Portia on Trial (1937)

Lady lawyer Portia Merryman Frieda Inescourt defends woebegone Elizabeth Manners Heather Angel who is on trial for shooting her lover Earle Condon Neil Hamilton Ironically Portia herself had once had a relationship with Earle Condon but Earles father powerful publisher John Condon Clarence Kolb forced them apart She has a pretty good idea of what is going on in Elizabeths head since she herself was on the verge of killing Earle Condon when his father ruthlessly took custody of her illegitimate son As Portia toils and strains to free her client she carries on a romance with Dan Foster Walter Abel the attorney for the prosecution LA Law and The Practice have nothing on this one