The Verdict

Frank Galvin is a washed-up attorney, exhausted by years of chasing ambulance-chasing recoveries. His former partner drags him back into a medical malpractice case involving Deborah Ann Kaye. The assignment promises a chance to prove himself again.

The Catholic diocese offers a settlement of $210,000 to cover Kaye's ongoing care. Galvin weighs the human cost and refuses the offer, determined to battle in court. He commits to taking the case to trial despite the risk.

Galvin's decision to go to trial shocks the defense and even the judge, signaling a personal comeback in a hard-fought battle. He resolves to prove negligence rather than take an easy payout. The stakes rise as the courtroom confrontation looms.

In a bar, Galvin meets Laura Fischer, a divorced woman who will become a quiet source of support and tension. Their budding connection compounds the stress of the legal fight. The romance adds emotional weight to the legal gamble.

The road to trial grows rocky as a key medical expert vanishes and a hastily arranged substitute's credentials are put under scrutiny. The defense uses delays and procedural hurdles to slow the case. The reliability of critical testimony hangs in the balance.

Concannon, the hospital's attorney, orchestrates a strong defense apparatus and leverages the press to shape public opinion. The family's witnesses face concerted pressure and attempts to discredit them. The courtroom atmosphere becomes increasingly combative.

Kaye's brother-in-law confronts Galvin after learning the rejected settlement, underscoring the personal costs of the case. The clash foreshadows mounting tensions between the family and the legal team. The pressure tests Galvin's resolve.

In a tense in-chambers exchange, Judge Hoyle threatens Galvin with disbarment and warns against continuing the trial. Galvin retorts, accusing the judge of serving political interests and calling him a 'defendant's judge.' Hoyle refuses to grant a mistrial and makes clear the stakes.

Galvin travels to New York to secure testimony from Kaitlin Costello, the admitting nurse who could confirm the timing of meals. Laura arranges to meet him there, deepening the personal arc of the case. The trip marks a turning point in his approach to the evidence.

Morrissey discovers a check in Laura's handbag that suggests she is acting as a spy for Concannon, triggering a moral breach in the relationship. He warns Galvin of betrayal, and the two men collide in a tense confrontation in a New York bar, culminating in an unexpected punch. The personal costs of the case become public.

On the flight back to Boston, Morrissey argues for a mistrial on ethics grounds, but Galvin chooses to press on. The decision keeps the trial on track despite growing pressures. The journey back reinforces the strain between personal and professional lines.

In court, Costello testifies that she wrote that Kaye had eaten a meal, but she reveals her superiors coerced the change from 1 to 9. She keeps a photocopy of the original admitting note, underscoring inconsistencies. The defense presses for strict adherence to the original documents, challenging the altered record.

Concannon argues about the weight of the original document, but Hoyle sustains the objection and Costello's testimony is struck from the record. A diocese lawyer questions the bishop about belief, provoking an awkward silence and a sense of unresolved doubt. The trial teeters on whether the evidence can be trusted.

Galvin delivers a vehement and persuasive closing argument that resonates with the jurors. The jury returns a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs, and Hoyle allows them to award more than the requested amount. Outside the atrium, Galvin is congratulated and glimpses Laura watching him.

That night Laura dials Galvin's office number in a moment of doubt and temptation, but he remains still and does not answer. The future of their relationship and the case's aftermath remains uncertain. The film closes on the tension between personal and professional redemption.