Summary

Mitchell Stephens is a New York City lawyer from a large firm who has made a good living from representing plaintiffs in negligence suits. Mitchell says he is such a lawyer because he is a naturally angry person, not because he is greedy. The emotional rush Mitchell gets from trying, and winning, cases and an overwhelming feeling of having reached some level of good are what keep him in his business. After reading about the Sam Dent school bus accident in the newspaper, he drives up to the town to find families to join together for a negligence lawsuit.

Mitchell checks into the Bide-A-Wile motel because it is closest to the town and the accident site. Risa Walker checks him in and does not mention her own son, Sean, died in the accident. When Mitchell comes down to the front desk to...