Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV Series)

Birthright (2004)

Diane Neal: ADA Casey Novak

Quotes 

• Michelle Osborne : You can't kidnap your own daughter.

  ADA Casey Novak : The law says she isn't yours.

  Michelle Osborne : Well, the law is wrong.

  Donna Emmett : Well, we should just forget about the law and focus on what's right.

  ADA Casey Novak : What's right is for your client to accept that she has no claim to Patty.

• ADA Casey Novak : Michelle pled to custodial interference. Suspended sentence. Said she's moving out of state. It's too painful to be near Patty and not see her.

  Elliot Stabler : She did the motherly thing, loving her by letting her go.

• Olivia Benson : Casey, you've got to plead her out.

  ADA Casey Novak : Why would I do that?

  Olivia Benson : Because what happened was a mistake.

  ADA Casey Novak : Michelle is uncontrollably driven to kidnap someone else's child.

  Olivia Benson : Her little girl biologically!

  ADA Casey Novak : But not legally. I can't let Michelle off the hook just because you feel guilty you didn't believe her.

  Olivia Benson : Well then give her a break because she's also a victim. What that fertility doctor did to those two women is genetic rape. And don't tell me that that doesn't bother you on some level.

  ADA Casey Novak : Talk to the doctor, confirm what Michelle and the Bransons say and I'll consider a deal.

• Elliot Stabler : Maybe it's buyer's remorse. Michelle did consent to donate her embryos and now she's sorry she did.

  Olivia Benson : That doctor pulled that story out of his ass. Come on, Elliot, he was making it up as he was telling it to us!

  ADA Casey Novak : So you think he's lying. Michelle Osborne hired private detectives to kidnap a child. Why do you believe her?

  Olivia Benson : Because Michelle Osborne has never lied to us about anything. Patty is her biological daughter.

  Elliot Stabler : So let Michelle and the Bransons sue Norton for malpractice.

  Olivia Benson : But if he intentionally put one woman's eggs into another without consent, we can't just let him get away with it.

  ADA Casey Novak : There's no law against that in New York State. And we can't charge him with larceny because stolen property has to have value and body parts don't.

  Olivia Benson : In vitro fertilization costs tens of thousands of dollars a pop. If Norton misrepresented what he did and put that "X" on this form, then we have him on fraud and forgery. If he did it once before, you can bet that he's done the same thing to other women.

  ADA Casey Novak : Now all we have to do is prove it.

  Olivia Benson : Right. This consent form is a copy. You get us a warrant for the original and we will.

• ADA Casey Novak : [about Dr. Norton]  That guy still thinks he did a favor for the Bransons. Sarah's medical records have a notation that none of her eggs fertilized.

  Elliot Stabler : So Norton just slipped her one of Michelle Osborne's embryos to keep up his batting average. What a guy.

• ADA Casey Novak : [during her opening statement in court]  No one here will try and tell you that Michelle Osborne is violent or evil. She was driven to kidnap Patty Branson because she believes Patty is her little girl. And biologically, Patty is her daughter, but you must remember, the law says the birth mother is the child's mother. So Patty is not and can never legally be Michelle's daughter. Now, Michelle kidnapped Patty from the mother who gave her life and from the parents who've raised her since birth. So no matter how much you may be moved by Michelle Osborne's pain, you cannot ignore the fact, she broke the law.

• Elliot Stabler : 'And Solomon said "Bring me a sword, divide the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other."'

  ADA Casey Novak : But I can't split the child.

  Elliot Stabler : [looks at her]  Solomon didn't have to.

• ADA Casey Novak : [to Patty]  Do you think Michelle is nice?

  Patty Branson : She's okay.

  ADA Casey Novak : You know what Michelle said about being your egg mommy is true, right?

  [Patty doesn't answer her] 

  ADA Casey Novak : Your Honor?

  Judge Walter Bradley : Could you please answer the question, Patty?

  Patty Branson : [in tears]  No! It's not true!

  ADA Casey Novak : Yes, it is, Patty.

  Patty Branson : Michelle's not my mommy!

  ADA Casey Novak : You came from her egg. That is true.

  Patty Branson : I want to go now.

  ADA Casey Novak : No. You can't until we're finished.

  Patty Branson : I don't want to go with Michelle!

  Donna Emmett : Your Honor, she's just a little girl.

  Judge Walter Bradley : [to Novak]  Is this line of questioning necessary?

  ADA Casey Novak : Patty, do you understand?

  Patty Branson : I don't want to go with Michelle!

  ADA Casey Novak : You don't have to, Patty. Not yet.

  Patty Branson : I want my mommy and daddy!

  ADA Casey Novak : No, you have to stay here.

  Patty Branson : Please! Don't take me away! Please!

  Michelle Osborne : [stands up]  Stop it! Just stop it.

  Judge Walter Bradley : Sit down now, Mrs. Osborne.

  Michelle Osborne : Patty, I'm sorry. I won't ever bother you again.

  Patty Branson : [as she runs off the witness stand to her parents]  Mommy! Mommy!

  Michelle Osborne : I've changed my mind. I just want this to stop. I'll plead guilty, if that's what it takes.