Alan Shore Gives the Supreme Court Hell

Last week’s episode of Boston Legal had Alan Shore (James Spader) and Denny Crane (William Shatner) arguing a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. Entertaining as always, the episode had an expert try to educate Alan on how to do this as smoothly as possible… but Alan was not about to let this opportunity (an awe-inspiring experience for any lawyer) pass by without telling the Court a thing or two. As the duo faced the nine justices, there were the usual Denny Crane moments (he couldn’t help but flirt with Ruth Bader Ginsburg), but also a stirring speech by Alan, as always perfectly delivered by an enthusiastic Spader.

He sparred with Antonin Scalia, perhaps the Court’s most conservative justice, made Clarence Thomas speak (he usually only listens) and gave the Court hell for being so openly political. Instead of serving the people, the Supreme Court is all about serving right-wing or left-wing ideologies. That is of course a consequence of America’s highly politicized judicial system; that’s what you get when it is up to the executive branch to appoint judges and justices.

Of course, the real Supreme Court justices would be able to answer Alan Shore more effectively than these actors are allowed to, but it is a great speech. See it now before ABC makes YouTube remove the clip.

tv tv james spader william shatner antonin scalia IMDb