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He just happened to be home when the outgoing mayor was calling around to make judicial appointments. . .and that's how Harry T. Stone (Harry Anderson) became New York City's youngest--and wackiest--judge. In this debut episode of Night Court, Harry settles down to work in a nocturnal appellate court frequented by such eccentrics as hard-drinking, womanizing ADA Dan Fielding (John Larroquette), bald, taciturn bailiff "Bull" Shannon (Richard Moll), chain-smoking, sarcastic matron Selma (Selma Diamond), and wide-eyed, bubbly court clerk Lana (Karen Austin). Harry makes his mark the first night on the job when he flips a coin to decide whether or not a woman (Peggy McCay) who tried to shoot her husband should be released or go to the slammer--then incites a riot when he orders the woman, her husband, and their lawyer to go out to dinner together! Featured in this inaugural episode are Rita Taggart in the recurring role of impulsive hooker Carla B. and Gail Strickland as legal-aid lawyer Sheila Gardiner, a character that would be replaced in the very next episode (and for the rest of Season One) by Paula Kelly as Liz Williams.