other back then.

## Quotes

**Kate:** Three years ago, New York Family Court Judge Fitzpatrick began imposing longer sentences. And directed that those sentenced in his court serve them at New Roads Juvenile Detention Center, a for-profit jail owned by Roman Cox. At the exact same time he did this, Judge Fitzpatrick began leasing an apartment to Mr. Cox's sister, Joanne Green, for the outrageous rent of $24,000 a month. In fact, it wasn't rent at all. It was a payment. Money to Judge Fitzpatrick in exchange for kids to New Roads for Mr. Cox. Cash for kids. That's what this was. Cash for kids. Kids. We don't know why Judge Fitzpatrick did this, but we know what it means. It means he hurt children and their parents, that he destroyed families, real ones. And those are the ones that matter. Those are the ones I want you to think about. He also hurt this family, and that matters, too. This justice system, it is a family. We argue like brother and sister on both sides and we do it before a parent, an honest broker, a figure of decency and integrity and wisdom. A person who says, "I've heard you and I'm gonna be fair. And this is what I'm gonna do." And we don't always agree with it but we respect it. All of us. And that is important. To all of us. It is fitting that Judge Fitzpatrick was undone by a great and honorable judge, but the work isn't over. Now it is your turn, you, too, are part of this family. Protect it. Defend it.